The Michigan is a 91-metre (300 ft) steel barge, built in 1890 as a railroad car ferry, lying in less than 5 m (15 ft) of water off the northwest corner of Hope Island. Its giant gears and machinery sit in the shallows, and the wreck is loaded with curious, friendly bass. It is the shallowest of the area's three big wrecks.
Also known as The Michigan.
Where it is and how deep
44.9142° N, 80.1972° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The Michigan lies off the northwest corner of Hope Island in less than 5 m (15 ft) of water, and the maximum depth for the dive is 5 m (15 ft). With the whole wreck this shallow, the dive is a slow tour of a huge debris field rather than a descent. On the island side of the wreck a gigantic boulder rises high enough to stand on and look over the water.
The giant gears and machinery are the sights to look for, along with a crane, a boiler and a lot of twisted metal from the steamer that worked the Great Lakes for over 50 years. Bass are the other attraction: the wreck is loaded with curious, friendly fish.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Michigan
- Type
- Steel barge, built as a railroad car ferry
- Length
- 91 m (299 ft)
- Built
- 1890
- Cause
- Blown onto the rocks by November gales and declared a total loss
- Lies
- In less than 5 m (15 ft) off the northwest corner of Hope Island
The Michigan was built in 1890 as a railroad car ferry and worked on the Great Lakes as a steel steamer for over 50 years. It became a total loss when the gales of November blew the ship onto the rocks, and the 91-metre (300 ft) hull now lies in less than 5 m (15 ft) of water off the northwest corner of Hope Island.
Marine life and season
- Freshwater fish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Penetanguishene & Southern Georgian Bay: Dated charters run from July to October and the water is warmest in August; the bay is near freezing in late winter.
Dive videos
Scuba Diving the Shipwreck Michigan Penetanguishene Southern Georgian Bay · Dans Dive Shop on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Michigan wreck at Hope Island?+
The Michigan lies in less than 5 m (15 ft) of water off the northwest corner of Hope Island, and 5 m (15 ft) is the maximum depth for the dive.
What fish live on the Michigan wreck?+
The wreck is loaded with curious, friendly bass.
Sources
- Georgian Explorer | The Dive Academy — The Dive Academy
- Diving Penetanguishene, Ontario — Diver Trek
- Georgian Explorer 2021 - Oct — CanSAC
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