S.O.S. is a Provincial Heritage Organization in Ontario dedicated to the
study
, preservation and promotion of an appreciation
of Ontario's marine heritage. 

Updated:  8 May, 2012
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S.O.S. wants to know...
What is your primary perception of S.O.S.?
Site surveys
NAS training
Mooring buoys
Land & U/W plaques
Preservation education
Heritage insight
Heritage Preservation
Other



About SOS

Ships Stores

Workshops

Events

Photo Gallery

In the news

Divers Guides

Chapters

Board of Directors

Membership

Links



 


Join our Facebook group today


SOS Project and Event Insurance through OUC
details


 Dive To Preserve
 READ ALL ABOUT IT !


Ontario Underwater Council - OUC
SOS & OUC
2 provincial organizations
working together to improve
 Ontario Diving for you!
Join NOW


A MUST READ
This is why we teach:
leave it where it sits -  Please !


(483 kb in PDF - get Adobe Reader)

Fully updated with Bill 179,
Alvin Clark demise,
Breadalbane wheel story
 and about stray anchors


LOW  IMPACT  DIVING
A PADI Distinctive Specialty

COURSE MATERIALS AVAILABLE
 TO DOWNLOAD


Summary of 
Marine Heritage Consultations


SOS BYLAW #2


Ontario
 Heritage Act
& Changes


Dive into History - EVENTS


 
Daily Shipwreck Geek
This battleship, the most powerful Germany built, was discovered by Robert Ballard in 1989.
Tirpitz
Scharnhorst
Bismarck
Prinz Eugen


View Answers

Back to top
 


THE
 UNESCO
 CONVENTION


HELP
WANTED
b
ecome a member,

lead a team,

dive with a purpose,

For Great Rewards!

Site News

The new site is up and running. We will be progressively migrating all functionality and data there, when done this site will be closed and the link forwarded. The new site is not only a cosmetic change but boasts a strong and modern backoffice to better help serve our membership both now and into the future.
Please visit the new site and check out the new look and feel!

New Save Ontario Shipwrecks Website



Government News

In 2011 the Ontario Government eliminated their one and only marine archaeologist position. Ontario is home to some of the best preserved, highest quality wrecks in the world, sign the petition and give our past a future!

ontario-needs-a-marine-heritage-advisor


 

SOS Partners with Liefa!

December 8, 2011
The bids are in and after much deliberation, SOS is happy to announce that it will partner with Liefa Communications to revitalize the website as well as our back end systems. Coming soon to the SOS website;

Online Memberships
Faster Mooring Updates
New Online Store
Chapter Websites
Members Area
Document Library
and more!

Details coming soon!


Website Overhaul!

October 7, 2011
The board of directors is pleased to announce that an RFP (Request For Proposal) has been issued to have our website overhauled. Input from many of our members was integral in releasing this document.

We hope that this initiative will bring us up todate with offerings such as, improoved communications, online membership renewal, enhanced search, layout, interactivity and much more!. We thank you for your support and membership as we select a bidder and emark on this exciting project.

To view or bid on the RFP, please download the following document;
SOS Website RFP Final (PDF)

SOS Website RFP FAQ



SOS Directors' Achievement Award 2011

Marg Barker awarded SOS Directors' Achievement Award

SOS President - Mike Hill (left) and Brian Prince - Past President (right)
present plaque to Marg Barker for
her 15 years of dedication and commitment in numerous roles


Where you Can Meet with S.O.S. in 2012

Outdoor Adv. Show - Toronto - Feb 24-26, 2012

Adventure Show Website for more info

 


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Niagara Divers Assn Shipwrecks -  March 31, 2012  

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SOS AGM - April 14, 2012 12:00 PM
Location: Kingston Brew Company
Agenda
Proxy Form


Guest Speakers starting approx. 2:00 PM and open to the public
Dr. Simon Spooner, Trista Lauzon and Dave Sheridan

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S.O.S. NAS Introduction & Level 1 Courses for 2012

June 15-17 Hamilton / Huron Shores Mar Smith
August 10 - 12 Toronto / Barrie Nicole Aucoin
September 21 - 23 Ottawa / Kingston / Thousand Islands Trista Lauzen


LAND PLAQUE UNVEILED
IN BROCKVILLE
Located: on the east side of Blockhouse Island across from the Canteen
(accessible from downtown via Market St. W and Water St.)

November 6th, 2010 at a ceremony held on site, with media, citizens and divers,
the plaque was unveiled by Project Director Douglas Miller
of the 1000 Islands Chapter.


