THE LUSITANIA & TITANIC HIGHLIGHT SHIPWRECKS/96
The second annual symposium on Shipwrecks, organized by the Niagara Divers’ Association, a Niagara-based dive club of about 50 members, was held on Saturday, March 2, 1996 in St. Catharines, Ontario. The one-day event attracted an audience of 365, who came to listen to presentations on Shipwrecks, ranging from recreational through to technical and scientific requirements.
| Show | Speaker |
|---|---|
| The Lusitania | Gary Gentile |
| The Frontenac | Marc Beaudry |
| The Titanic | Steve Blasco |
| Transpac 95 | Reg Creighton |
| Dive Ontario Two & Shipwreck Tales: The St. Clair River | Cris Kohl |
| Tobermory | Dan Lindsay |
Gary Gentile (Philadelphia, PA), in his first speaking engagement in Canada, gave a slide presentation on the 1994 Lusitania Expedition. Steve Blasco (Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Nova Scotia), chief scientist involved with the IMAX filming of the Titanic, outlined the unique challenges of the project. Reg Creighton (Vancouver, B.C.), National Director of IANTD Canada, presented the Transpac ‘95 Expedition of the Canadian Deep Wrecking Crew, the first fully-sponsored group of its kind in Canada. Cris Kohl (Chatham, Ontario), popular author and speaker, opened and closed the show with Dive Ontario Two and Shipwreck Tales: The St. Clair River. Dan Lindsay (Seaview Imaging, Brantford, Ontario) premiered a video on Tobermory, which explored the attractions above and below water of that mecca for divers. Niagara Divers’ member Marc Beaudry (Maple, Ontario), also premiered a video on the Frontenac, a newly-discovered steam tug which sank off Kingston, Ontario in 1929.
A hot lunch and refreshments, along with door prizes donated by sponsors Ed’s Pro Dive of St. Catharines and IANTD Canada, were some of the extras enjoyed by attendees. Speakers freely mingled and were available for discussion, book signing and video sales throughout the day and into the evening.
