The Keweenaw Underwater Preserve is a preservation area in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in Lake Superior, it protects waters that lie offshore Keweenaw Peninsula.
Keweenaw Point The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which oversees the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve, calls the point of Keweenaw Peninsula a "catcher's mitt" for storm-beset Lake freighters and other boats in the southern half of Lake Superior. Numerous wrecks, overseen as part of this preserve, can be seen here and are the object of recreational dives.
Shipwrecks Eagle River, Eagle Harbor, and Copper Harbor are all home to shipwrecks dating back to the 1800s. They are preserved in shallow water and been broken up by ice and storms.
One of the most recent large boats on the Great Lakes to be a total loss, the former United States Coast Guard cutter Mesquite, grounded off Keweenaw in 1989 and is now a diveable wreck in this preserve.
The largest wreck in the preserve is the freighter William C. Moreland which ran aground in 1910 and is a diveable, protected wreck resting in 40-feet of water.
Brendon Baillod is a maritime historian who has compiled information on and located many of the shipwrecks near Keweenaw.
Known wrecks and dive sites ShipShip typeBuild dateSunk dateFateCoordinatesImageJohn Jacob AstorTwo masted wooden brig18351844Ran aground in winter, broke up in severe winter conditions.N 47° 28.340 W 087° 51.880Charles H. BradleyWooden steamer18901931Grounded, fire broke out, and sunk.N 47° 02.140 W 088° 29.020City of BangorFreighter18961926Trapped in ice and declared a total loss.N 47° 27.370 W 087° 44.760City of St. JosephSteel barge18901942Struck a reef during a violent Gale, along with companion barge "Transport".N 47° 28.200 W 088° 06.750City of SuperiorWooden propeller18571857Slammed into shore during intermittent snow squalls, broken by gales and storms.N 47° 28.300 W 087° 51.400ColoradoCargo ship18871898Struck and stranded on the wreck of propeller James Pickands.N 47° 25.710 W 088° 17.930FernTug18831901Hit by a sudden storm while working on the wreck of Colorado.N 47° 25.460 W 088° 18.020GazellePassenger/cargo ship18581860Breached upon rocks and broke up.N 47° 27.430 W 088° 19.270John L. GrossWooden schooner18571873Struck a rock, beached and battered by heavy seas.N 47° 27.590 W 088° 09.310International1913N 46° 58.970 W 088° 25.840LanghamBulk cargo carrier18881910Loaded with coal, burned to the waterline, and sunk.N 47° 22.370 W 087° 55.530Lizzie A. LawWooden schooner barge18751908Grounded during a gale and broke apart.N 47° 05.344 W 088° 18.931MediatorWooden schooner barge18621898Thrown ashore by gale and sunk.N 47° 07.310 W 088° 33.010MesquiteUSCG Seagoing buoy tender19421989Ran aground in winter. Sunk by the Coast Guard as a dive site.N 47° 23.440 W 087° 44.530William C. MorelandLake freighter19101910Grounded on Sawtooth Reef, broke into sections, and sunk.N 47° 25.070 W 088° 19.600PanamaWooden bulk freight steamer18881906Hit storm, run aground, and broke in two.N 46° 17.270 W 089° 32.890PeninsulaSteam-powered cargo ship18491854Snapped propeller shaft backing out from dock and abandoned.N 47° 25.100 W 088° 17.740James PickandsWooden bulk freighter18861894Hit Sawtooth Reef, gale broke ship in two.N 47° 25.710 W 088° 17.930Sailor BoyWooden passenger steamer18911923Caught fire, sunk.N 47° 07.386 W 088° 32.945ScotiaIron steamer18731884Ran aground, waves broke the ship, sunk.N 47° 25.870 W 087° 42.290TiogaIron package freighter18851919Ran aground on Sawtooth Reef during a winter storm, then went to pieces in a gale.N 47° 26 260 W 088° 16.220TransportIron barge18801942Struck a reef during a violent Gale, along with companion barge "City of St. Joseph".N 47° 28.201 W 088° 06.750TravellerWooden sidewheel steamer18521865Burned and sunk.N 47° 27.570 W 088° 09.120Uarda1912N 47° 07.420 W 088° 35.310WasagaWood steamer18761910Burned to a total loss.N 47° 28.170 W 087° 53.150
References
External links Keweenaw Underwater Preserve Michigan Underwater Preserve Council Historical Great Lakes Vessel Accident Database