Doug Miller, Doug Grant, Brian Prince, Steve Hatch
Photo: Lucy Prince

It should be noted that Doug Grant, a local Brockville Historian and designer of the Brockville
historical plaques, did the final design work on this plaque and the Weehawk plaque in Cardinal. 
Doug Miller is the project director for SOS and Steve Hatch did the conceptual design and river map.

Brian Prince, SOS Eastern Region Rep & Past SOS President:
"This is the 5th land plaque in Eastern Ontario that will make a difference
for diving, tourism and promotion of our marine heritage!  Residents can now see why
divers like to come to Brockville to SCUBA dive.  It's a unique world class area!"

In the NEWS: Recorder & Times article     Brock News TV article

 

   SOS PLAQUE PAGE


LIKE diving Shipwrecks - JOIN!

USE our Buoys - JOIN!

READ our Plaques - JOIN!

CARE about the Resource - JOIN!

WANT to Help - JOIN!

WE THANK ALL OUR MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT


          SOS VIDEO's         

What's Going to Happen to Baby JANE?

NAS 1 class held in Brockville


SOS Marine Heritage Shipwreck Database
Now online

2nd button on the left column

Many thanks to our database volunteer Tom Wilson (of Brockville)


JOIN THE TEAM !

  • Event Coordinator - an organized outgoing person

  • Chapter Membership Directors - help members and future members

  • Buoy directors - Keep them maintained

  • Mooring systems project leader - organize the buoy teams

  • U/W Video - send yours in of SOS events

  • Call us, to discuss other ways to help

  • Divers and Non-Divers needed

  • Marketing specialist

  • SOS Historical Document Project - get all out Newsletters online

Many thanks for helping out!

Contact:


   Low Impact diving means not touching or bumping heritage sites which include shipwrecks and other submerged structures. The wood and steel are particularly sensitive to erosion and damage.  Silt actually preserves objects and disturbing the silt (uncovering) timbers, metals, and objects escalates the deterioration processes exponentially.  Not to mention is it illegal to disturb the silt or even move an object from one location to another (even on the same site).  Bringing it home WILL get you in hot water - and not the bubbly bathtub type!

       The use of U/W metal detectors or side-scan equipment is a form of surveying and may require a license to use them.  Typically a license is required if you intentionally set out to search for something of historic or heritage value.  In the case of a U/W metal detector, if you get a hit below the silt and dig for it, you've crossed the line.  Looking for a lost wedding ring with a metal detector or a recently lost dive ladder with side-scan is a different situation.

      If you witness: anything being removed from a heritage site, or anything else marine heritage related like an anchor or ship part being removed from the water; or any damage or digging on a site; PLEASE ( it's your duty ) call Crime Stoppers or the OPP immediately !

       

     OPP  1-888-310-1122         CRIME STOPPERS  1-800-222-TIPS

Keep SOS in the loop - let us know too!      

READ & LEARN  IT  HERE

LOW  IMPACT  DIVING

 


The SIR ROBERT GASKIN suffers a blow !!!

Diver impact has taken a toll on the Robert Gaskin in Brockville.  Two large sections of starboard side planking and frames have fallen.  One at the stern inward and the one pictured here at the bow outward.  This site and many like her will never be the same.

HELP S.O.S. SPREAD THE WORD
 Low impact diving is a must on these fragile non-renewable cultural resources.
Do not touch with more than a finger. Do not disturb the silt.
Photograph & Report - digging, damage & stealing of cultural objects.
 

Robert Gaskin - May 2007

Robert Gaskin - June 2007 - Large portion fell off

May 2007 - diver touching the fragile
wreck with only good intentions.

June 2007 - Bow collapses!
A stern section too!

photos courtesy 2007

Don't wreck the wrecks!  Be a Low Impact Diver!

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but bubbles, and give our past a future ! ! !

The Ontario Trillium Foundation

     Save Ontario Shipwrecks gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Culture, Heritage Branch and our many sponsors for their support.
     We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, which receives annually $100 million in government funding generated through Ontario's charity casino initiative. 

  Previous Headlines
  Privacy Statement                   Code of Ethics

SOS headquarters address:
Save Ontario Shipwrecks
P.O. BOX 2389,
Blenheim, Ontario  N0P 1A0

SOS membership address:
Save Ontario Shipwrecks
18 Ada Crescent  R.R. # 2
Tobermory, Ontario   N0H 2R0


  CONTACT US:   Chapters or Executive Board Members & Special Functions
Website feedback, new info, photos, events, links welcome! Contact:

Last updated:  Tuesday May 8, 2012
Copyright � 1981-  Save Ontario Shipwrecks.
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