Marquette, Michigan has been a major shipping port on Lake Superior since the discovery of iron ore in 1844. Heavy vessel traffic to and from the port, along with Superior’s gales and fogs made shipwrecks here inevitable in the early days of navigation. The Marquette Underwater Preserve was established in 1990 to promote conservation of the area’s submerged historical resources. The preserve offers outstanding scuba diving along Lake Superior’s shoreline in two areas of Marquette County, the Marquette Unit and the Huron Islands Unit.
The Marquette Unit includes some 24 miles of shoreline around Marquette and extends out to the 200-foot depth contour. Within this area divers can explore the wrecks of wooden schooners, steamers and commercial fishing vessels as well as visiting unique geological formations. Dive sites are accessed by boat from launch ramps at Marquette’s upper and lower harbors. Small boats can also be launched at the Chocolay Township launch ramp on the Chocolay River and can reach the Charles J. Kershaw and Queen City wreck sites by navigating the shallow channel at the river mouth.
The Huron Islands Unit encompasses some of the most impressive coastline in the state. The shore ranges from sandy beaches to towering cliffs, backed by the scenic Huron Mountains. Much of the diving is done in the clear waters surrounding the Huron Islands, a group of rugged granite knobs rising out of Superior’s depths. Boaters can reach the Huron Islands from the Big Bay Harbor of Refuge at Big Bay, or from Witz’s Marina at Skanee in Baraga County. In either case, it is a cruise of over 12 miles to the islands, so boaters must take appropriate precautions.
Some of the highlighted shipwrecks in the area include the Charles J. Kershaw, located about two miles south-southeast of Marquette. The wooden steamer Kershaw, built in Bangor, Michigan in 1874, was towing the schooner-barges, Henry A. Kent and the Moonlight, on September 29, 1895. The Kershaw lost power and all three were stranded by the high seas. Members of the Marquette’s U.S. Life Saving Service made daring rescues of the Kershaw’s crew, while the crews of the Moonlight and the Kent simply jumped onto land. The Detroit Free Press of October 10, 1895 reported that “the recent gale removed the last trace of the Kershaw”. The schooners Kent and Moonlight were recovered and returned to service eight months later. The Kershaw lies broken and scattered, with the huge boiler being the highlight of this dive.
The D. Leuty lies about 800’ off Lighthouse Point near downtown Marquette. The wooden steamer, D. Leuty stranded in a snowstorm while trying to enter Marquette harbor on October 31, 1991 with a cargo of logs. No lives were lost, but the ship broke up. The engine, boiler and machinery were salvaged. Three large sections of wooden hull remain at this site, and are usually buoyed. The huge rudder lies in 40’ with tools, fasteners and piping scattered in more shallow water. Unfortunately, this in not a shore dive, as the nearest public access is about 1/4 mile from the wreck site, making for a long swim.
The F-106B fighter plane from the nearby K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base lost power and crashed after the pilot bailed out safely on June 12, 1974. The engine and most of the fuselage were recovered, but pieces of this aircraft remain lodged in the shifting sands.
The Florida, two masted schooner, built in Oswego, New York in 1868 was dashed against the Marquette docks during a blizzard on November 17, 1886 with the loss of one life. Partly buried in the sand are framing and planking just outside the cribs of an old dock. Located south of Whetstone Brook and just north of the DeSoto wreck site. The DeSoto, launched on April 10, 1856 stranded and broke up on Dec 4, 1869. Some framing and planking make this site suitable for divers and snorkelers alike.
A note about the charts included in each Preserve reference:
The coordinates are presumed to be accurate but we place no guarantee. Water depths may be off due to water level changes. Always evaluate weather conditions and divers abilities before diving any wreck. We are not recommending any of these dive destinations. We are only publishing information. Caution: Some wrecks may be out of the sport diving depth limit. Diving is a potentially dangerous activity. Use common sense and dive within your training and skill level.
