Buoys in Straits of Mackinac

[calvillo]

As of last week, the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve Association has placed buoys on the Cedarville bow, Barnum engine, Minneapolis, Young bow and Mailand bow.

This year, because of a generous donation by two families, we have enough hard cone style buoys to place them throughout the preserve from the Col. Ellsworth to the St. Andrew. The Rec Diver has agreed to use its best efforts to assist in placing them. Hopefully they will all be in place before the 4th of July and will be replaced as lost.

The Asspiciation is in need of 3/8" galvanized shackles. If anyone wants to donate some, please send them to the St Ignace Chamber of Commerce.

As more buoys are placed we will continue to post that information.

 

[dsc2679]

Thanks Calvillo, that is great news. I'm looking forward to getting up there this summer. A bigger thanks to the folks who donated the buoys. I know those buoys aren't cheap.

 

[do it easy]

This is the buoy on the Barnun taken on 6/3.

Thanks to all those involved that take the time to do this.

 

[dsc2679]

That is one sexy buoy!

 

[jepuskar]

I wonder how much they would get on the black market?

 

[krjohnson]

The Association in need of 3/8" galvanized shackles. If anyone wants to donate some, please send them to the St Ignace Chamber of Commerce.

How many are needed and what is a rough cost per piece? Could these be purchased at a Home Depot?

Keith

 

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

One thing that I feel is helpful, is putting the name of the wreck on the bouy.

Off of Alpena, within a 1/8 mile area are four wrecks. The Bay City, Bissel, Shamrock and Warner. You don't need a GPS to find them. Currently only two of the four have names on them. So it would be very helpful to know which wreck your diving. Same thing with Scallon's barge stern, bow and boiler.

 

[dsc2679]

The name on the buoy is a good idea. Especially on the Cedarville. "I'm I diving the bow, stern or the break?" Three fairly different animals. That said, if you found the buoy, one should know what wreck they're on.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Come on the diveguide books should fill you in, plan your dive then find your bouy.

Dive safe in the wreck world, Please Know what wreck your diving, most have been charted for years.

I have found numerous divers on the bottom with al 80's, there out of air by the time they start ascent.


Thats all I want to caution, Dont want to argue, Be safe when wreck Diving.


last day of ling seaon, gotta go shoot last one.


Happy Diving

 

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

You don't understand.

The Thunder Bay region has well over 100 wrecks. They range from on shore piles of boards to really deep and intact. Not all of them make it to the guide books. The ones I mentioned within 1/8 mile are some times done by shore. I have seen people paddle out in small inflatables about 300 yards off shore. Max depth is 20ft for all four. And the most you will see is sidewalls and keel. One as a very nice Prop though. NO penatration!! This is the one that most are looking for and it is not named on the buoy. Two are only 75 yards from each other. They are so close and I have not fould two GPS units that are identical. Close but not the same.

We have MANY less than 40ft wrecks here.

So there is not too much intensive planning necesary for these four locations. We do dives like this on a whim. Or just a reason to get wet. Don't take me wrong. Althought we never take safety ligtly when we all get an urge we can be in the water in five minutes once we get to the access. We keep our gear assembled and ready to go.

We promote the area to many out of towners and like to keep things easy for them and just a simple name helps.

That prop that I refered to is used by the National Marine Sanctuary on thier free poster that they hand out. So when people hear where it is, they want to go see it for themselves. When you can see four bouys from shore, any little bit helps.