HMCS Mackenzie (DDE 261)
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The HMSC MacKenzie, lead ship of the Mackenzie-class Destroyer Escorts of the Royal Canadian Navy. Commissioned October 6, 1962 the ship was designed in Canada and built by Canadian Vickers Ldt. The MacKenzie is made of steel, 366' long with a 42' beam, displaces 2900 tons, and carried 18 officers and 210 men during active duty. She was decommissioned on August 3, 1993, and purchased by the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia in March of 1995. The Ship was made environmentally safe, then scuttled on September 16, 1995, at 48º 40.094' N, 123º 17.170' W [1], off Isle-de-Lis and Gooch Island, near Sidney. She rests on clay and rock with a 20 degree list to port.
As a dive, the site often experiences strong currents, particularly during large ebbs, during which times diving is not recommended by the ARSBC. Otherwise, the average visibility of 25', and multitude of sea life in and around the ship offers a good dive. Above 60' divers can explore the bow tip, tops of the guns, superstructure, radar platform, and smoke stacks. Below 60 feet are 5 levels of deck, with access portals cut into the ship at various levels. The sea floor meets the bow at 90-100', and 95-105' at the stern.
