A Summary of OMHC Projects

The following projects have either been initiated by or had the direct involvement of the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee. In most cases members have provided crew, in others the projects have been led by an OMHC member or members. Reports on each project have been filed with the OMHC and, generally, as a requirement of the license granted by the province, with the Ministry of Culture.

Naval Slip Survey, Penetanguishene, 1975. Although undertaken prior to the establishment of the OMHC, this was the project that eventually led to the formation of the group. It involved the survey, partial excavation and detailed documentation of a 19th century structure used in the British Naval Dockyard located along the shore of Penetanguishene Bay. A report on the project was published in Collected Archaeological Papers, Archaeological Research Report 13, Ontario Ministry of Culture and Recreation, 1980.

Hope Island Wreck, Georgian Bay, 1976-1980. Initiated as a survey and recording of a newly discovered shipwreck, the work continued over a number of years as a monitoring project, documenting the effects of substantial looting and damage by sport divers. The wreck was later identified as the schooner Marquette, 1856.

Charleston Lake Portage Site, 1978-79. Underwater excavation and recovery produced a number of artifacts dating to approximately 500 A.D.

Rudder, Centreboard and Steering Gear Survey, 1978 (ongoing). Initiated as a project to document details of rudders and centreboards using a standard form, it expanded to include steering gears as well. A report outlining the results to date, Rudders, A Comparison Study, Great Lakes Sailing Vessels, 1993, was the first OMHC publication.

Navy Hall Wharf, Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake, 1980-83. Situated in the Niagara River, the structure was thoroughly documented and a detailed report produced.

Penetanguishene Bay Survey, 1982. A general survey including side scan sonar was conducted just offshore from the Naval Establishment.

Port Stanley Wreck, Lake Erie, 1984-86. The project included the survey and documentation of an intact hull. Some excavation was conducted as well, to gather information to be used in identifying the wreck, which appeared to have been sunk due to a collision.

Anchor Research and Documentation, 1985 (ongoing). A standard form was developed to use in documenting the variations in size, types and attributes of anchors.

Lion's Head Shipwreck Survey, Georgian Bay, 1986-87. The project involved the description and documentation of a badly broken wreck, identified as the Old Concord, lost in 1888. Steering gear and rudder information was also recorded.

Long Point Wreck, Lake Erie, 1986-88. This double-centreboard vessel was photo-documented and measured.

Newash Hull, Penetanguishene, 1990. The extant structural remains of this vessel that was stationed at the Naval Establishment in the early 19th century were surveyed and documented.

Bad Neighbour Shoal, Lake Huron/Georgian Bay, 1990-93. This project was initiated in an attempt to determine some prehistoric lake level information. It formed the beginning phase of what became the "Submerged Shoreline/Lakebed Geological Survey Project" (see below).

Atherley Narrows, Lake Simcoe/Lake Couchiching, 1992-93. Monitoring and updating of information from previous work on the fish weirs at this location was the focus of this project. Additional mapping work was also done. The work was prompted by dredging activity in the area and plans to construct a new bridge.

Lost Ports Project, Lake Huron, 1993-96. A survey of four early, and now abandoned lake ports in the Kincardine area was conducted. The research on Port Head, Inverhuron, Malta, and Port Bruce led to a publication by Bill Kearns on the Lost Ports of the Bruce.

Submerged Shoreline/Lakebed Geology Survey Project, Georgian Bay/Lake Huron, 1993-2003. Begun as an OMHC project, this work expanded into a major investigation of old shorelines and the lakebed conducted by the OMHC and a number of federal agencies including Parks Canada, Geological Survey of Canada (Atlantic), and Department of National Defense. Side scan and multi-beam sonar surveys, sub-bottom profiling, ROV surveys, submersible dives, sediment and in situ tree remnant sampling, and ground-truthing were all carried out. Carbon dating of samples at 9500 BP indicate vastly changed water levels.

Lake Erie Project, 1995-2001. OMHC members assisted the SOS group in Lake Erie to identify a sailing ship wreck in about 150 feet of water. A report on the discovery of the schooner St. James was produced.

Navy Hall Project, Niagara River, 1996-99. The survey, excavation and mapping of unidentified wreckage was conducted, suggesting a barge-type vessel. Underwater video and communication was employed for a "live" element of education programming at Fort George National Historic Park.

St. Catharines Shipwreck, Lake Ontario, 1997-2002. Extensive video and photo survey work was done on this unidentified early two-masted schooner. Use of ROV and side scan technology, and core sampling were part of the project.

Southampton Beach Shipwreck Project, Lake Huron, 2001-present. Preliminary investigation in 2001 and 2002 showed two vessels at the shoreline site: a flat-bottomed barge (probably 1870's) and an early two-masted ship. Major excavation was undertaken in 2004, including the recovery of many artifacts which aided in identifying the vessel as the British built schooner/brig HMS General Hunter. Additional work is planned for the site. (Go to Southampton Beach Shipwreck Project for more information.)

Dunk's Point Caves, Georgian Bay, 2002-05. Extensive excavation, mapping and core sampling was done to investigate for possible early inhabitation. No man-made artifacts were recovered but wood sample and pollen suggest a possible 7-9000 B.P. date.

Fathom Five Shipwreck Monitoring, 2003-2005. OMHC divers conducted monitoring on a number of wrecks within the boundaries of the National Park.