Bill Lindberg and three diving buddies went diving at Navy Hall (lower Niagara River: Niargara-on-the-Lake) recently
About Navy Hall: Fort George National Historic Site
British naval craftsmen from Fort Niagara built a barracks on the opposite side of the Niagara River in 1765. Several buildings, known collectively as Navy Hall, evolved over time into a critical military supply facility for British forts on the upper Great Lakes. The Provincial Marine wintered at Navy Hall during the American Revolution, and in 1792, Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe converted one of the buildings into his residence. The Lieutenant-Governor’s residence in Upper Canada’s first capital later served as a dining hall for the officers at Fort George. During the War of 1812, American forces destroyed Navy Hall. Following the war, the British rebuilt some of the buildings, one of which still stands today.
Today, the landscaped grounds of Navy Hall entice visitors to stay. The historic King’s Wharf site offers a peaceful setting for relaxing and admiring the view of Fort Niagara and the river, where many of Niagara’s historical events began. The structure is not open to the public, but it can be rented for special events.
Navy Hall houses artifacts from its more than 200-year history, and its current structure is managed by Parks Canada as part of Fort George, one of several national historic sites in the region that fall under the administrative umbrella ‘Niagara National Historic Sites’.
Dive Report
There were several bass and small schooling fish seen. The water level is higher than normal. The current was extremely fast. With a lot of suspended material in the water, visibility varied depending on depth. At depth, the water temperature was 58F/14C.
Bill Lindberg
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