According to Traverse City Tourism, it is now the best season to explore the many shipwrecks that dot the Great Lakes. Many divers enjoy hunting shipwrecks in the autumn months because the water is still warm from the summer and less clogged with recreational boat traffic.
Lake Michigan is a favorite spot for shipwreck hunters because the lake’s cold, freshwater preserves wrecks so well: Divers and snorkelers may be able to see intricate machinery, ornaments and even porcelain cups at certain sites. Due to the shifting sands around Traverse City, new shipwrecks appear and disappear over the years.
One of the best areas for exploring shipwrecks is the Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve, which is a 282-square-mile region just off the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The region contains more than 130 shipwrecks, many of which are from the mid-19th century. Some of the most popular wrecks include the Francisco Morazan, a steel-hulled freighter; the Walter L. Frost, a wooden steamer from 1905; the Alva Bradley, a three-masted schooner that sank in 1894; and the Rising Sun, a 13-foot wooden steamer.
There are enough wrecks in the area to accommodate snorkelers and divers of any skill set.
