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Resources > Dive Locations > Shore Dives > Kinghorn
The Kinghorn (1871 - 1897)
Officer Smeaton writing out a ticket
KEY STATS:
Composite Barge
Built 1871 Sunk 1897
Length 131ft (77m)
Depths to 90 ft (9m)
Location: St. Lawrence River, Rockport, Ontario, Canada
GPS (for the boat guys) N 44.22.604 W 75.55.849
It was named after the manager of the Montreal Transportation Company, located in Kingston, Ontario, since it was his idea to have this barge made with an iron frame and wooden planking (the first on the river). It was launched in 1871 at Montreal, after being put together by J.B. Auger & Co. from parts made in Scotland. The Kinghorn had a capacity of about 20,000 bushels of grain. She sank in April 1897. This wreck has been confused with the fishing tug Edith Sewell, and the "Rockport wreck."
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On April 27, 1897, the tug Hiram A. Walker, under Captain Boyd, had seven barges under tow in the American channel near Thousand Island Park. She was caught in a storm, losing a barge on the south shore and two at Johnston's light, opposite the park. With four barges left, the Walker headed for Grenadier Island, where the Captain of the Kinghorn reported his craft leaking badly. The Walker headed for Rockport with the injured barge, but lost her 500m from Rockport, in 90 ft. (28m) of water. The Kinghorn was discovered by Ronald MacDonald in 1996.
This is the Perfect Training Dive for the Up and Coming Tech Diver, as well as the most experienced. If you start your dive from the Docks and take a bearing, it takes about 12 minutes to reach the wreck, and you still get approximately 20 minutes to play before reaching deco. If you take the full 20 minutes and swim right back to dock, deco drills can be preformed at 20' and 15' stops. This is a local favorite dive, with everything from current to finding bottles. Who says you need depth to get technical?
Glue member on deck
Stern and Wheel
Bow
Inside looking out
Glue member on deck
Stern and Wheel
Bow
Inside looking out
Shore Dive Locations:
NOTE:
A log sheet is available for this dive location in PDF format, click here to download.
Want to see a dive location in person? We'll be happy to take you there, just visit our charters page (click here) and book an adventure!
Brewers Mills
Brockville Waterfront
Conestoga
Cora W Post
Kinghorn
Ivy Lea Park
The Marine Museum
Pysche and Regent
Nicholson's Point
Rockport Wall
Rothesay
Stacked Hulls
HMS St. Lawrence
NOTE:
A log sheet is available for this dive location in PDF format, click here to download.
Want to see a dive location in person? We'll be happy to take you there, just visit our charters page (click here) and book an adventure!