Newfoundland - Resting Place for Bones of the Past

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NORTHEAST DIVE NEWS

NEWFOUNDLAND

Newfoundland resting place for bones of the past Story and photos by Larry Cohen and Polina Reznikov

Most travel divers go from a cold environment to one with warm air, warm water and palm trees. We escaped New York’s 100 degree heat wave for Canada’s Newfoundland province where the air was a nippy 45F and the water even colder. ewfoundland (pronounced Nufin-Lánd) is an island northeast of Nova Scotia. Our home for 10 days was the Ocean Quest Dive Lodge in Conception Bay South near the city of St. John’s. Ocean Quest is a full-service dive shop and training facility with experience at helping visiting divers become more comfortable and safe in these cold waters. This is advanced, but not necessarily technical diving. Any advanced diver who is comfortable in warm water can acclimate to Newfoundland diving with just a little more training. One big draw of the 32 degrees water is the spectacular marine life. Cold-water corals and anemones are gigantic compared with those in warmer waters. Abundant fish

LIVEABOARD

ADVENTURES Captain Hank Garvin

WRECK DIVING JOIN US FOR WRECK HUNTING TRIPS Cruise in comfort and search for new wrecks to explore or dive one of the known wrecks.

Photo by Larry Cohen

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▲ Anemones on the Lord Strathcoma make a beautiful garden. Photographed with the Olympus E-410, 7 to 14mm lens in Olympus housing, two Sea & Sea YS-110 strobes. (Larry Cohen pictured above)

life includes ocean pouts, lumpfish, wolf eels and sculpins. In July, whales come into the area to feed. Another reason to dive here is the history of the sunken wrecks and the regional whaling industry. Bell Island wrecks tell fascinating stories of World War II. In the 1890s high-grade iron ore was discovered and mined here. In the 1930’s, most of this ore went to Germany. Once the war broke out, shipments to Germany ceased and the ore was redirected to support the Allied Forces. Germany knew how important the iron ore was to the Allied war effort, so they attempted to disrupt its flow to Europe. Doing so posed little challenge to German U-Boats, since Germany already knew the harbor.

On Sept. 4, 1942, the ore carriers SS Saganaga, SS Lord Strathcona and PLM 27 were at anchor off Lance Cove, Bell Island. That night, using the freighter Evelyn B as cover, the German U-513, under the control of Commander Rolf Ruggeburg, entered Wabana Harbor and rested on the bottom until the following morning. After surfacing, U-513 was spotted and fired upon by the Evelyn B. Although damaged, it fired two torpedoes, sinking the Saganaga. While maneuvering, the Strathcona hit the U-boat and damaged the conning tower. Recovering quickly from the blow, U-513 fired two more torpedoes and sank the Strathcona, after which the U-boat made her escape, again using the Evelyn B as cover. On the Saganaga

Oregon - USS San Diego - Coimbra - Virginia - Carolina U869 - USS Bass - Block Island - U853 and more

Fa ll Fo liage Tours - 2008 These trips will leave from Haverstraw NY on the Hudson River. At a time when the fall leaves start to change & show us one of nature more beautiful moments in it's ever changing seasons.

845-735-5550 see our website for complete information

www.garlooent.com Northeast & Midwest Dive News SEPTEMBER 2008

• World Class SCUBA Diving

• Whale Watching • Nature Tours

• Expeditions • Boat Tours

• Water Sports • Bus Trips

WE’VE GOT SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! 17 Stanley’s Road, Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Canada (toll free) 866•623•2664 (office) 709•834•7234 (fax) 709•834•1098 www.mwdivenews.com

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