I do not usually post many trip reports, but this unsung hero of a wreck has prompted me to do so.
For almost 15 years now I have been diving out of the Thumb/Grindstone City/Harbor Beach/ Port Sanilac area and I am pretty familiar with the wrecks of that part of Lake Huron. This weekend we were planning on going out looking for a "Super Secret Shipwreck Site" but the weather looked doubtful for a trip almost halfway across the lake so my buddies suggested we do the Glenorchy. Now, before I talked with them about it my thoughts of the Glenorch were "it is completely intact but upside down so if you do not penetrate it it would be a zebra mussel encrusted hull." No charter boat captain would ever suggest it, and I knew only a couple of people who had done the dive and most said what I thought about it.
I can tell you now it is a fantastic dive if you are a "Wreck Penetrating" type of diver. You can go from one end to the other INSIDE and it is well worth the dive if you are with a small group. It is really close to Harbor Beach and it is relatively shallow for that part of the lake at a little over 115 ft. The hull is completely upside down and you can gain access to the interior through the port side gunnel (it is about a 5ft clearance) the two engine room doors which are propped open and the bow which is pretty impressively smashed in. the interior has all the machinery, most of the guages, a lot of the brass, tons of Burbot and whitefish, and the vis was Gin Clear. It is pretty open in the holds, engine room is a bit cramped but not as cramped as the Regina, and wow what a fun time we had in there.
Water temps were cold and the thermocline was about 45ft. Vis outside of the wreck was great. Deco stops were warm so the dive was remembered on a high level of "coolness" instead of cold. We did about 40 minutes of bottom time with EAN29 so minimal deco was required anyway.
My recommendation if you are stuck for an inshore dive and you have done the Dunderburg Alot, then consider the Glenorchy for an alternate if you are with a small group. (we did it with four divers, two down/ two up) I hope to have video for you on Youtube shortly (YouTube - DiversIncorporated's Channel)
Dive Safe,
Rich
For almost 15 years now I have been diving out of the Thumb/Grindstone City/Harbor Beach/ Port Sanilac area and I am pretty familiar with the wrecks of that part of Lake Huron. This weekend we were planning on going out looking for a "Super Secret Shipwreck Site" but the weather looked doubtful for a trip almost halfway across the lake so my buddies suggested we do the Glenorchy. Now, before I talked with them about it my thoughts of the Glenorch were "it is completely intact but upside down so if you do not penetrate it it would be a zebra mussel encrusted hull." No charter boat captain would ever suggest it, and I knew only a couple of people who had done the dive and most said what I thought about it.
I can tell you now it is a fantastic dive if you are a "Wreck Penetrating" type of diver. You can go from one end to the other INSIDE and it is well worth the dive if you are with a small group. It is really close to Harbor Beach and it is relatively shallow for that part of the lake at a little over 115 ft. The hull is completely upside down and you can gain access to the interior through the port side gunnel (it is about a 5ft clearance) the two engine room doors which are propped open and the bow which is pretty impressively smashed in. the interior has all the machinery, most of the guages, a lot of the brass, tons of Burbot and whitefish, and the vis was Gin Clear. It is pretty open in the holds, engine room is a bit cramped but not as cramped as the Regina, and wow what a fun time we had in there.
Water temps were cold and the thermocline was about 45ft. Vis outside of the wreck was great. Deco stops were warm so the dive was remembered on a high level of "coolness" instead of cold. We did about 40 minutes of bottom time with EAN29 so minimal deco was required anyway.
My recommendation if you are stuck for an inshore dive and you have done the Dunderburg Alot, then consider the Glenorchy for an alternate if you are with a small group. (we did it with four divers, two down/ two up) I hope to have video for you on Youtube shortly (YouTube - DiversIncorporated's Channel)
Dive Safe,
Rich
