Speakers announced for 32nd Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival

The 32nd Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival has been set for March 2 at Washtenaw Community College.
The event will be located in the college's Morris Lawrence Building, 4800 E. Huron River Drive in Ann Arbor between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The festival is a partnership between the Ford Seahorse Scuba Dive Club, the Detroit Historical Society's Dossin Maritime Group and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.
I attended the festival for the first time last year, and it was a tremendous experience. I wrote several stories about the festival and recorded several interviews, all of which are posted on this blog.
I plan on attending again this year and recommend it to you as well.
Tickets for the event are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For ticket information or program details, visit www.shipwreckfestival.org, call (734) 485-0492 or e-mail glsftickets@aol.com.

Shipwrecks are always the theme of this event and this year is no exception. The Festival will provide seminars that include Great Lakes maritime history and shipwreck presentations along with Saltwater exotic locations and Educational/Technical topics.

In the Festival Shipwreck Room they will have a number of entertaining presentations; Valerie van Heest will share two new Lake Michigan shipwreck programs—including the wreck of the whaleback Henry Cort. David Trotter will present four new shipwreck finds from 2011/12 including the 268 foot steamer New York. Jim and Pat Stayer will highlight the 100th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1913 in their program. Tony Gramer brings us video on the tug Anna Dobbins lost in Saginaw Bay in 1886. Ross Richards will have a program on Michigan Mystery Losses.

In the exotic Saltwater Room, Tony Gramer will take us to the Philippines where his program will include a very special whale shark encounter. Roger Roth will take us to Hawaii and share his video “Why Dive it Again?” Dave Haas will share his presentation on the Caribbean destination Bonaire. Jim and Pat Stayer will show their video of Yap “Sharks, Mantas and Macro.” David Heidemann will share his images of Diving the Blue Heron Bridge in Florida. Rudy Whitworth will provide presentations from Indonesia: “Flores – Alor – Komodo” and “Raja Ampat—Papua Paradise.”

For the Tech/Ed Room, Rich Synowiec, in his presentation will take us “From Wreck to Tech Wreck” diving. Luke Clyburn and John O’Shea, were standing room only last year and both speakers will return with updated presentations. Robert McGreevy has a historical presentation on the Key Stone State — she was a side wheel steamer built in 1849 and lost with all 33 souls on board in 1861. Officers from the MI State Police UW Recovery Unit will have a presentation on the search and recovery of a light plane lost in Lake Michigan. James Mott will present a seminar on “Gas Management.” David Haas will take us on “The Digital Journey in Underwater Imagery” and conclude with info on the latest and greatest UW photo gear.

Dying Loons: Thousands of dead birds are showing up on northern Michigan’s shorelines

This story has nothing to do with scuba diving, but I will make the assumption that most scuba divers care about the environment or at least are concerned about damage being done to the enviroment.
I wrote this story because I think it's something that everyone in the state of Michigan, the Midwest and the southern part of the United States should know about.
Thousands of Michigan waterfowl washed up dead on the banks of Lake Michigan this past fall, the majority of which were common loons. The working hypothesis is that the loons died because they consumed botulism-infected round gobies, an invasive species. As any of you who dive Great Lakes shipwrecks know, the shipwrecks, at least in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, are often covered with gobies. Here is the link to my story, which includes a video with my primary source for the information. http://www.macombdaily.com/article/20130106/LIFE09/130109616/0/SEARCH/dying-loons-thousands-of-dead-birds-are-showing-up-on-northern-michigan-s-shorelines

I'd like to know what you think.

Sea-Side Dive Shop offers into to scuba classes on Jan. 12

Sea-Side Dive Shop in St. Clair Shores is offering Bubblemaker and Discover Scuba classes in their pool on Jan. 12.

The Bubblemake class is designed for 8- and 9-year old children. Class fee includes use of all the equipment plus the Bubblemaker Kit. Kids love this program and it is a great way to introduce children, grand children, nephews and nieces to diving. The program runs noon-2 p.m. and costs $50.

