Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve
The Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve is a 148-square-mile (380 km2) state preserve in and around the Straits of Mackinac. The preserve is divided in two by the Mackinac Bridge. The waters of the preserve include the waters offshore from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, as well as all or part of the shorelines of Bois Blanc Island, Mackinac Island, Round Island, and St. Helena Island.
| Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of the waters protected within the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve. | |
  Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Location | Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Cheboygan County, Emmet County, Mackinac County, Michigan, USA |
| Nearest city | Mackinaw City, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 45°48′51″N 84°44′56″W |
| Area | 148 square miles (380 km2) |
| Governing body | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
The preserve contains at least eleven identified wrecks. Frequent fog and congested shipping added to the count of shipwrecks in the Straits area. Half a dozen lighthouses in and around the preserve testify to the dangers that existed prior to the invention of radar in the 1940s. However, tragedies have continued. One modern wreck within the boundaries of the preserve is Cedarville, a lake freighter transporting limestone that sank in 1965 after a collision.
Divers also visit underwater formations of Mackinac breccia near Mackinac Island; one such formation, the "Rock Maze", is offshore from Arch Rock. Further east off Arch Rock, a drowned, 100-foot (30 m)-high waterfall formation, Mackinac Falls, was discovered in August 2007.
Known wrecks within the preserve
| Wreck name | Depth | GPS/LAT/LON |
|---|---|---|
| Cayuga | 75 to 102 ft (23 to 31 m) | 45°43.239′N 085°11.401′W |
| Cedarville | 40 to 110 ft (12 to 34 m) | 45°47.235′N 084°40.248′W |
| Eber Ward | 111 to 145 ft (34 to 44 m) | 45°48.763′N 084°49.133′W |
| Fred McBrier | 96 to 104 ft (29 to 32 m) | 45°48.342′N 085°55.301′W |
| Maitland | 85 ft (26 m) | 45°48.249′N 085°52.555′W |
| Minneapolis | 124 ft (38 m) | 45°48.511′N 084°43.904′W |
| Newell Eddy | 165 ft (50 m) | 45°46.890′N 084°13.810′W |
| Northwest | 75 ft (23 m) | 45°47.450′N 084°51.465′W |
| Rock Maze | 0 to 35 ft (0 to 11 m) | 45°51.803′N 084°36.410′W |
| Sandusky | 70 to 85 ft (21 to 26 m) | 45°47.959′N 084°50.249′W |
| M. Stalker | 85 ft (26 m) | 45°47.620′N 084°41.062′W |
| St. Andrew | 62 ft (19 m) | 45°42.051′N 084°31.795′W |
| Uganda | 185 to 207 ft (56 to 63 m) | 45°50.553′N 085°02.998′W |
| William H. Barnum | 58 to 75 ft (18 to 23 m) | 45°44.708′N 084°37.866′W |
| William Young | 120 ft (37 m) | 45°48.777′N 084°41.923′W |
See also
- Michigan Underwater Preserves
- Old Mackinac Point Light
- Round Island Light (Michigan)
- St. Helena Island Light
