TIDA SS Keystorm Project Approved

Thousand Islands Divers Alliance’s ‘Keystorm Initiative’ hits milestone

Alexandria Bay — The Thousand Islands Divers Alliance (TIDA) has announced that its Keystorm Stewardship Initiative has been officially approved by Project Baseline, a global conservation platform founded by divers to document and protect underwater environments.

The designation places the wreck of Keystorm among an international network of monitored aquatic sites where trained divers collect standardized environmental data to establish long-term ecological baselines. The data will contribute to a growing global database used to assess environmental change over time.

Keystorm, one of the St. Lawrence River’s most iconic historic shipwrecks, rests on Outer Scow Island Shoal, approximately 8 miles downriver from Alexandria Bay. Sunk in 1912 after colliding with the shoal in fog, Keystorm serves as both a historical landmark and a popular dive destination. Through the initiative, TIDA divers will conduct structured documentation dives, collecting photographic records and environmental observations designed to monitor site conditions, visibility trends, invasive species presence and structural integrity of the wreck.

“This approval affirms that our stewardship efforts meet internationally recognized standards,” said Todd Keister, president and cofounder of TIDA. “The Keystorm is not just a dive site — it is part of our region’s maritime heritage. By participating in Project Baseline, we are ensuring that future generations have both the data and the awareness needed to protect it. Our volunteer divers will begin work at the site this spring.”

Project Baseline was created to empower citizen scientists — particularly divers — to gather consistent, repeatable environmental data that can be used by researchers, policymakers, and conservation organizations worldwide. TIDA’s Keystorm Stewardship Initiative now becomes part of this global conservation network.

The initiative also aligns with TIDA’s broader mission to promote environmental stewardship, diver safety, public education, and the preservation of historic wrecks throughout the 1000 Islands region.

In addition to baseline data collection at Keystorm, TIDA continues active documentation and stewardship efforts at other regional wreck sites, including Islander, while working with municipalities and community partners to improve safe shoreline access and diver awareness. The work will build on the original Project Baseline site at the historic wreck of A.E. Vickery.

TIDA is open to certified divers interested in participating in Project Baseline dives and community members can follow the project’s progress through its website.

For information about TIDA, membership opportunities or sponsorship partnerships, visit www.tidivers.org.