Type: Shipwreck (Schooner)
Location: St. Lawrence River
Nearest municipality: Clayton, New York
Build: Wood
Propulsion: Sail
Depth: 60-125 feet (20-42 metres)
Visibility: 25 feet (8 metres)
Approximate length: 100 feet (33 metres)
Sunk: Around 1897
Access: Boat
Level: Advanced
Directions:
Closest boat launch to this wreck in Ontario would be at the
Rockport Government Docks. Head West, passing between Bold Castle and
Alexandra Bay in New York and head for the Ivy Lea International
Bridge. The wreck is in U.S. waters, about 2 km's West of the Ivy Lea
International bridge. The wreck's marker can be seen sandwiched by
an island that houses an elderly couple's cottage on the South side
(immediately West of the light house on Rock Island), and a green buoy
marked # 215 on the North side.
Comments:
This particular wreck lies on the side of a shoal which explains why
its depth range is so wide. Although pretty strong on the entire length
of the descent line, the current on this site disapears once the diver
swims over the bow and follows the deck which will lead him/her toward
the ship's stern. The holds on the deck might be large enough to let a
diver through, but do not swim in! The inside is very dark and silt can
be stirred up very easily. Items of interest are all outside the wreck
anyway, like the stove, at the stern on deck, and the rudder. The
main mast, detached from the Vickery, is also visible from the stern
on the starboard side, but be cafeful not to swim to it though, since
its depth will lead you past the sport diving absolute maximum depth
of 130 feet (44 metres). Take advantage of the great visibility instead.
Only advanced divers with plenty of experience should dive this very
deep wreck. Keep a very close eye on your air and depth gauges as well
as your bottom timer. Allow plenty of air your return to the surface,
as you will need to make your safety stop in the very strong current.
As well, incorporate a safety margin in your dive table calculations for
extra safety.
The areas around the Vickery are filled with pleasure and commercial
boaters, so flying a divers down flag is not only a very good idea, it
is a legal requirement in the state of New York.
Jean Langlois is a Cornwall, Ontario native who now works in Ottawa
as a computer technologist. He has been diving for ten years, having
now reached the level of rescue diver. Although most of his diving has
been in his home region from Cornwall to Kingston, Jean also had the
pleasure of discovering other beautiful dive spots such as Tobermory,
the Maritimes and Les Escoumins in Quebec. He recently has combined
passion of diving and computers to create a new Web Site, Scuba Diving
in Eastern Ontario!
Jean can be reached at the following e-mail address
br624@freenet.carleton.ca
URL: http://members.tripod.com/~Kaos2/scuba.
