Episode 111: “The Great Lakes”
E111: “The Great Lakes”
For centuries, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes have shaped the story of Canada. The team takes a trip through history and visits the world’s best collection of freshwater shipwrecks to discover what makes this water so great.
Special thanks to the organizations that helped make our trip possible:
Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston
Episode Commentary:
Scott: It was very important for Andre and I to be able to show off the Great
Lakes during our filming of Descending. We’ve always known that the diving here is world class in its own right. Perhaps the best freshwater shipwrecks (if not some of the best SHIPWRECKS in general) in the world. These wooden wrecks are well preserved thanks to the cold water, lack of sunlight, depth, fresh water and of course the organizations and respectful divers here who protect them. Although I’ve always known that the diving here was spectacular, I didn’t realize how captivating — and often tragic — the stories of these wrecks are.
This episode really gives a small taste of what is out in these lakes to explore, but hopefully it’s enough to whet the appetite of divers who have never been here. I hope this episode motivates those in other countries to come and explore here, and for those who have lived by these lakes their entire lives to do the same. So many divers just head ”south” for the “good” diving, when we’ve got it right here.
Ellis: The romance of diving a perfectly preserved wooden shipwreck can only be overshadowed by the incredible human tales that each one holds. Each wreck is unique, both physically and spiritually. It is hard not to be touched as you swim through these historic time capsules and begin to understand the times and lives of the pioneers that once sailed these waters in their endeavor to colonize inland North America.
Photos:
"The Sweepstakes" wreck at Tobermory
"The Arabia" wreck at Tobermory
Ellis and Scott en route to a Lake Erie dive site
"The Comet" wreck's side wheel
"The Daryaw" wreck in the St.Lawrence River
Scott encounters one of the current residents of Mille Roches
