St. Andrew wreck, Lake Michigan

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Scuba Diving in St. Andrew wreck, Lake Michigan, Michigan USA

Skill Level:
Beginners to Advanced
Depth:
52ft /16m - 60ft /18m
Diving Season:
June to September
Current:
MIld
Visibility:
Good
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes, the only one placed entirely within the United States and the second largest Great Lake by volume. It has the same surface elevation as Lake Huron, making the two technically a single lake. The Straits of Mackinac connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Over the years, many ships have sunk in the Straits. One of the shipwrecks lying in the Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserves is St. Andrew.

The St. Andrew was a 135 ft/41.14 m schooner, built in 1857, that was lost, while carrying corn from Chicago to Buffalo on June 26, 1878. The St. Andrew sank at night after the collision with the schooner Peshtigo. Both ships sank together, but the Peshtigo has never been located. All of the St. Andrew crew were saved, but two members of the Peshtigo crew were lost during collision.

She lies in 65 ft/19.81 m depth of water, 11 mi /17.7 km east of the bridge in Lake Huron. The St. Andrew is upright, but rather broken up. The bow and deck are still intact, while the top deck shows some exceptional examples of the sailing hardware and construction of the time. Her centerboard is upright and her windlass is partially covered by the deck. The current is mild and the visibility is also good, making it a great dive for beginners.