A storm considered a single on the most devastating to pound the Excellent Lakes through the twentieth century blew across Lake Huron and past aptly named Thunder Bay near Alpena, Mich., in early November 1913. The storm’s hurricane force winds swallowed the steel-hulled freighter Isaac M. Scott, sending the ship to the bottom and her 28 passengers to their deaths. Today, the Scott lies protected on the lakebed within the borders from the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary–and she’s not alone. Additional than ፖ shipwrecks litter the bottom of this 448-square-mile protected location off the northeast coast of Michigan’s lower peninsula, set aside by Congress in 2000 specifically to protect these historic wrecks.
“Thunder Bay is really a museum of the history of Fantastic Lakes shipping” says Joseph Sobczak, owner of Thunder Bay Scuba in Alpena, Mich. “Imagine hovering over the deck of a ship that sunk close to the time of Abraham Lincoln’s initial political speech. History is all around you in these waters.”
What attracts divers to this region, beyond the fact that it’s an underwater archive of Wonderful Lakes shipping and commerce, is that many in the ships are in pristine condition. Why? Saltwater corrodes. Freshwater protects. And that’s what makes this sanctuary unique. Ships like the Grecian–a turtleback freighter that sank in 110 feet of water through a 싲 storm and remains perfectly preserved 100 years later with her windlass, pulleys, side rails, capstan and three anchors still in place–and the Monohansett–one of Thunder Bay’s most visited wrecks that, in 16 feet of water, is accessible even to snorkelers–make ideal destinations for divers of all levels who desire to expertise these living time capsules.
InDepth
The water’s cold so bring at least a 7mm wetsuit–or a drysuit–with hood and gloves. A handful of dive charters depart from Alpena, Mich.; rates begin at about $95 per diver.
Knowledge required: All levels, from beginner to technical diving.
Conditions: Water temperature hovers between 40 and 50 degrees; vis typically ranges from 40 to 70 feet.
Where: Off the northeast coast of Michigan’s lower peninsula, near the town of Alpena, Mich.
When: Dive season is Might to October, but conditions are best from May to August.