The second program, the Discover Scuba class also takes place between noon-2 p.m. It is a great way for non-divers to find out just how much fun it is to scuba dive. Sea-Side provides all the equipment. Upon completion, the fee can be applied to the cost of the confined water class if the student signs up within 6 months.
Call 586-772-7676 for more information.

133-year-old wooden steamer New York found in Lake Huron

For scuba divers, watching an ancient shipwreck emerge in the murky gloom beneath their feet is quite a rush.

But imagine being the first pair of eyes to view that ship in more than 100 years. David Trotter has done that many times in his 30 years as a shipwreck hunter. For him, viewing a previously discovered shipwreck doesn’t get his juices flowing. It’s the thrill of the hunt and the journey rather than the destination. And it’s a passion he has followed for more than 30 years.
Trotter announced the news of his latest discovery on Tuesday, Dec. 4, the 133-year-old wooden steamer New York, discovered in Lake Huron in May and dived for the first time in July. The discovery was the result of more than two years of searching with his expedition team, Undersea Research Associates, an operation that is funded by Trotter and includes a small group of volunteer divers and support personnel.
The wreck was found about 20 miles southeast of Alpena and about 75 degrees and 25 miles out from the small port town of Harrisville. Side-scan sonar was used to locate the vessel, which is located in about 240 feet of water.
The time consuming part of the search is largely due to inaccurate information. Groups lay down search grids based upon information given at the time of the sinking by the surviving crew members. In this case, and many others, different men provide different locations and different stories. It’s not surprising, since as the ship is going down, the men are thinking about surviving, not about charting its last location. Trotter said some stories had the ship going down 25 miles further north, while others had it 5-10 miles further south.
"It was quite obvious we had a shipwreck and that it was a steamer as opposed to a schooner based upon its size," Trotter said of the initial sonar sighting. "Since the stern was damaged, we couldn’t determine its full length and whether or not it was the New York. It could have been one of three other ships that were thought to go down in that area."
The New York, built in 1879 to a length of 283 feet, is historically significant for two reasons. First, at the time of her construction, she was the largest ship to ply the Great Lakes, the leviathan of her time. And secondly, at the time of her sinking 31 years later, she represented a changing of the guard in ship construction. As a "woody," by 1910, she was a bit of a relic; most of her neighbors on the sea were made of steel.
The New York was headed northbound in October 1910 from Detroit to Canada carrying a load of coal when it was caught in a violent gale. She lost power and fell into a trough (sideways) where the waves pummeled the ship.
The 430-foot steamer Mataafa, with the 376-foot Whaleback Alexander Holley in tow, spotted the New York and realized she was in serious danger. Captain Regan, of the Mataafa, began a turn into the raging seas when its load of iron ore shifted, causing the vessel to nearly capsize. She was now two feet lower on one side. Despite the risks, Regan brought the Mataafa around and headed toward the New York. They also poured about 40 gallons of oil into Lake Huron to calm the water.
The captain and the 13-member crew of the New York were able to transfer into two small lifeboats and were then picked up by the Mataafa. No souls were lost.
Because the wreck sits so deep on the floor of Lake Huron, the dive down to her would be a technical one, with expert divers using mixed gas. Quite a bit of planning and safety considerations would have to be established.
"There is tremendous excitement and intensity for the first two divers down because they are the first ones to lay eyes on her, but they also have tasks to complete, securing the mooring line and shooting video. The second group gets to explore," Trotter said.
URA dived the site for three months, starting in July, and felt pretty confident they had found the New York, but they had no authentication, especially since the stern, where her identification would have been located, had been so severely damaged.
Then, in September, paydirt.
"(A diver) went portside, about 50 feet from the wreck and found what looked like a giant bowl," Trotter said. "It was very heavy … but he managed to turn it over and it turned out to be the capstan cover. It was made of brass and engraved in the capstan cover were the words, ‘New York.’ We had finally validated the ship’s identity on the very last dive of the year."
The ship sits upright with stern damage almost up to its engine compartment. Its two broken stacks lay nearby. As is common, its upper structure was blown off, thanks to trapped air pressure, during the sinking.
Trotter, 72, has been sidelined from diving for about two years to due to medical complications, but that hasn’t stopped his passion for searching the Great Lakes to track down its remaining lost ships. The former Ford Motor Credit executive has, by his estimate, explored and charted more than 2,200 square miles of Lake Huron. That represents about 20 percent of the U.S. side.
He has two more ships on his "bucket list," the Water Witch and R.G. Colburn, two ships that have eluded him for the last 15 years.
"The great thrill is to know what you have found and then view it for the first time and come up and share those tales. It’s quite a rush," Trotter said. "People often ask me ‘what’s the most exciting ship I’ve found, and I say ‘the next one.’ "
For more info, visit Trotter's website at www.shipwreck1.com

