Divers urged to save shipwrecks by holding onto statues of people instead

How do you protect deteriorating underwater shipwrecks from divers? By giving the divers life-sized concrete statues of people to hang onto instead, of course.
Fifteen concrete people already stand on the bed of the St. Lawrence River near Brockville, Ont., and the Thousand Islands region chapter of Save Ontario Shipwrecks is adding another six to its existing underwater diving park.
They're placed there to help protect 25 known underwater wreck sites in the area, some of which date back to the War of 1812.
"It's a lot easier and [causes] less damage when you're holding onto a cement sculpture or an aluminum frame than it is on 200-year-old wood on a shipwreck that has historical significance and that we want to maintain," says Tom Scott, chair of the Thousand Islands chapter of Save Ontario Shipwrecks.




Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.