|
Nov 3, 2004
|
Wrecks at Porlier Pass
|
|
Issue:
|
Nov / Dec 2004
|
|
Author:
|
K.E. Heaton
|
|
|
|
|
Porlier Pass sits between the north end of Galiano and the southern end of Valdes Islands off of Vancouver Island in BC. This 650 meter wide channel in the Straight of Georgia has water currents of 8-9 knots, many hidden reefs and black eddies. Today it is a great place to fish, dive and explore the vast underwater treasures.
Porlier Pass boasts some fantastic advanced skill level diving. Diving here needs to be well planned for low tide dives to safely get the most out of the dive.
Porlier Pass also boasts some great shipwrecks.
One of these great shipwrecks is the tugboat Point Grey was built in approx 1911 by Alfred Wallace.
The Point Grey was a 110 foot steel tug built for the Canadian Government.
In February of 1949 (though there are conflicting writings of it sinking in 1947) the Point Grey hit Virago Rock in Porlier Pass.
She was towing a barge load of railcars bound for Victoria when she slammed into Virago Rock under very heavy fog. Just as she was backing away from the rock, the barge she was towing slammed into them and rammed her back into Virago Rock. Attempts were made to re-float her, but they failed and she was soon abandoned.
She remained partly visible with the moving tides until 1963, where she sat perched in the middle of Porlier Pass on Virago Rock. I can only imagine that she made quite a sight in low tide when she was visible on the rock. She was finally sunk in a strong storm in 1963. She now lays upside down sitting on a 40-foot ledge.
As you approach her, you can view the screw that juts up from the stern. With her fairly intact hull, she offers a fantastic dive opportunity to anyone willing. The gaping hole in her side allows for full penetration for inside viewing. Her propeller is also visible offering divers some excellent photos. She is heavily colonized with a variety of marine life for spectacular underwater treasures.
Experienced divers who go to view this wreckage need to enter at slack tide or as close to it as possible as there is no buoy spot.
Another great wreck that makes its home in Porlier Pass is the Del Norte. She sits at the northeast entrance to Porlier Pass in up to 25 meters of water.
The Del Norte is a paddle wheeler that went down in 1868. Most of what left of her consists of her paddlewheels and her boilers. Much of her is now gone, eroded with time, but much of her engine structures are still visible, making an impressive visual dive site. In late October of 1868, she was on her way home to Victoria when she ran into some dense fog, a whole lot The Del Norte is said to have been equipped with the engines from the old United States steamship Republic. The engines were two oscillating cylinders of 54 inches and a six-foot stroke. This engine was designed to overcome problems associated with the side-lever and walking-beam type engines. These were large and heavy for the power they produced. Dives on this site have yet to show a second cylinder. Possessing an oscillating engine of US manufacture would make the Del Norte a rare find. With the hazards put forth from the sometimes-extreme weather in Porlier Pass neither the Del Norte nor the Point Grey are heavily dived. This makes for great site for viewing sea life. Vast varieties of life live among these two shipwrecks.
Written by K.E. Heaton
|
|
<-- Back
|
|
