200+ Historic Shipwrecks Await Scuba Divers in This Michigan Preserve

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Lake Huron is hiding an entire fleet of perfectly preserved shipwrecks from every era.

In Thunder Bay’s crystal-clear waters, you can dive past wooden schooners from the 1800s still sitting upright on the bottom, cargo intact.

Welcome to America’s best freshwater wreck diving site.

Dive Into The Original ‘Shipwreck Alley’

This place has over 100 shipwrecks dating from 1842 to 1966, plus many more they haven’t even found yet.

You’re looking at more than 12,000 years of maritime history, from Native American canoes to modern freighters.

Cold Freshwater Keeps These Wrecks Looking Almost Brand New

Lake Huron’s freshwater doesn’t have the corrosion or biological activity that eats away at ocean wrecks, so these ships stay remarkably intact.

When you dive here, you’ll see wooden structures, metal parts, and artifacts that look almost like they sank yesterday, not centuries ago.

Some wrecks still have their ship bells, wooden wheels, and even personal items like binoculars and clothing right where sailors left them.

Winter ice helps keep the water cold year-round, and that’s why wooden parts of ships from 150+ years ago still have their masts standing and deck hardware in place.

Shipwrecks For Every Skill Level From Beginners To Tech Divers

What makes Thunder Bay so special is how accessible it is for everyone.

You’ll find shipwrecks in water depths from just a few inches down to 200 feet, so it doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or you’re an experienced technical diver—there’s something for you here.

From May through September, they maintain mooring buoys at many sites, which makes diving safer and protects the wrecks from anchor damage.

The best diving season runs May through October, with peak conditions from May to August when visibility can reach 40-70 feet.

Wooden Schooners Take You Back To The Age of Sail

If you’ve ever wanted to see what sailing was like before engines took over, you need to check out Thunder Bay’s wooden schooners.

The E.B. Allen is a perfect example. This two-masted wooden schooner sits 100 feet down and it’s amazingly intact.

It collided with another vessel back in November 1871 but landed perfectly on an even keel, with its hull, rudder, anchor chains, and windlass still right where they should be.

You can actually see evidence of the collision on its port side. The bow still has its signature anchor davit, and there’s so many original components to explore.

If 100 feet seems too deep, try the Lucinda Van Valkenburg instead.

This 128-foot three-masted schooner rests at a more manageable 60 feet and offers another great look at 19th-century sailing vessels.

Journey Through Two Centuries of Great Lakes Shipping Evolution

You can literally see the evolution of shipping technology as you dive different wrecks in Thunder Bay.

From wooden schooners to early steel-hulled steamers and several unusual vessel types, it’s like an underwater timeline of maritime progress.

Seven of these shipwrecks are so historically significant they’re listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

To really see the difference, check out the Nordmeer, a massive 471-foot ocean-going freighter from 1959 that looks completely different from earlier vessels with its ‘Liberty ship’ design and cabins located mid-deck.

Then swim over to the Chester B. Jones, a wooden three-masted schooner from 1873 that sailed for 51 years before being abandoned in 1924.

Shallow Wrecks Perfect For Beginners

Never done wreck diving before? No problem. The Joseph S. Fay is a 216-foot bulk freighter sitting in just 17 feet of water near shore after hitting rocks in a 1905 gale.

You can easily check it out as a novice diver, snorkeler, or even while paddling.

If that’s still too deep, head to the Albany shipwreck in Albany Bay—it’s in 4-5 feet of water and almost always visible regardless of conditions.

The schooner Portland is another great starter wreck at only 6 feet deep and accessible right from shore. It’s perfect for getting comfortable with wreck structures in warm, shallow water.

Don’t dive at all? You can still experience these wrecks from a glass-bottom boat, kayak, or by snorkeling from shore.

Monohansett’s Dramatic Story Unfolds In Shallow Water

This freighter was hiding behind Thunder Bay Island during gale-force winds on November 23, 1907, when disaster struck

An oil lantern tipped over and started a fire that rapidly spread through the old wooden timbers and 900 tons of coal cargo.

Today, the wreck lies in three sections just 18 feet deep, and you can clearly see the stern with its hull features, propeller, and shaft all still in place.

Grecian Sank Twice And Now Offers An Incredible Dive Experience

This 296-foot steel steamer was launched in 1891, collided with another ship in June 1906, was raised from the bottom, and then sank again while being towed for repairs.

Now it rests in about 105 feet of water, with the deck accessible at 75 feet.

When you dive this wreck, you’ll first spot the bow with its signature anchor davit hanging empty, then you can explore its intact windlass before moving along the collapsed midsection.

Near the stern, the structure gets more intact, and you can actually drop down into the cargo holds.

Between the triple expansion engine, boiler, decks, and cargo holds, you’ll find plenty to explore on this dive.

Montana Offers Mid-Range Diving Beyond The Beginner Wrecks

If you’re ready to go a little deeper, the Montana sits at 63 feet, making it perfect for intermediate divers looking to level up their wreck diving skills.

This wooden steam barge began as a swift package freighter before being rebuilt as a lumber carrier in 1909.

In 1914, it caught fire while heading to Detroit to load lumber and burned to the waterline before sinking off Thunder Bay’s North Point.

Despite its fiery end, there’s still plenty to see—this 235-foot sidewheel steamer has a double steeple compound engine that rises 30 feet from the bottom, creating an impressive underwater structure.

Look for the windlass, capstan, and rudder among the wreckage to get insights into 19th-century ship design.

Technical Divers Will Find Incredible Treasures In Deeper Waters

For those with advanced diving certifications, Thunder Bay offers some truly exceptional deep-water sites.

The Audubon is a perfect example—this two-masted brig was lost in a collision the same year it was launched in 1854 and now sits upright in about 161 feet of water, with its deck at 145 feet.

The hull remains intact, and although the masts are snapped and lying across the deck, you can still observe the ship’s wheel, windlass, both anchors, and even pottery and china from daily life aboard the vessel.

The scattered cargo of railroad iron rails both on and inside the hull tells part of its story.

Another technical diving challenge is the Pewabic, resting between 148-168 feet after a tragic nighttime collision with its sister ship in 1865 that claimed 125 lives—the seventh worst loss of life on the Great Lakes.

Ancient Sinkholes Create Otherworldly Underwater Landscapes

Thunder Bay is also home to some truly remarkable natural features that make diving here even more special.

The sanctuary contains karst sinkholes formed 8,000-10,000 years ago when limestone reacted with acidic water, creating passages in the rock.

These submerged sinkholes now seep groundwater to the lake bottom, creating unique habitats for specialized aquatic life.

With their deep limestone fissures, diving here is somewhat like cave diving and requires special skills and equipment.