Canton shipwreck hunter announces discovery of 133-year-old wooden steamer in Lake Huron

Shipwreck hunter David Trotter and his expedition team, Undersea Research Associates, announced today the discovery of the 133-year-old New York, a 283-foot wooden steamer found this summer in Lake Huron after about two years of searching.
The ship was first located by sonar scanning in May and was found by divers in July in about 240 feet of water. It sits upright, but it has major stern damage after sinking from that direction. It is located about 20 miles southeast of Alpena, or about 75 degrees and 25 miles out from the small port of Harrisville.
At the time of the sinking, the New York was the largest wooden vessel plying the Great Lakes. Historically, she represents a transitional period in shipping in which steel-hulled boats were becoming the norm.

I interviewed Trotter this afternoon and will have video of that discussion later on this week along with a more extensive story. So stay tuned for that.


The 283-foot New York while she was still in service.

The New York was headed northbound in October 1910 from Detroit to Canada carrying a load of coal when it was caught in a violent gale. She lost power and fell into a trough (sideways) where the waves pummeled the ship.
The 430-foot steamer Mataafa, with the 376-foot Whaleback Alexander Holley in tow, spotted the New York and realized she was in serious danger. Captain Regan, of the Mataafa, began a turn into the raging seas when its load of iron ore shifted, causing the vessel to nearly capsize. She was now two feet lower on one side. Despite the risks, Regan brought the Mataafa around and headed toward the New York. They also poured about 40 gallons of oil into Lake Huron to calm the water.
The 14-member crew of the New York was able to transfer into two small lifeboats and was then picked up by the Mataafa. No souls were lost.
Trotter, a scuba diver since 1965, has been wreck hunting for 30 years. During that time, he has discovered 90-100 wrecks. He puts the discovery of the New York in his top five, primarily due to its historical signficance.

West Michigan Underwater Preserve becomes official

A number of Lake Michigan shipwrecks are now being officially protected and promoted as Michigan’s 13th underwater preserve.

The West Michigan Underwater Preserve recently became official with the filing of paperwork with the state.

The new preserve covers about 345 square miles and features 13 identified shipwrecks and three other diving structures. It encompasses West Michigan’s shoreline from a point between Grand Haven and Holland north to the northern boundary of Ludington State Park. This area contains 13 known shipwrecks, and almost certainly more waiting to be discovered, according to the West Michigan Underwater Preserve website.

West Michigan Underwater Preserve board co-chair John Hanson says the shipwreck represent "maritime history for the whole area."
While I've dived in Lake Michigan on the western side of the state (Traverse City), I've never put in that far south. After reading this story, it certainly seems like a place I would like to check out. In addition, it seems to have dive sites ranging from novice to advanced.
The benefits of establishing the preserve are basically threefold, all designed to protect the wrecks.
First, the wrecks are protected as "underwater museums," which means they cannot be destroyed and in theory, divers cannot remove artifacts from the wrecks.
Secondly, the wrecks will be marked with buoys so boats and divers can locate the wrecks more easily.
And lastly, the wrecks will be chartered on maps to protect them from boat traffic in the West Michigan area of the lake.
Here is some brief information about each of the wreck sites, as provided by the West Michigan Underwater Preserve website:
Brightie
Built in Cleveland in 1868, the Brightie foundered in Lake Michigan north of Whitehall on August 13, 1928. She is broken up timbers and lies in abou 70 feet of water.
The Clay Wall

The Comanche

The naturally occurring clay wall lies in 50 feet of water about 1/2 mile northwest of the Whitehall Channel.

