HMCS Yukon

This ship was part of the Royal Canadian Navy and then the Canadian Forces, and was the first Canadian Mackenzie-class destroyer to feature the HMCS Yukon name. The ship took to the seas in 1961 and was often used as a training ship. It was decommissioned in 1992. The San Diego Oceans Foundation bought the ship and towed it into the San Diego harbor in 2000. the ship is now located in the Pacific Ocean off Mission Bay in an artificial reef that is filled with 100-feet of water. It was intentionally sunk to create a destination for divers. Some changes were made to the ship to make it more accessible to divers, and the typically biohazards like oil and paint were removed before the sinking. Numbered coins have also been hidden on the ship to give divers something to search for. The original intention was to sink the ship upright, but it began sinking the night before the scheduled sinking and ended up on its side. The ship's bell is in the Yukon Legislative Building, even though the rest of the ship is in southern California. Divers should prepare for chilly waters near the ship. There are also surges and divers are sometimes sucked into the ship's holes. The ship is slowly deteriorating, but aside from general caution, divers are still in for a thrilling treat when visiting the HMCS Yukon.