RCN Reefs

About the Book

From early times, man has created artificial reefs for a variety of reasons: some to form barriers to hold back creeks or streams, others to aid in rudimentary fishing while yet others were to create habitat for marine creatures, primarily, and for recreational divers, generally. An additional reason for the more recent planned and executed creation of artificial reefs is to preserve historical wrecks from over-anxious divers and to give these divers a preferred underwater site to explore; an added bonus is to aid local tourism. This story builds on the idea that former surface vessels can be used to make artificial reefs that serve as a habitat for marine critters and as a prime dive site for recreational divers. The story centres around five former Royal Canadian Navy destroyers, one former RCN maintenance vessel, as well as one former Air Canada Boeing 737and one former coastal freighter. Each of these artificial reefs is located in selected coastal waters off the west and east coasts of North America. Read how a cool beer combined with a paper napkin were the genesis of a world class organisation that set the standard for changing former warships into artificial reefs that has been copied by diving enthusiasts in both north and south hemispheres.

About the Author

Robert [Bob] Orrick, CD Royal Canadian Navy, Korea, 1952-53, HMCS Athabaskan DDE219 Following honourable discharge in 1975, Bob became a reporter/photographer then editor of a Vancouver Island, BC, community newspaper. In 1979, he was appointed ministerial assistant to a BC government cabinet minister. In 1986, Bob resigned his position and became a founding owner/vice-president of a Vancouver, BC-based international marketing company. In 1989 he left the firm. Later that year Bob was appointed National Public Information Officer, Korea Veterans Association of Canada, Inc., a position he held for three years. During his tenure as PIO, he worked diligently to educate Canadians about their country’s involvement in the Korean War; moreover, Bob toiled tirelessly to convince Ottawa to recognize the voluntarism of the 27,000 Canadians who served in Korea 1950-53 and to award a suitable medal. In November 1991, Governor-General Ray Hnyatysen awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal [Korea] to a select group of Korean War veterans. Other veterans received their medal via Canada Post. Bob spent twelve years researching, interviewing and writing Indelible Memories; it truly is a labour of love. In 1990, Bob became a private ESL tutor, an undertaking he enjoyed until June 2005 when he retired. Bob lives in Ladner, BC with his wife of 56 years, Shirley.