Reviews of Wreck Of The Islander (Tourist Attraction)

Max Meere-Weigel

Awesome dive! Very easy to get to, carpool as there isn’t a ton of parking. Nice and shallow and plenty of wildlife.

delsoul2003

Beautiful scenery lots to learn.

Jim McGovern

Very easily accessible dive. Great dive for a beginner - nice ramp to walk down from the parking lot to about a meter deep of water. Put your face in the water, swim 20 feet forward, and you're there. Lots of fish to see, too.

Justin Oles

Excellent shore wreck to dive! 45' max! Small parking lot right there!

Tom Kenyon

Great site right off the shore. Easy to dive and easy to find. Apparently gets very busy in the summer but in may, in 41 degree water, it was empty. Be careful of the current in late spring/ early summer. The snow melt makes the water cold and fast. It is slightly protected by casino island but it still moves.

Alan P

Near the shore dive location

Garrett Dolloway

Great presentation. Very nice people

Kenneth Fike

My husband dove on it. Its a great starter dive and can be reached from land. Nice view of bolt castle from there as well. When your done you can visit the Cornwall museum which will give you some local history. The River walk is also right there.

Becky Wyble

There are not many places where you can walk into the water a short distance and explore an old sunken ship. But this park provides that opportunity! The Islander is an excellent spot for the beginning diver, those who want to improve their skills and the weekend tourist who wants beautiful views and a nice place to walk. Located across from Boldt Castle, it gives wonderful views of the enchanting island. It is also a great place to watch the large, ocean going freighters travel up and down the St Lawrence Seaway. The park is not very large. It has a pavilion with a picnic bench and table. Around the perimeter is more seating or areas for dive gear storage. There is a metal ramp that you can walk down into the water. Two "pillers" hold the images of ships lost in the area. They are lasered into dark, hard, granite type stones. There is also an explanation board about the Islander. Past the pavilion and towards the southwest is a boardwalk that goes along the rivers edge. It goes behind the hospital to Scenic View Park. From there you can cross a small arched bridge and go onto Casino Island to get spectacular views up and down the St Lawrence. To the northeast of the dive park is Cornwall Brothers Museum. The stone building, constructed around 1866, houses a museum focusing on local settlers, early trade and commerce. With only 5 or 6 parking spots, close parking for dive gear access is at a premium. There is street parking and an Uncle Sam lot to the northeast, but you will need to carry your gear. The ship burned at dock down to the water line. It is in about 40 feet of water. It is basically almost straight out, very slight angle to the west, and about 50 to 75 feet from shore. So a very quick swim. It is all wood, large beams and metal pins. On the bow an American flag hangs down. It is ship shaped, rests mostly on the starboard side, with the deck angled toward the center of the river. Some areas of the sides have collapsed, but much of the hull is intact. When I went on September 9th, 2020 there was very little current, with any movement to the west. The water was about 74 degrees and visibility about six to eight feet. Algae is the main issue giving the dive a greenish tint. It is more clear in the spring, but cooler. Another site about 300 feet east is the underwater cafe. Follow the slope east. About half way there, at about 40 foot depth, is a dive platform to make a safety stop coming back, to check your gear, or to practice your skills. There is also a line tied to the northeast corner. Follow it to the cafe at about a 65 foot depth. The first thing you see is skeletons. There is a table, lawn chairs, beer bottles and a toilet if you need one. Once back on shore, the main street in Alex Bay is two blocks away. Go shopping, to the restaurants or to the bars (but don't go until you are done diving and driving). Even with COVID, there is a fair amount of activity. Use your mask, keep your distance, stay outside and away from crowds. You can still have a lot of fun. Warnings - Besides those I already mentioned, DON'T GO INTO THE CHANNEL! There is a lot of boat traffic, and with the bars goes a lot of happy go lucky boat drivers. Listen for the loud, high pitched wines of the engines. If present, don't go up. Don't go straight up from the wreck or cafe, follow the slope up. On pirates weekend, the dive is generally closed. You couldn't get your car there anyways. Check local calendars. Beware zebra mussels, they cover everything and can be sharp as razers. And of course follow what you were taught in dive school. There are some dive shops in the area. I have never seen the one across from the park open for business. It is more for storage for rental equipment for some dive shop(s). The closest is All About Scuba on Rt. 12 in Alex Bay. Another is Hunts Dive Shop on Rt. 12, 2/3rds of the way to Clayton. They have saved my dive trip before after equipment failure. The other I know is St Lawrence Scuba Co in Watertown. Most of these shops have charters to many more wrecks in the area. Enjoy!

Laurie Crommelin

Low visibly diving, but accessible by car and easy to get into the water.

Marcin Lajdeki

Unbelievable

Francis Zimmer

Easy to access wreck from the beach.

Deep Stop Scuba

Great dive spot! Good for beginners, training, and even advanced divers!! Lots to see and find

Andrew Crawford

Great beginner to TEK divers site. There's always something new and interesting to see.