In 2013, SPSNL partnered with the Town of Conception Harbour and the Northeast Avalon Regional Economic Development Board to improve the adventure tourism facilities around the whaler wrecks. That summer and fall, SPSNL members had the opportunity to get involved in:
- conducting historical research to identify the three whaling ships sunk in Conception Harbour, and to document their history
- conducting underwater surveys to map the wrecks and help establish their identity
- taking photographs and video to document the current state of the wrecks and associated artifacts
- providing information to scuba divers to make them more aware of the site and what they can see
- assembling the collected information for presentation on a storyboard at the site and this website
The Town of Conception Harbour will complete improvements to the parking area beside the wrecks this spring, including installing picnic tables and a fire-pit for the use of divers, kayakers and other visitors, installing a storyboard at the wreck site, and providing public to washrooms in the town hall. Major improvements to the town wharf to benefit pleasure boaters and kayakers were completed in 2013.
Modest funding to SPSNL from the federal, provincial and municipal governments for this project enabled us to host NAS training in July 2013, made the wreck survey work possible, and covered the insurance SPSNL requires to undertake the tasks listed above.
SPSNL members have finished surveying the whaler wrecks at Conception Harbour and have produced a map of the shipwrecks.
Click Here to see the results of our work in Conception Habour.
Note: members need to complete the NAS Introduction course to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to take part in these types of surveys.