Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Unidentified
- Type: Presumed canal barge or utility scow
- Year Built:
- Builder: Unknown
- Dimensions: 32-82 ft (10-25 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Not yet documented
- Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
- Location: Lock 2, Third Welland Canal, Martindale Pond, Jaycee Gardens Park
- Coordinates: 43.193654, -79.267246
- Original Owners: Unknown; possibly a service vessel or retired canal barge
- Number of Masts: None visible or recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Presumed canal barge or utility scow.
Description
This unidentified wreck is submerged within Lock 2 of the Third Welland Canal, operational from 1887 to 1932. The vessel outline was first recorded in a photograph taken during a pond drainage in 1965.
History
This vessel likely served during the height of the Third Welland Canal’s operation, either for transport or canal maintenance. It may have been scuttled after the canal was decommissioned in favor of the newer Fourth Canal system. Local history indicates many such vessels were left in place or dismantled as part of site abandonment or repurposing.
Significant Incidents
- First recorded photograph in 1965 during a pond drainage revealed the vessel outline.
Final Disposition
Abandoned pre-1965, presumed to have been deliberately scuttled or abandoned. The wreck is currently submerged in silt within the former lock chamber.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is novice-friendly, being shallow and accessible via the park entrance. It currently serves as an informal historical curiosity, with no mooring or interpretive signage yet established.
Resources & Links
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The wreck at Jaycee Gardens Park offers a unique glimpse into the history of the Third Welland Canal and is an intriguing site for divers interested in exploring submerged historical artifacts.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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