Sonar helped divers, Ken Merryman, Jerry Eliason, (sonar and drop camera electronics expert) both from Minnesota and Cris Kohl (diver and maritime historian) from Windsor, Ontario discover the shipwreck, JH Jones in Georgian Bay. The discovery was made possible by the historical research of Cris Kohl and the inspiration of Dan and Robert Crawford, the great-great and great grandsons of Captain J.V. Crawford who perished with the ship in 1906.
This diving team discovered the wreck of the coastal steamer J H Jones on July 1, 2018 exactly where a Cape Croker lighthouse keeper said it was 112 years ago. Ken, Jerry and Chris found the ship with sonar on just their third pass after searching for less than two hours. Two dives were accomplished and recorded. Jones is beyond the limits of recreational divers. There was 70 to 80 feet visibility on the first dive and about 40 feet on the second dive.
JH Jones is now protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Ontario Heritage Act prohibits any looting/disturbance to an archaeological site including shipwrecks and is a direct violation of the Ontario Heritage Act. Fines up to $1 million are now in place for anyone caught removing artifacts from sunken ships.
The JH Jones went down in a storm on Nov. 22, 1906, with 30 passengers and crew on board. There were no survivors.
Video by Ken Merryman @Vimeo
