• ABOUT THE SPOT

Scuba Diving in Martin Stalker wreck, Lake Huron, Michigan USA

Skill Level:
Intermediate to Advanced
Depth:
85ft /26m - 92ft /28m
Diving Season:
June to September
Current:
Mild
Accessibility:
Easy
Lake Huron is the third largest freshwater lake on Earth. Its lake shore is 3827 mi/ 6159 km long and the average depth is 195 ft/ 59.4 m. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan have the same surface elevation and are technically a single lake. The Straits of Mackinac connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Many ships have sunk in the Straits, due to storms over the past years, some of them yet to be found. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve tries to preserve Michigan’s shipwrecks. The preserve contains more than thirteen recognized shipwrecks. One of them is the Martin Stalker.

The Martin Stalker was a 135 ft/41.14 m schooner, built in 1863 and have passed the Great Lakes more than 20 years, before her collision on November 5, 1886. Due to a severe November gale, the Stalker anchored off west of Mackinaw City in an attempt to ride out the storms. About two in the morning, the barge Muskoka stuck her in the bow. Despite her crew’s efforts to run to shore, she finally went down.

The Martin Stalker lies in 100 ft/30.48 m depth of water, 2 mi/3.21 km east of Mackinac Bridge in Lake Huron. She is sitting upright on a sloping lake floor. Her deck is untouched and the stern and midships are also intact. Her bow is broken, while her windlass, winches and rigging remain. She lies in the Mackinaw City to the Mackinaw Island ferry lane. As ferries pass nearby, it is compulsory to raise a dive flag and have a check out onboard. Current is usually mild, but diving should be avoided on foggy days.