Shore Access Sites for Wrecks

[GreatLakesAngel]

Thanks for the map, Thunder Bay Minnow! That was pretty helpful. Are there any other maps similar to that for the other areas in the Great Lakes?

I think MaestroJFK made it clearer what I was asking for. I don't have access to a boat on the lakes or money to charter one, so I am looking for info about how far a surface swim would be to some of the wrecks, which most books that I do have (like the Kohl book or other GL Dive guides) don't share. Also the maps in the books and online don't give a clear answer of how far it would be to surface swim to most wrecks close to the shore. So it would be nice to hear from some one who maybe did a few surface swims to wrecks and their experiences.

 

[rickydazla]

Do you have a kayak or canoe? If so, you could easily get to the Eliza Strong and Charles Street in the Sanilac Shores Preserve. You could also look into diving at Forrester Pier and the Lakeshore Fish Habitat.

 

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary - Shipwreck Map

Here is an interactive map of the Thunder Bay Region.

The Warner and Shamrock are shore dives of about 100yds. from public beaches.

The Hall is along the break wall of the marina and the Bissell and Bay City are 100 and 150yds off the wall.

The Light Guard is about 25yds off shore. Access is tricky to find, ask a local or email me. This wreck is in waist deep water.

Maid of the Mist is a nice wreck but access is private unless you know someone.

Rockport Property offers an old pier and loading facility for loading freighters up until the late 40's. Access is awesome! with staircase taking you to waters edge. A real neat dive! This is where the caissons for the Mackinac Bridge were built and loaded on barges and sent the the Straits.

The American Union, Cuyahoga are easy shore dives from public lands off of Presque Isle and Thompsons Harbor. The American Union is buoyed.

 

[GreatLakesAngel]

That's some great info Thunder Bay Minnow! I'll have to look into those wrecks a bit more.

 

[DPDiver]

Detour Mi has several close wrecks, you can see some of them at the surface, but current and vis can be issues, and you need to swim from a nearby park instead of the closest shore. The same for wrecks around Drummond Island. Point Nipigon has several nice little wrecks, I just marked two with surface jugs last week, but the shore access is all private. Duncan Bay near Cheboygan has the Genessee Chief and Leviathan, accessible from Cheboygan State Park. Traverse Bay has the Elmwood Park wreck, and good diving in Mission Point Bay. Forty Mile Point has the Joseph Fay, some on shore and some off the lighthouse. Off Grindstone City is the Jacob Bertchy. There are many wrecks up and down each coast of Michigan, you just need get out and hunt for them.
You need to use the books, plot the wrecks on a chart, and go exploring. If you can't find them try asking questions of the locals. As to vis and temp, that is variable and subjective anyway. Shore diving is more than just suiting up and walking in, there is research, study and planning involved. I finally bought a small inflatable boat just so I could get to a few sites that were just too far a swim from public property.