Event Details
Sunday November 15, 2026
10 am to 2 pm
Best Western Plus Rose City Suites
300 Prince Charles Dr S, Welland, ON L3C 7B3, Canada
Attendance
The event is open to all SOS Members and their guests. For those unable to attend in person, there will be a Zoom Meeting link available.
To attend in-person or on-line, you must RSVP to durrell@saveontarioshipwrecks.ca by Monday November 9th
Liability Release Agreement
If attending in-person, you will also need to complete the Communicable Disease Liability Release and Assumption of Risk Agreement
Note, if you have already done this earlier in the year you do not need to complete it again.
Agenda
Welcome
Land Acknowledgement – Kayla Martin
Review of Voting Procedures (in-person and On-line)
Approval of Agenda
Secretary Report – Kimberly Zawaly
Approval of 2025 AGM Minutes
Treasurer Report – Matthew Charlesworth
Approval of 2025 Auditor Statement
Approve Auditors for 2026/27
Presidents Report – Durrell Martin
Buoy Chair Report – Raimund J. Krob
Webmaster Report – David Mekker
Membership Report – Jennifer Gould
Approve Membership Rates for 2027
Heritage Ambassador – Kayla Martin
Ottawa Chapter Report – John Ratcliffe
Thousand Islands Chapter Report – Stephan Senecal
Picton Chapter Report – Helen Cooper
Toronto Chapter Report – Ted Endean
Niagara Chapter Report – Trent Zawaly
Southern Georgian Bay Chapter Report – Bill Martin
Tobermory Chapter Report – Szilvia Jones Mervyn
Preserve our Wreck Kingston (Affiliate) Report – Guillaume Courcy
Board Election for 2026/27
Motion for Adjournment
Coffee Break
Presentation
We have a very special guest speaker this year!
David Gilchrist – Marine Historian
David Gilchrist, an Niagara Diver Association member, is a former presenter and Master of Ceremonies at the annual NDA Shipwrecks Symposium.
2026 marks his 56th year diving, with his initial training with the Aqua Knights of Hamilton, in 1970. He is a former ACUC,CMAS,DAN and PADI MSDT Instructor. He has been an active member of the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee (OMHC), participating in numerous archaeological programs with this group.
An avid underwater photographer, his award winning photographs have been displayed at Underwater Canada, the Vancouver Aquarium, the Ontario Science Centre, libraries and galleries. They have also been published accompanying articles in several magazines and also in children’s books.
After a first diving program at Resolute Bay in 1987, in 1989 he was the recipient of a Canada Council grant, through the Arctic Awareness Program, to complete an underwater photography project in Canada’s High Arctic. He is more prone nowadays to be found in warmer waters having enjoyed trips to the islands of the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Chuuk Lagoon and the Red Sea.
David will making two presentations.
Exploring Sherkston Quarry
The Empire Limestone Quarry – An underwater industrial archaeological site at Sherkston, Ontario
A look at the development, history and demise of this late 19th early 20th century limestone quarry that has been a popular recreational dive site for several decades.
Hope Island/Christian Island Shipwrecks Revisited
Shipwrecks in Lower Georgian Bay became an attractive dive location in the mid 1970’s. Many older divers here today may have enjoyed a dive weekend on board the ‘Argonaut Diver’ when we could visit several wrecks, the Western Island lighthouse and even a wreck over on the east side of Georgian Bay.
Four of the wrecks that became quite popular were the Mapledawn, the Michigan, the Hope Island ‘Mystery’ Wreck and the Lottie Wolf. Fortunately, these wrecks are still there and relatively free from zebra mussel encrustations. For the new diver they offer a great first experience with shallow water wreck diving. At least two great charter services presently offer diving to these wrecks. This presentation will outline some of the features of this collection of Shipwrecks.
If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors then please email durrell@saveontarioshipwrecks.ca
