Straits of Mackinac · United States · Wreck · Freshwater
St. Andrew
Shallow Lake Huron schooner wreck whose name is still unconfirmed
Area photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region · Public domain
This two-masted wooden schooner in Lake Huron was long believed to be the St. Andrew, and its true identity is still uncertain. It lies upright and fairly broken up at 16 to 18 m (52 to 60 ft) in 20 m (65 ft) of water, with the centerboard, windlass and major sections of hull still in place, and it suits beginning divers.
Where it is and how deep
45.7009° N, 84.5299° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The schooner lies at 16 to 18 m (52 to 60 ft), in about 20 m (65 ft) of water. It sits upright but is fairly broken up: the deck has fallen to one side and the hull sides are falling over, so the dive is a tour of separate sections rather than of an intact ship.
Among the wreckage the centerboard and the windlass remain, along with major sections of the hull. The mooring is just off the bow, and a small line guides divers to the wreck when visibility is poor. The site is rated beginner to intermediate and suits beginning divers, or days when west winds make the other dive sites hard to reach.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Unidentified schooner, long called the St. Andrew
- Type
- Two-masted wooden schooner
- Cause
- Listed by the preserve as cut by ice; the wreck's identity is unconfirmed
- Lies
- Upright and fairly broken up, in 18 to 20 m (60 to 65 ft)
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Straits of Mackinac: Charters run from mid-May and the season is June through September, with most preserve moorings in from late May to mid-September; early dives bring spawning whitefish and perch.
Dive videos
St. Andrew shipwreck Straits of Mackinac, MI · Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Rescues on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is the St. Andrew wreck really the St. Andrew?+
Probably not. Two deep wrecks below Beaver Island in Lake Michigan have been confirmed as the St. Andrew and the Peshtigo, sunk bow-to-bow. The old name is kept for this Lake Huron wreck, but no confident identification has been made; one candidate is the Gertrude.
How deep is the St. Andrew wreck?+
The schooner lies at 16 to 18 m (52 to 60 ft) in about 20 m (65 ft) of water in Lake Huron, upright and fairly broken up, and it is rated beginner to intermediate.
Sources
- St. Andrew — Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve
- Mackinac Straits 2 Tank Diving — Nautical North Family Adventures
- St. Ignace SCUBA — St. Ignace Scuba
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