OFF THE BEATEN PATH The Royston Wrecks

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

ROYSTON WRECKS

HISTORICAL GHOST SHIPS

In the first half of the 20th century the Comox

Valley had a booming logging industry. The logs were pulled by train to the entrance of the Comox Harbour in Royston, dumped there and then towed over the Strait of Georgia to the big sawmills in New Westminster on the mainland. The site in Royston is very exposed to southerly winds increasing the tidal swells, which made the dump tricky and dangerous especially in winter. To protect against the South-Eastern winter storms, an extensive breakwater was built. First the logging company tried to install a breakwater with boomsticks. In the late 1930s they sunk the first old ship hulks, beginning with the Laurel Whalen, to break the ocean's force. Over the next 25 years 13 more ships were sunk, including old whaling boats, schooners, navy frigates, freighters and tugs. The most historic might be the Melanope, a 79-metre 3-masted sailing ship built in 1876. They are still there today, slowly but surely falling apart and vanishing. In a way these rusty bits and pieces sticking out of the water are ugly. On the other hand, they are a reminder of the booming logging industry here. And whatever you think about it, it is a big part of the local history. Looking at the hulking shapes you can imagine how the whole place was buzzing with life more than half a century ago. Not to mention that a lot of wildlife enjoys this sheltered place nowadays. Divers and Kayakers still enjoy visiting this site. A Diver organization has GPS mapped all the Royston Wrecks as part of an application for National Historic Status. The Ships provide a protected location for the re-growth of eel grass beds and are a protected habitat for all kinds of sea life.

LIST OF SUNKEN SHIPS: Comet, 4 masted barque · Dunver HMCS, frigate · Eastview HMCS, frigate · Forest Friend, 5 masted barquentine · Gatineau HMCS, destroyer · Harpoon Boat Laurel Whalen, 5 masted windjammer (first boat) · Melanope, 3 masted windjammer · Nanoose, steam tug · Prince Rupert HMCS, frigate · Qualicum, steam tug · Riversdale, 3 masted windjammer · Salvage King, tug · Tattnall USS, destroyer.

Messiah

Underwater view of a Dall's porpoise © Josh McInnes Get your tickets at Kiki’s 2.0 101 - 1811 Comox Avenue