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| "Unknown Wreck of Murray's Bay" |
One of the places to dive wrecks in the Midwest is Michigan's Alger Underwater Preserve.Lake Superior is generally better than in Lake Michigan and the smaller inland lakes. The water is cold, usually anywhere from 38 to 50¡F at depth, although I believe the cold is what helps improve the visibility. Plankton and bacteria that need warmer water do not proliferate here, thus the visibility is much greater than in shallower, warmer lakes.
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| "Gallely of the Selvick" |
The dive charter I use is Fun Time Dive ChartersÊrun by Captain Chuck Green. . He operates a six-pack most weekends from Memorial Day until Labor Day. Capt. Green does day/night dives on the wrecks close in to Munising and, by special arrangement, will take you farther out towards Au Sable Point. Contact him at 800-582-7817 year 'round. Say "Hi from Mr. Scuba" for me and tell him you read about him on the 'net. There are other dive/tour operators in Munising and you can reach them through the Chamber of Commerce - 906-387-2138.
There are ten wrecks to dive in this picturesque area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. These range from a 230-foot wooden steam barge, the Smith Moore which sank over 100 years ago, to the Steven M. Selvick which was sunk June 1, 1996.
The Selvick's historic notes are incomplete, but what is known is that the Great Lakes Towing Company commissioned her as the Lorain in 1915. Built in Cleveland, Ohio she was a 74-ton 71-foot-long Great Lakes Tug with a 17-foot beam. One of the last vessels to be constructed with a riveted hull the Lorain was originally powered by a steam engine. In 1953 she was recommissioned as the Cabot, and with a new diesel engine, assisted in the construction of the Mackinac Bridge. Purchased by Selvick Marine Towing in 1988 she was fitted with a newer Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine and renamed to honor the son of the company's owner. The Steven M. Selvick was donated to the Alger Underwater Preserve in 1994. The past two years volunteers from around the Midwest cleaned and prepared the tugboat for sinking. All petroleum products and loose fittings or debris were removed from the tug, the bilges were cleaned and hatches were welded open or in a few cases sealed.
The depths of these wrecks range from approximately 92 feet in the case of the Smith Moore, to 15 feet or less as with the wooden hulled schooner theWreck in Murray's Bay.
There are three wrecks that are mostly intact in deep water: The Smith Moore is remarkably well-preserved considering that the 230-foot wooden-hulled steam barge sank on July 13, 1889. When she originally sank, the bottom was 100 feet deep, and her masts cleared the water by ten to 20 feet! Her deck rests at about 85 feet, while the sand bottom shifts with time and tide. The Steven M Selvick came to rest in 60 feet of water on the rock shelf around Grand Island. This makes her wheel house rest at about 35 feet. This winter will tell the tale as to whether the wreck stays upright as was intended - the current is pushing her onto her side.
The Wreck of Murray's Bay lies in approximately 25 feet of water in the bay from which this unknown wooden ore hauler gets its name. Near the main shipping channel, other shallow wrecks were broken up by dynamite to remove them as hazards to navigation.
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| "Grand Portal" |
The Alger Preserve is located along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This is a beautiful, scenic area of colorful sandstone cliffs, shaped by water and wind erosion into unusual forms such as Miner's Castle and Miner's Beach, from which you can snorkel to Grand Portal Point. where there is a cavern carved through the sandstone bluff large enough to swim through. The area nearby is also rife with waterfalls, gorges, and small clear lakes that offer an interesting diversion between dives.
A few friendly words of caution. After cold deep dives such as the Smith Moore or Steven M Selvick, it is not advisable to participate in any strenuous exercise such as long hikes, or climbs up waterfalls! It has come to the attention of the diving community that such exertion can contribute to a case of decompression sickness or DCS. For the same reason, it is not advisable to head for the hot tub immediately after a dive; rather let your body warm up slowly and naturally, at least for an hour or two after your dive.
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| "Miner's Castle" |
The city of Munising, Michigan has undergone some changes in the past eight years that benefit tourists and divers. There has been an increase in hotel accommodations, gift shops, and restaurants. A miniature golf range has been built and with our dive club it has become a tradition to play a round of miniature golf on the afternoon of our Saturday dive. A few miles to the west is a town where you can send a card or letter postmarked from Christmas.
In the winter months many people from the Midwest come to Munising to snowmobile. In 1996 they had 118 inches of snow, and while not usual, the water temperature in the bay on July 4th was 38ºF!
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© 1996, 1997 mr/scuba@oocities.com
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