Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes and the only one placed entirely within the United States. It has the same surface elevation as Lake Huron and it is the second largest of Great Lakes. The Straits of Mackinac join Lake Michigan with Lake Huron, sometimes called the Michigan-Huron. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve holds numerous shipwrecks, one of them being the Maitland.
The Maitland was a 141 ft/ 42.97 m schooner, built in Goderich, Canada and launched in 1861. She was changed to American ownership in 1867 and collided with two ships, while carrying a load of corn, on June 11 , 1871. Although her crew spotted the schooner Golden Harvest, it was too late to avoid a glancing blow. Yet this was not her fatal stroke. Behind the first schooner was the Mears, that struck hard on her starboard bow and made her sink quickly. She now lies in Lake Michigan, in 85 ft/ 25.9 m depth of water.
The hull is upright and intact and the top deck is well preserved and easily visited. Many deck fittings, as well as her windlass can be seen. What seems to be her deck cabin roof rests upside down off the starboard stern, while the Samson post, cabin outline, rudder, bilges and mast holes are all there. It is considered to be an intermediate dive, while current is mild and visibility can be good to excellent. Caution is required, as divers can disturb silt.
