• ABOUT THE SPOT

Snorkeling in Metropolis Shipwreck, Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan USA

Depth:
2.4m / 8ft
Season:
May to October
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.

The Metropolis was a 38 m/125 ft long, 2 mast, wooden schooner, built in Cleveland in 1857. On November 26, 1886, while carrying iron fittings and lumber, she fell prey of a snowstorm and went down south of Old Mission Point. The cargo of pig iron and lumber was salvaged.

Though attempts of her been driven ashore and protected from scuttling were made, she was finally abandoned to the weather and foundered. The Metropolis remains are divided into a shallow wreck field in only 2.4 m/8 ft depth of water and a deeper section of the vessel in 36.5 m/120 ft depth of water. Her keelson is in the shallower section and constitutes also a popular snorkeling destination.