Weehawk & Lock 27 Drift

(Photo by Dan McCormick, via the Ottawa Save Ontario Shipwrecks Chapter)

Don’t judge a book by its cover!  The pile of wood and metal resting in the old lock 28 has a rich history.  Hearing about the Weehawk from other divers and shops never made the site sound interesting, but after diving it and then looking into the history I immediately found this article http://ottawa.saveontarioshipwrecks.on.ca/proj_weehawk.php

Wow! instant respect for a pile wreckage.  I’m sure there were some interesting people on that ferry.

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

When its warmer in the water then the air temp, it’s a no brainer where you should be.  Fannie, Adam, and I met up together to dive the Weehawk & Lock 27 drift to the Conastoga.  Pouring rain didn’t slow us down. 

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

Doesn’t Adam look like an Oompa Loompa in this shot!

(Photo by McCarthy Aero Services Ltd. http://www.uer.ca/locations/viewgal.asp?picid=140630)

A 1920 aerial view of the Galop Canal locks just west of Cardinal.  I learned that this was the site of both Lock 27 and Lock 28.  Lock 28 is now filled in with earth.

(Photo from Google Earth) 

We jumped off the ledge close to the Weehawk.  It was a 6′ leap!  Once in the water I began sealing my mask around my hood.  A little help from Fannie and we were ready, but… Fannie said she thinks she has a leak.  I stuck my head under the water to see her SPG hose was doing a good job trying to empty her tank.  We were floating with our BCD’s full, so I turned off her tank.  Climbing up the bank that filled in Lock 28 Fannie realized she had a hose failure and called the dive.  I like the “My cat chewed my hose” story better.  With Fannie unfortunately MIA Adam and I started the dive.

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

We didn’t hang out too long with the Weehawk.  I intend on exploring it more on another occasion. 

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

Not much current around the Weehawk, but as soon as we got into Lock 27 we were on a high-speed ride!  No fighting against the current.  A couple of times I slowed myself down to not lose Adam.

After zipping through the Lock we had our eyes peeled looking for the spot to cross into the main channel of the St Lawrence.  Feeling the pull of the current getting stronger we swept across and down onto the curving bottom of the causeway.  Easy! Now all we had to do was find the Connie.  10 minutes drifting we ran into four other divers.  This was a good sign suggesting we hadn’t missed it.  Then Ta Da the looming hull was there. 

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

Adam and I did the traditional drift down the side, swam up through it, drift down the other side, swam through it, and then back down the first side.

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

 

 

(Photos by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

Great dive! Too bad Fannie couldn’t join us.  We got dressed up in the rain then headed to the Boars Nest in Cardinal for a pint. 

The Boars Nest has quite the character to it.  As you find in a small town local bar hang out.  It reminds me of the late Fred’s bar in Chapeau Quebec.

(Photo by Christian Lloyd-Kohls)

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