• ABOUT THE SPOT

Scuba Diving in William H. Barnum wreck, Lake Huron, Michigan USA

Skill Level:
Intermediate to Advanced
Depth:
50ft /15m - 75ft /23m
Visibility:
Good
Diving Season:
June to September
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.

The William H. Barnum was a wooden steamer, built in Detroit, Michigan, in 1873. She was cut by ice, started taking on water and lost on April 3, 1894. She sunk in 75 ft/ 22.86 m depth of water, 5.5 mi/ 8.85 km east of the bridge in Lake Huron.

She now lies upright and mostly intact, except for the stern that has collapsed around a very large propeller. Most of the decks have fall in, but the bow is intact and the chain locker area is open enough to offer penetration opportunities. Her engine lies in 50 ft/ 15.24 m depth and her boiler and propeller can also be seen. Her rudder was removed and now displayed in a park in St. Ignace.  As the current is mild and the visibility good, it is considered an intermediate dive.