The Comanche
Approximately five miles north of Pentwater, the Comanche is a 75 - 100 foot tugboat in 75 feet of water.

The Henry Cort
A 320-foot whaleback steamer, the Henry Cort was stranded along the Muskegon Breakwall of Lake Michigan on Nov. 30, 1934. The crew survived, but one rescuer was lost in the storm. She lies in 20-30 feet of water.

The Daisy Day
A shallow wreck, the Daisy Day is a 103-foot wooden steam-powered bulk freighter that sank in Lake Michigan in 1891. She is described as sitting in shallow water off Claybanks Twp Park in Oceana County.

The William B. Davock
About 1.9 miles off the Little Sable Light lies the William B. Davock, a 420-foot steel bulk freight steamer. She sank in more than 200 feet of water in the Armistice Day storm of 1940. She sits in 215-240 feet of water, beyond recreational dive limits.

Hamilton Reef
The Hamilton Reef (also known as "The Rock Pile") is an artificial reef of cement rubble in a snake formation that lies just south of the Muskegon Channel in Lake Michigan. It provides habitat for fish, making it an interesting dive. It sits in about 30 feet of water.

The Helen
The Helen, a 90-foot merchant schooner, sank in the gale of November 18, 1886. She lies in 10 feet of water about one mile north of the Muskegon Channel. She is an elusive wreck, appearing and disappearing in the shifting sands of Lake Michigan.

The Interlaken
The Interlaken went down in a storm in 1936. She is in Lake Michigan about 7 miles north of Whitehall in 15 feet of water.

Ironsides
In 120 feet of water four miles west of the Grand Haven Channel lies the Ironsides, a 218-foot wooden twin prop steamer. She foundered in heavy seas on September 15, 1873.

The Anna C. Minch

The Anna C. Minch
The Anna C. Minch went down in the Armistice Day storm on November 11, 1940. She is a 380-foot steel bulk freighter steamer, and was broken in two during the storm. She sits in 35-45 feet of water.

The Novadoc

The Novadoc shipwreck is 252-foot steel bulk freighter off Juniper Beach near Pentwater Built in 1928 at Wallsend, England, the Novadoc sank during the Armistice Day storm in 1940. She can be observed by either diving or snorkeling in 12-15 feet of water.

The Salvor

The State of Michigan

The Salvor is a 253-foot wooden pseduo-whaleback steamer that was converted to a steel bulk freight barge. She foundered in a storm in 1930 while being towed. She lies in 25-30 feet of water.

The State of Michigan
A 165-foot wooden passenger freight steamer, the State of Michigan was built in 1875 in Manitowac, WI. She sank in Lake Michigan about two miles north of Whtehall on October 18, 1901. The boiler and outer hull are intact. She sits in 60-75 feet of water.

The State of Michigan

For more information, go the the West Michigan Underwater Preserve site at http://www.wmup.org/home

Slideshow of underwater photos from scuba diving in Cozumel, Mexico (It's working)

It's working now!

I forgot to mention that some of my underwater photographs from my recent diving trip to Cozumel, Mexico are now online.
Unfortuntely, I cannot place a slideshow on my blog, but it is available for viewing on our Macomb Daily website by clicking on this link http://www.macombdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/tngallery?Site=MD&Date=20120720&Category=LIFE01&ArtNo=720009998&Ref=PH

I'm still fairly new to underwater photography, but I've got some decent shots, including several octopi from a night dive.