Is there private boat diving on Great Lakes?

[Jared0425]

The Frontenac has most of her artifacts still on her, but as usual a few things are missing. If you are looking for both intactness and artifacts then the Canadian wrecks are a premiere choice. Michigan's thumb region has good intact wrecks that are in recreational level. The Wells Burt was stripped long ago, and is mostly buried, Material Service is a good wreck to dive, but being so close to the shoreline, vis is not the greatest. Tobermory has good wrecks with a few artifacts remaining along with the Wexford near Grand Bend.

 

[jbark]

Southern Lake Michigan has four entries close of Chicago that are ranked by him among 100 best. These are:

1. Wells Burt
2. The Straits of Mackinac
3. Tacoma
4. Material Service

Of all of them are great but if I could have one pick it would be Wells Burt. It is a huge three masted wooden sail ship that went down 1883. It is in 45 feet of water and surprisingly intact.

I have been on the Straits of Mackinac twice. Its not my idea of a great dive site but I understand why some divers love it. It is an intentionally sunk boat that has been cut open and at least partially sterilized. I would dive it again, but I'd rather see something new.

The Wells Burt is right near the Mack and is one wreck that I am interested in seeing. I am particularly interested in the construction of wooden boats and ships and so it has more to attract my interest than the Mack.

I have not been on the tacoma or the material service barge which is a favorite of the dive op that i have used. They like it because it is close to home for them so when the weather is a little rough they can offer to dive it. They also tell me that it is an interesting site with a lot to see, though visibility can be low due to it's shallow location.

In the same area is a site known as the Illinois and the Holly Barge, two wrecks side by side, the Holly Barge was put there on purpose from what I recall. I found the Illinois to be very interesting as lots of construction details can be seen and much machinery is still there but it is mostly a collapsed pile of parts at this point. The Pile spans 150 feet or more in length, I only explored the length of it on one side when I dove it last summer. I probably only saw 20%of the site. The Holly Barge is OK too, but at that site I would just swim over to the Illinois and spend my bottom time there.

the David Dows is in that general ares too and might be worth a look.

I have also been to the Muskegon. Which is a pile of rubble, part of the bottom of the hull, a boiler and some of the general machinery.

If you get serious about any of those I would be up for a trip over there. In good weather I can run my boat to any of these sites by launching at the Hammond marina.

Jerry

 

[Jack Hammer]

Many of the people who dive "the Mac" frequently do penetration as there is much more to see on the inside than on the outside of it.

The Tacoma is a nice small wreck that one should take their time on. Overall it is in decent condition.

In the same general area as the Tacoma and the Material Service Barge (MSB) is the car ferry #2. This was a rail car barge that flipped over near the docks spilling the locomotives (they were recovered) then was towed out a bit when they weren't able to upright it and sank. It's in ~50', IIRC. Later The Army Corps of Engineers dynamited it to prevent from being a navigation hazard so it's mostly flat now and covers ~300' in area.

The Wings of the Wind is a nice wreck in the 45' range. Just the front portion remains with the windlass and bowsprit intact as salvage efforts after the sinking tore the back portions away. The rudder is still in place sticking out of the bottom if you swim back a little.

The Wells Burt is in good condition for it's age and how shallow it is. There is cables and rigging off to the side to see. It sank into the bottom a bit and is listing at about 30*s, the interior is mostly filled with mud but if you are comfortable in tight places you can swim under the decking in many spots. The Windlass and a few deadeyes are still there to see.

The Rotarian is in ~80' water and is pretty flat except for the centerboard.

The Buccaneer was intentially sank a few years back for divers. It's lies about 7 miles due East of Navy Pier at a depth of ~70' with the deck being `50'. Penetration is available for those trained.

Also near Navy Pier is the Flora Hill. She sank in 25' water and was also later dynamited by the Army Corps of Engineers as a navigation hazard. The boiler is still standing and there is a lot to see amid the wreckage.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Now here is a wreck worth diving:

Cedarville:

588 foot long steel propeller
Depth 40 - 106
Resting on starboard side
Went down in 1965
Location is 2.75 miles E of Old Mackinac Point MI. Lake Huron.

Anyone ever dove this wreck? It is a huge city.

 

[Jared0425]

I've done it a few times. The wreck is massive and penetrable in both the bow and the stern. The bow is almost upside down and the cargo hold swim throughs are fun. The stern is on her side and the engine room is pretty intact, but there is oil that floats around in there, so be cautious in what you bump into. Also it is almost impossible to do the wreck in a single dive.

 

[CamG]

SINBAD The Cedarville is a great wreck and well worthy of a double dip.
We did both bow and stern easy to dive at your level of cert.
We were diving a little bit beyond Rec. levels but close not a lot of deco. it was magnificent.
There are some excellent video's on YouTube that demonstrate the quality of this site.

I enjoy diving any wreck but those up there are a bit deeper and more intact not so affected by wind, Ice, etc.
There are more wrecks to dive than time will allow.
Enjoy and get started they are deteriorating every season one of my fans in Huron is starting to collapse.
One day soon it will be a pile of rust on the bottom sad day that will be.

CamG

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I am pretty much sold on Cedarville. If there are any charter operators who do this then please let me know. More fun would be ... if anyone would like to do this out of their private boat then we can recruit a small team and split the costs. Either ways, I am game!

 

[dsc2679]

Here's a few charter boats. Most frequent the C'ville. Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve > Diver Info

 

[KD8NPB]

I would love to dive the Cedarville this year.

We should get a charter together?

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I would love to dive the Cedarville this year.

We should get a charter together?

Great idea! Who else is in?