Projects
2026 will be the first operational season for TIDA. Our members' past work includes cleanup operations, dive site access improvements, shipwreck preservation, and building underwater training areas for divers. We will be posting about events and new projects, so be sure to check back and join us!
Cleanup Dives
TIDA is Preparing for our first cleanup dive on June 14, 2026 at 1:00PM. This event will be held at the Islander dive site and include cleaning of the training facilities. Mesh bags, snacks, and refreshments will be provided for all divers. Business sponsorship is still available.
Islander Shore Access Improvement
TIDA has partnered with the Village of Alexandria Bay to improve the current shore access at the Islander dive site. TIDA is designing a safer and more convenient way for divers and others to enter the water and a a large deck with diver-friendly benches to provide a defined, orderly space for divers to gear up without impeding Riverwalk traffic. TIDA board members are working with village officials to secure state grant funds for this project.
Dive Flag Awareness Project
TIDA is in the early stages of seeking cooperation from towns, villages, and marinas to place signage to make boaters aware of the meaning of the Diver Down Flag. Funding in the form of local donations and grants is being sought.
Project Baseline - Preserving the River's Maritime Heritage
TIDA is partnered with Project Baseline, an organization founded by scientific divers working to explore, document, & protect the underwater world. They accomplish their goals by mobilizing citizen-divers to record change in the world’s underwater environments and to engage with scientific, conservation, and government entities to advance the restoration and protection of our natural and cultural treasures.
Once TIDA establishes monitoring stations, any diver visiting the wreck can share their data, observations, measurements, and photographs through TIDA here. All this information is stored in a database which Project Baseline makes accessible to researchers, students and the general public.
Islander Stewardship Project
Active
Built in 1871, in Rochester, NY, the Islander was an one of the first tour boats in the 1000 Islands. This side-wheel steamer was docked at the Cornwall Brothers Pier on the night of September 16, 1909, when she caught fire and sank. She lies at the bottom with her starboard side resting at 50 feet deep. In 2023, it was designated as a Project Baseline-monitored site, Station Steamboat 1. The condition of the wreck as well as the marine species that congregate there are monitored and recorded along with temperature and visibility readings. Underwater signage at the site encourages divers to share their observations. This project was initially funded by TDK Scuba Enterprises.
Keystorm Stewardship Project
In Progress
The SS Keystorm was built in England in the early 20th century. She was downbound for Montreal carrying 2300 tons of coal when, in the early morning hours of October 12, 1912, she strayed out of the shipping channel in heavy fog and struck Scow Island Shoal. She began taking on water and rolled onto her starboard side before sliding off the of the shoal and sinking to the bottom. During 2026, TIDA will begin work documenting the current state of the wreck and establishing observation stations at the project site.
Past Projects by our Members
Islander Cleanup
Divers removed several hundred pounds of debris from the area of the wreck of the SS Islander in Alexandria Bay. Lawn chairs, cans, vinyl siding, a vacuum cleaner and toilet were among the items removed. The trash was taken to the landfill by village employees. This event was sponsored by St. Lawrence Scuba Co.
Underwater Navigation Course
This navigation course covers nearly two acres in Grass Bay. Divers navigate a series of 11 waypoints marked by underwater buoys. It is the only one of its kind in North America. It can be accessed via Cape Vincent East End Park. The design, materials and labor were provided through TDK Scuba Enterprises. Maintenance and cleaning will performed by TIDA members.
Visibility/Turbidity Measuring Station
This 40-foot structure was built to measure the visibility of the river with the readings tracked over time by Project Baseline. It is located at a depth of 30 feet and lies offshore in front of the Old Cornwall Brothers Store & Museum in Alexandria Bay. Using markers with measured distances and a secchi disk, citizen divers can approximate visibility distance and send the data for recording in the database. Future projects will use turbidity sensors for more accurate readings to be shared with researchers. This project was sponsored by TDK Scuba Enterprises. TIDA plans to upgrade this station during 2026.