Mackinac

4. NORTHWEST- a 223' wooden schooner built in 1873 in Bangor, MI by T. Boston. The
Northwest lays in 73' of water upright but broken up. There is a donkey steam engine and some
other deck machinery still on her. The wreck is collapsed to port and the stern has fallen off and
lays on the bottom along side the hull. The way the wreck has fallen apart it makes it hard to put
the picture of how it looked together.

5. SANDUSKY- a 110' wooden bark built in 1848 in Sandusky, OH by Dan Dibble. The
Sandusky foundered September 20, 1856 in a violent gale in the Straits of Mackinac with 7
lives lost. The wreck is in 83' of water and sits upright on the bottom. There is a lot to see on this
wreck with a scroll figurehead and completely intact bowsprit and jib boon. Both woodstock
anchors are still on the wreck. A lot of the steering and deck gear has been taken over the years
but there are still some dead eyes, wench and bilge pump on deck.

1. C.H. JOHNSON- a 137' wooden schooner built in 1870 in Marine City, MI by William Morley.
The vessel was stranded September 23, 1895 when the anchor chain broke while waiting out
a storm. It took minutes for the 35 year old vessel to start to brake up in 13' of water. The
Johnson is broken up with the keelson and most of the ribs still in place. 15-20 stone blocks
(8'x4'x2') hold the remains of the wreck in place. This wreck has lots of fish around and is a
very good dive for novice divers. This wreck can also be reached from shore.

2. CHUCK's BARGE- this barge was commonly called a dump scow as used to haul dredge
material. The bottom consists of two large openings with two hinged doors covering the
openings. The doors were equipped with restraining chain mechanisms. Alowing its load to be
droped out the bottom. The barge is intact in 43' of water and completly upside down.

3. MAITLAND- a 133' wooden bark built in 1861 in Goderrich, ON by Henry Marlton. She sank
after a collision on June 11, 1871. The Maitland lays in 85' of water upright and intact. This wreck
can be easily penetrated and has a raised forecastle. You will find a nice windless, bilge pump
and a lot of deck gear on this vessel. The center board is off-set to the starboard side of the keel.
This was a low cost construction method that didn't weaken the keel. For those who like old
wooden sailing vessels the Maitland is one of the best dives in the Straits.

6. EBER WARD- a 213' wooden propeller built in 1888 in Bay City, MI by F.W. Wheeler & Co.
On April 20, 1909 while running thru the Straits her bow was cut by ice with 5 lives lost. The
wreck sits upright in 140' of water making it a dive for the advanced diver. You will hit the upper
deck at 110', the cabins blew off when it sank. This wreck has 3 anchors, 2 on the bow and a
mushroom anchor on her port side. There is still cargo unloading machinery on the main
hatchways with 2 compound steam engines and a boiler. A large 4-blade propeller and a
considerable amount of debris laying on the bottom.

7. MINNEAPOLIS- a 226' wooden propeller built in 1873 in Marine City, MI by James Doran.
The Minneapolis while running thru the Straits on April 4, 1894 was cut by ice and sank in 124'
of water with no lives lost. You will find the wreck sitting upright and mostly intact. There is a
section of the bow torn off. Points of interest are a single-cylinder low pressure steam engine, a
large fire box boiler, a donkey steam engine amidships and a 12' four-blade propeller. Her
smoke stack is still standing and rises to 75' from the surface. This wreck always has a current
and silts up very easy.

8. M. STALKER- a 135' wooden schooner built in 1863 in Milan, OH by Henry Kelley. While
anchored during a gale on November 5, 1886 she was struck by the barge Muskoka under tow
by the propeller Isaac May which did not stop even though the crew had lit a distress torch. All
hands made it safely ashore aboard their yawl. The Stalker is sitting upright in 85' of water and
mostly intact with only the stern broke apart. This is an excellent dive as there is still a lot of deck
gear on board. Windless, bilge pump, some mast parts and rigging and the center board. Like a
lot of wrecks in the Straits there is has a current and silt problem to look out for.

9. CEDARVILLE- a 488' steel propeller steamer built in 1927 in River Rouge, MI by Great
Lakes Engineering & Works. On May 7, 1965 the Cedarville in dense fog was struck by the
Norwegian freighter Topdalsfjord and sunk in 105' of water with 10 lives lost. The Cedarville is a
much dived wreck and one of my favorite dives in the Straits. The wreck is fully intact and laying
on its starboard side listing at about 45 degrees from being upside down. You will reach the hull
at about 40' with the pilot house and cabins around 75'. This wreck can be very confusing with it
being almost inverted because it silts up very easy. The Cedarville has been striped somewhat
but you can still find a few portholes and the steam whistle is still on the stack. This wreck is a
must do if you like big steel ships.

10. WILLIAM H. BARNUM- a 218' wooden propeller built in 1873 in Detroit, MI by James M.
Jones. The Barnum was in real need of major repairs and this was to be its last trip on the way to
dry dock. While making its way though the Straits on April 3, 1894 the hull was badly cut by ice
and begin to take on water. The bilge pumps couldn't keep up and help was called, a tug from
Mackinaw City came to her aid and removed the crew. The Barnum sank in 74' of water and is
upright mostly intact with portions of the stern missing when the rudder was dynamited and
removed. Overall this being a double deck ship there is a lot of penetration with a lot to see.
Engine, boiler, windless and machinery still on the deck. This wreck also has a lot of fish when the
water warms in the summer. The Barnum is one of the most poplar shipwrecks in the Straits of
Mackinac.

11. J. H. OUTHWAITE- a 224' wooden propeller built in 1886 in Cleveland, OH by W.H. Radcliff.
In a blinding snow storm November 28, 1905 the Outhwaite lost her steering and ran aground at
Point AuSable on the Lake Huron side of the Straits. The crew made a fire on board and spent
the night, the next day they left the ship and the fire they had used to make it though the night
sparked up and burnt her to the water line. This wreck is almost buried in the sand, there is not a
lot to see but a good beginner site for a new diver.

12. ALBEMARLE- a 154' wooden schooner built in 1867 in Buffalo, NY by Charles L. Bidwell.
The Albemarle was caught in a storm on November 6, 1867 after only 4 months service and ran
aground near Point Au Sable. No lives lost on this wreck but a good part of the ship was
salvaged soon after her demise. Today you will find only some ribs, planking and the
centerboard box. Only in 13' of water and the ice is gradually destroying what is left.

13. ST. ANDREW- a 135' wooden schooner built in 1857 in Milan, OH by Merry & Gay. The St.
Andrew sank on June 26, 1878 after a collision with another schooner. There was no lives lost
on this mishap. You will find this wreck in 60' of water upright and mostly intact. There is a
windless, centerboard and a good wreck for the beginner diver.