The Pere Marquette 18 is a railroad ferry that sank in 1910 with the loss of 28 lives. Last summer, I had the opportunity to work with archeologists and historians to record what would turn out to be the most comprehensive footage available of the shipwreck.
Shipwreck
A Hero on the SS Phoenix
“Fire! Fire!” David Blish awoke with a start. Fire was always dangerous in the 1800s, but out on Lake Michigan, in the dead of night and on a wooden steamship, it could be a death sentence. Footsteps pounded back and forth outside of his cabin door. Scrambling to get...
Preserving The Past: Diving The Westmoreland Shipwreck
With at least 6,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, divers have a lot of choices in the location and types of ships we explore. Each ship is unique, with its own story and place in history. But there are some that stand out and catch our attention more than others....
Diving Lake Michigan Shipwrecks
I spend a lot of time diving the Great Lakes, and Lake Michigan in particular. I know a lot of people who follow Blueyes Below are not divers themselves. Being able to share what I do with others who haven’t done it is one of the things I really enjoy. I’m often...
Diving Deep to the W.C. Kimball Shipwreck
By May of 1891 in Manistee, Michigan, the sigh of relief from the end of winter had given way to an uncertain spring. It had been drier than normal which resulted in a number of forest fires. The air was filled with smoke, and the Lumber Barons of Northern Michigan...
500 Feet Down on the Pere Marquette 18 Shipwreck
The Pere Marquette 18 shipwreck lies deep under the waters of Lake Michigan. At that depth, even the clear water of the lake blocks out the light. Even with coordinates, at 500 deep it can be a challenge to get an ROV down there and on target. This is a ship I have...
At least 1000 Shipwrecks in Lake Michigan
Since the 1600s, the Great Lakes have been a link between North America and Europe. The French, English and Spanish all claimed various parts of the lakes at one point or another. Exploration moved westward, and in its wake followed settlement that grew into commerce....