Michigan shipwrecks lure scuba divers to the 40-degree depths of the Great Lakes

From MLive: Michigan shipwrecks lure scuba divers to the 40-degree depths of the Great Lakes

By Kiley Kievit

Michigan waters have more than 500 shipwrecks officially logged. Local divers are determined to find more.

“The history is certainly a big draw for divers in Michigan, because there’s so much history on the bottom of the lake,” says Chuck Larsen, owner of Ocean Sands Scuba in Holland. “Everything from glacier remains to boulder fields to wrecks. There’s billions of dollars of commerce just littering the bottom of Lake Michigan.”

While Michigan divers are quick to compliment the cold waters they venture into, novices could easily be confused by the desire to plunge into one of the Great Lakes’ 40 degree depths. But this cold water is part of what makes these dives unique.

“Some of these wrecks you see, these ships went down hundreds of years ago,” says Ken Engelsman, co-owner of Michigan Diving Center in Spring Lake. “But in this cool, dark water they look like they just went down a few weeks ago. It’s just amazing how well fresh water preserves everything.”

The preservation, not to mention the abundance of wrecks in Michigan waters, is what lures divers and keeps bringing them in for more.

“I’ve got a thing for shipwrecks, and the Great Lakes have some of the best shipwreck diving in the world,” says Roger Brenner, the other co-owner of Michigan Diving Center. “And I’ve got a thing for the old wrecks, the old woodies is what I call them. And they’re just in great shape .”

These cold water dives require equipment made to withstand the cold and dark, in addition to thicker wetsuits, and the water temperature can be intimidating — 40 degrees once you go down past 100 feet. But for the dedicated, the conditions are perfect.

“Michigan is certainly my favorite dive site,” says Larsen. “Anything you can do above water you can do below water, only it’s more fun.”