Story
The James C. King was wrecked while under tow by the W.L. Wetmore in November 1901 by a strong gale. Unlike the Wetmore which sits in shallow water, the James C. King slide bow first on a steep incline off the western tip of Russel Island.
Diving the wreck
The bottom of the hull rests on a steep incline with the stern at 20 feet and the bow at 90 feet.. The rudder and steering gear rest in 20 feet of water near the stern. The hull has split at the keel and the centreboard has broken and is lying on top of the hull. Since this wreck sits on a steep incline, it is very important to pay constant attention to proper buoyancy control on this dive. Pay close attention to the bow, you can still see the engraved Roman numeral which helped indicate the ballast depth. At the end of your dive, you can spend your safety stop exploring southwest of the main wreck site, where you will find another section of the hull and many pieces of scattered wreckage.