The rocky shoals and shallows, combined with the storms that enter the narrow Straits of Mackinac make the area dangerous to navigate. Over the years, a large number of ships have submerged in the Straits, many of them have yet to be discovered. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve lies at the northern tip of Lakes Michigan and Huron and tries to preserve Michigan’s shipwrecks for later generations. One of the shipwrecks that has been found is The Cayuga.
The Cayuga was a Steel Propeller Steamer built in 1889 at Cleveland, Ohio. Six years later (May 10, 1895), she was carrying grain and general merchandise when she encountered heavy fog. Unfortunately, the much smaller, wooden-made Joseph L. Hurd struck her on her starboard bow and led her to sinking 25 minutes later. From 1896 to 1899 , unsuccessful efforts were made to raise her, leaving large pontoons and other salvage equipment at the wreck site. You can still see a flat barge, which was lost in the salvage effort, sitting off her port bow.
Although she is gradually decaying and her bow is beginning to collapse, her stern is relatively intact and allows some penetration, while many details of her construction are present along with some hardware. The Cayuga lies southwest of Straits of Mackinac and because of the distance, you should make advanced arrangements, if you desire to dive this site.
Cromwell is a small town, situated in Otago region, in the South Island, New Zealand. It lies on the shores of Lake Dunstan and is located only at 34 mi/55 km from Wanaka and 38 mi/62 km from Queenstown.
Lake Baikal is a rift lake, situated in the south of the region of Siberia, between the Republic of Buryatiya to the southeast and the Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest.
Kurnell is a suburb in southern Sydney, at about 22 km/14 mi in the south of Sydney's CBD (Central Business District). Kurnell is on the southern headland of Botany Bay, just opposite the suburb of La Perouse. Kurnell boasts some of Sydney’s top dive sites.
Tampa is a big city located near Mexico Gulf, on the west coast of Florida. It is surrounded by two bodies of water that flow into the Gulf of Mexico, offering a subtropical climate, with hot humid days during summer and light freezes during winter.
Cronulla is a beach-side suburb in southern Sydney, at about 26 km/16 mi in the south of Sydney's CBD (Central Business District). Cronulla lies on a peninsula, between Botany Bay on the north and Port Hacking on the south. Cronulla is a popular tourist location and attracts many beach enthusiasts.
The Virgin Islands of the United States, or the U.S. Virgin Islands lie in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico. This group of islands consist of the main islands of Saint Thomas, which is home to the capital city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint John, Saint Croix, Water Island and other surrounding minor islands.The climate here is classified as tropical savanna climate, mostly affected by moderate trade winds.
Located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, St. Ignace is the connecting node between the Upper and Lower Peninsula at the northern end of the Mackinac Bridge. Saint Ignace is the second-oldest city founded by Europeans in Michigan and the third oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S. It is inhabited by Native Americans, Europeans and is rich in history. With its pristine beaches, water filled activities, entertainment, history and annual events, St. Ignace is a great vacation destination for all.
Traverse city or the “Cherry Capital of the World” is located at the south end of the Grand Traverse Bay, a 32 mi / 51 km long, 10 mi / 16 km wide and up to 620 ft / 190 m deep in spots bay of Lake Michigan. A four-season visitors’ destination that combines varied natural attractions for adventure and relaxation.
Saint Ignace, the second-oldest city founded by Europeans in Michigan and the third oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S. Inhabited by Native Americans, Europeans and rich in history, it is mostly known for its ferry service to Mackinac Island and as being home to Straits State Park. Furthermore, the Huron Boardwalk, a number of waterfront parks, the virgin beaches and the St. Ignace – Trout Lake Trail make St. Ignace a great vacation destination for all.
Joliet is a city situated in both Will and Kendall Counties of Illinois, USA. The city is at 40 mi/64 km in the southwest of Chicago and is the county seat of Will County.
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the third largest fresh water lake on Earth. Lake Huron is separated from Lake Michigan by the 5 mi / 8 km wide Straits of Mackinac. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve shelters many shipwrecks. Among them is the William H. Barnum.
Lake Michigan’s basin is conjoining with that of Lake Huron’s to the east and having the same surface elevation, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are technically a single lake. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve lies at the northern tip of Lakes Michigan and Huron and tries to preserve Michigan’s shipwrecks for later generations. One of the shipwrecks that has been found is that of Sandusky.
Chicago is the seat of Cook County, Illinois, USA. It is the third most populous city in the US and the most populous city in both the American Midwest and Illinois. Nicknamed as The Second City or Windy City, Chicago is situated on the southeastern shores of Lake Michigan, in the northeastern Illinois.
Grand Traverse Bay, a 51 km/ 32 mi long, 16 km/ 10 mi wide bay of Lake Michigan, is divided in two by the old Mission Peninsula. It is coextensive with the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve that contains numerous shipwrecks. One of the confirmed shipwrecks of the region is the Metropolis.
