THE TIME CAPSULE -INDIAN ISLAND

If you like flea markets or spending time picking through yard sales then make plans to visit Indian Island. Only three or four minutes by outboard from Deer Island Point, the unremarkable nature of Indian Island masks a quite remarkable past. The Passamaquody people used this island as a summer encampment and burial site long before Champlain " discovered " it. Indian Island was the early seat of government for the West Isles in Loyalist days. The island's topography does not reveal the many activities it has witnessed. Indian Island was home port for several sailing ships running the West Indies trade. There was a salt works and trading post for many years. The British post office was attacked by Fenians from near by Eastport in the 1800's. And guess what, does the bottom of the bay around it ever show it.
A crescent gravel beach stretching to a small island marks the dive site. From this beach you can look back across the swirling waters to Deer Island Point. The dive profile is a gentle gravel slope starting any place along the beach out to about forty feet. As usual in this area the current can rip through here so slack tide is preferable.
Once you get on the bottom you'll soon grasp the meaning of my opening remarks. Let's see, Caribbean coral once used as ballast in chunks and pieces, pottery shards of brick red and oriental blue, grindstones, old bottles, engine parts, and even the complete fame of some vehicle including the drive train and wheels. In amongst these treasures I found a few clay pipe stems and one nearly complete clay pipe. Wedged into a random pile of bricks was an intact butter dish ( at least that's what Gramma used a look a like for ). I hope by now you are getting the picture.
Marine life is not the attraction on this dive with two notable exceptions. While panning the bottom for more yard sale treasures I spied a flounder, well part of it anyway. A good sized sea raven had engulfed about two thirds of the misfortunate flat fish but seemed to be unable to complete his meal. There was the flounder, gills still moving , eyes searching the distance. I swear he looked like one of those beaten wrestlers searching in vain for his tag team partner. Another creature encounter was close up and personal. While trying to stand a large grindstone up for a better look, I inadvertently stuck my hand into the home of a very large wolf fish. The fish let me know who was intruding quickly and I decided to view that grindstone in it's original position.
That is one part of the Indian Island diving experience. The opposite side of the island offers some high current thrills. If you like a little history with your diving then this could be for you.

Enjoy diving

Story supplied by: David Logan