wreck

Log This Dive

FAIR ISLAND TRADER (POSSIBLY)

The Fair Island Trader is one of those Newfoundland wrecks we just keep coming back to. It’s barely a dive, really, sitting in maybe five metres of water, but what it lacks in depth it more than makes up for in character. This old wooden schooner, scuttled back in ‘76 after springing a leak, is a ghostly skeleton now. We love finning slowly over the scattered timbers, imagining it full of cargo, heading from Coley’s Point. Visibility can be a bit variable here, depending on the day, but when it’s good, the light plays beautifully through the green-blue water. Look closely and you’ll find plenty of life tucked into the nooks and crannies. We’ve spotted sculpins hunkering down amongst the beams, sometimes a curious lumpfish, and there are always plenty of crabs scuttling across the seabed. It’s an easy, relaxing dive, perfect for photographers wanting to play with ambient light or anyone just wanting a quiet hour with a piece of history. Bring a torch, even in the shallows, to really pick out the details.