The Scuba News New Zealand

As Canada celebrates its 150th birthday this year it is worth noting that a war has never been fought on its land. But the weapons of warfare brought death and destruction to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s Atlantic seaboard 100 years ago. On December 6, 1917, the French ship Mont-Blanc left its anchorage at Halifax to join a convoy that would cross the Atlantic en route to the First World War battle grounds.

The Princess May (first named Cass, then later, Arthur, Cass (again), Ningchow, and Hating) was 249 feet (76 m) long, 33-foot (10 m) beam, 18-foot (5.5 m) depth of hold, 1717 gross and 1394 registered tons.

In October of 2001 the CHAA Dive Recovery Team was formed under the guidance of Bob Hewitt with the concept of recovering Canadian historical aircraft within the Great Lakes region. Bob along with the assistance of Charley Fox, Len Fallowfield, Bill Scott, Kent Beckham, Everett Hillsdon, Dave Delaney, Martin Hodgson and Murray Manning have contributed their time and extensive energy in researching possible site locations. The initial focus was to recover sunken aircraft with the intention of restoring them to flying condition or for use as static displays.

The diver was a 19-year-old woman in good physical condition. She denied any history of medical problems and did not take any medications regularly. She completed her confined-water training several weeks before with no problems and was now doing her open-water training dives.

In scuba diving, there are many things to be grateful for, such as the trip to that must-see shipwreck, a newly discovered shipwreck, or the underwater world of corals and colourful reef fish. Also, there is diving with a group every week and adding another “log entry.”

Who would have guessed? Patricia Lake in Jasper National Park, AB is home to the remains of the Habbakuk. See what very few scuba divers have ever seen with their own eyes, while expedition lake diving to this fairly remote location.