Rothesay
From DiveSpot
Contents |
[edit] Location
N 44 41.980 W 75 31.630 (wreck)
44.700218, -75.529987 (entry area)
In the Saint Lawrence River, just west of Prescott, Ontario.
[edit] Conditions
Depth: 28'
Visibility: 5'-50'
Current: medium
Water temperature: From 1C (Feb.) to 25C (July)
[edit] Recent Conditions
Saturday May 22nd 2010
Current : Very Light to almost none
Visibility : Terrible Due to Lots of Suspended Algae 10 ft to 5 ft
Water Temp : 12.0C to 12.6C
Bouys have not yet been placed - Search or find line on bottom 20 ft from beach
Updated by the "Ivor the Diver"
| Date | Temperature | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| 2010-05-22 | 12.0°C | 10' |
[edit] Description
This wooden paddlewheeler was built in 1868 and sunk without loss of lives in 1889 after a collision with a tugboat. The Rothesay lies upright in 30' of water with its bow facing upstream. At some point in the past the midsection of the wreck was dynamited by military divers for practice.
The area around the stern is still very much intact and the bow is still quite recognizable. This spot is home to many large bass and carp and makes an excellent night dive. There are two commemorative plaques, one at the bow and one off the port side of the stern about 30 feet from the wreck.
[edit] Access
This site is a shore dive, with parking and changing facilies directly beside the entry area.
Carefully descend the metal staircase, wade in, and surface swim out to the first buoy. From there, a line leads to the Rothesay.
[edit] Hazards
Heavy boat traffic. Fly a diver's down flag.
