Service anchor from the Empress of Ireland

Empress of Ireland had four anchors. The one located on the ship's stern was the service anchor. Being smaller, it was used only rarely, when the ship was anchored in an area with tidal currents. The service anchor held the ship in position when the tidal currents changed direction. The other three anchors were located at the bow of the ship. Two passed through the hawseholes (the holes in a ship's bow through which cables pass) and were connected separately by chain to a steam-powered anchor winch. One of these was used each time the ocean liner was at anchor. A third anchor that served as a spare was attached on the ship's bow. These three anchors were Hall types.
In 1993, Michel Tadros and Jacques St-Onge equipped the ship Gesmer with a decompression chamber and hired 15 experienced divers. Their goal was to find the cargo of nickel ingots that were to have been loaded in the holds of the ocean liner. While making their way through the different deck levels, the divers brought back more than 250 teak beams and a number of objects, among which were the service anchor, a bell, and a double boiler. No nickel ingots were found. In the summer of 2002, the owners donated many of these artefacts [sic] to the Musée de la mer.
On April 15, 1999, Québec's ministère de la Culture et des Communications classified the wreck as a historical and archaeological treasure, thus confirming its great commemorative and symbolic value of the most important maritime tragedy in Canadian history. The protected status of the wreck forbids any modification of or collecting from the ship.
[Photo captions, from left to right, read]
· The Empress of Ireland circa 1908
· Service anchor
· Robert Pelletier and Frank Sénécal on the deck of the Gesmer during the 1993 expedition
· Hall anchor recovered from the wreck in 1965.
· The Gesmer at anchor above the wreck of the Empress of Ireland in 1993
· [Buoy photo has no caption]

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Fumée de mer / Smoke from the Sea
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Naufrage du Brier Mist / Shipwreck of the Brier Mist
Les marins decedes en mer durant la guerre 1939-1945, a War Memorial
Naufrage du navire B.F. / Sinking of the Ship B.F.
La station de pilotage / The pilotage station
Les Fusiliers du St-Laurent
Vivre à / Daily Life at Pointe-au-Père
Polyvalence / Versatility
Bienvenue / Welcome

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