Marine Railway Kingston

One of the sites of the Marine Museum Dive Site

In September, 1951 Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering was fulfilling a contract for construction of a wooden minesweeping vessel for the Royal Canadian Navy. Contractually-obligated to build the minesweeper indoors, the end wall of a large structure was removed and the marine railway attached outside it, leading to the beckoning lake. This construction enabled an end launch into water of sufficient depth of the completed ship. These September 18, 1951 Whig clippings detail the revolutionary ways built under the leadership of T.G. Bishop

Dive Site Description: Marine Museum, Kingston, Ontario

The Marine Museum dive site, located in Kingston, Ontario, offers an accessible and convenient freshwater diving experience. To reach the site, divers can follow the West Street Route and head east along the wall towards the Marine Railroad. It is important to exercise caution in the sewer overflow area. The Marine Railroad is situated on the east side of the caved-in Wharf, and a line extends southeast to the corner of the pier.

From there, the dive route diverges in two directions. Heading east will lead divers to the Anchors, while heading southeast will take them towards the barge. Along the way, divers will encounter a line of scattered tires, bottles, broken toilets, and shipbuilding parts. The bottom of the dive site is characterized by silty sediment, which can quickly reduce visibility to zero if disturbed. In the event of a silt out, divers are advised to raise a couple of feet above the cloud of silt and wait for a few seconds, as the slight current will help dissipate it.

Continuing past the first wreck, divers will reach the barge itself. Here, they can explore the scow build and may come across bottles and other artifacts left by previous divers at the bow of the barge. The marine life in the area, including fish and mud puppies, becomes more visible during night dives. However, it is important to exercise caution during the summer months due to high traffic in the area, particularly when surfacing from shore.

The Marine Museum dive site provides a maximum depth of 36-40 feet (11-12 meters). The average visibility ranges from 16 to 20 feet (5-6 meters). It is a popular spot in Kingston for divers to enter the water, practice or test new equipment, and shake off the rust after the winter months. However, as is typical for Lake Ontario, aquatic life at this site may be limited.

While visiting the Marine Museum dive site, divers can also explore the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes itself. The museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the maritime history of the Great Lakes. It is located at 55 Ontario St. in Kingston and holds the distinction of being a designated National Historic Site of Canada.

A very comprehensive write up is available over at The Hanley Spur Blog