David Samuel Wirkala

David Samuel Wirkala 85, of Yarmouth, ME passed away on Jul 8, 2023 in the Augusta ME V.A. Medical Center after a very short illness. David was born on August 31, 1937 in Quincy, MA. He grew up in Braintree, MA and graduated from Braintree High School in 1955. Dave’s multi-faceted and adventure packed career started in the U.S. Navy where he served as a submariner aboard the U.S.S. Batfish. Following his time in the Navy, Dave went to sea serving aboard T-2 tankers in the engine department for Tidewater Oil (Getty) Company followed by a long stretch ashore as a stationary power-plant engineer at Braintree Electric light company. During this time Dave also became a member of the local chapter of the Freemasons. With a yearning for adventure and to get back to working upon the ocean, Dave struck out on his own in his early thirties as the owner of Ocean Salvage Inc. out of Boston. His diving and salvage business went on to complete numerous U.S. government maritime contracts from the Saint Lawrence Seaway to Savanah, Georgia. One of his more notable projects involved the Great Lakes bulk carrier “Eastcliffe Hall”. On her last voyage she had sailed from the port of Sorel, Quebec bound for Saginaw, Michigan with a cargo of 5,661 long tons of pig iron. “Eastcliffe Hall” sank while transiting the Saint Lawrence Seaway in three minutes and in 70 feet of water near Morrisburg, Ontario on 14 July 1970 with the loss of the Captain and the Chief Engineer, as well as their three family members and 4 other crew. The Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard rescued 12 additional crew. Dave’s diving company was later called upon to remove the protruding masts and some cargo, and the forward superstructure was dynamited back to the forward hold to clear the site as a navigational hazard so as not to pose a danger to other marine traffic. While the surface currents are still swift today, the ship has since become a popular destination for recreational divers. During some off time from the diving industry, Dave worked as a captain aboard commercial suction-dredge clam boats off of the coast of Virgina, and later he owned and operated a commercial scallop boat out of New Bedford and Gloucester MA. Dave eventually ended up in Portland ME and later settled in Yarmouth ME where he continued his interest in any sort of carpentry, construction, or special projects that might be “interesting” both ashore and at sea. On one such project, he spent time in Southern California working to stop homes from sliding down hillsides. Dave always had a helping hand for family, friends, and neighbors and was quick to help others wherever and whenever he could. He enjoyed boating and Island Time and spent several winters on the Island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas and abundant vacation time in Key West. Much of his free time during summers in Maine was spent with numerous friends and family on Lower Goose Island in Casco Bay. Left to cherish Dave’s memory are his sons Mark and Dana, daughter-in-law Susan, grand- daughters Krysta and Erika, brother Allan, and many, many more extended friends and family. David was predeceased by both his parents, Oscar and Ellen (Anderson) Wirkala. There will be a Celebration of Life for David S. Wirkala: Thursday, August 31, 2023 5pm- 8pm Amvets 148 North Rd Yarmouth, ME 04096