Durrell Martin has been a member of the NDA since 1994 and has held positions from President to Newsletter Editor over the years. An active diver with close to 1,000 logged dives, Durrell was trimix certified in 1999 and has since then enjoyed exploring the deeper wrecks located in the Great Lakes.
His real passion is underwater photography and he has been shooting digital video for 12 years. He has worked on several projects with Joyce Hayward and has shot video for David Trotter and the Undersea Research Associates. In 2003 he was a member on the dive team that surveyed the “Cornelia B. Windiate” for NOAA’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Having done several “shorts” over the years, this is Durrell’s first full presentation at Shipwrecks.
David Mekker, a long-standing member of the Niagara Divers’ Association, is Chair of Shipwrecks/2009. He has held that position for the last twelve years, and has been instrumental in bringing what began as a small show to the successful world-class event it is today.
Dave was certified in 1989, trained in Nitrox and Cave diving in 1992, and has since moved into deep and Trimix diving, with over 1,200 logged dives. His enthusiasm and “drive to dive” led him into underwater photography in 1992. His photography has centred around Great Lakes shipwrecks, resulting in awards at events such as the Ford Seahorses Great Lakes Film Festival. In 2000, Dave discovered a new passion for underwater videography – this will be his fifth presentation at Shipwrecks.
The R.H. Rae Sesquicentennial 150 Years of History
This past August marked the 150th year since the R.H. Rae was lost in a “white squall” in Lake Ontario off Point Traverse. Join members of the NDA as they explore this historic wreck on her sesquicentennial.
Join us as we dive back into her history….from her launch in 1857 to being visited by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his team in 1980. She holds many secrets, having been lost only a year after her launch even though she was outfitted with some of the newest technology of the time – like Self-Reefing Topsails and Double Bulkheads. The Rae also has many local connections to the Niagara area, having been built in St. Catharines. We will look at her loss and those that searched for and found the Rae.
Come explore the mysteries of the R.H. Rae, one of Kingston’s true marine treasures.
