Almost every spring it is possible to admire an incredible visual spectacle in Lake Michigan: by flying over its exceptionally clear waters after the long winter when it has been frozen, it is possible to observe some wrecks that would not have been visible. other. In the town of Traverse, Michigan, the Coast Guard managed to photograph at least five of the wrecks, submerged in almost Caribbean waters. The photos were posted on the city’s Coast Guard Facebook page, which received a lot of comments and sharing.
#1
James McBride: The 121 foot brig James McBride ran aground during a storm on October 19, 1857. Her remains lie in 5 to…
Posted by U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City on Sunday, 19 April 2015
The Traverse City Coast Guard could only identify 2 of the 5 wrecks scattered around Lake Michigan. One of them appears to be the James McBride, the brigantine that ran aground in a storm on October 19, 1857 while on a timber supply expedition.
#2
Rising Sun: This 133 foot long wooden steamer stranded just north of Pyramid Point on October 29, 1917. She went to…
Posted by U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City on Sunday, 19 April 2015
The other wreckage that was identified appears to be the Rising Sun, a steamship that drifted during a snowstorm on October 29, 1917. The ship was filled with farmers heading south to sell their crops and produce. ; it seems that most of them were able to reach the coast to ask for help from the inhabitants of the area.
#3
image credit: Facebook / U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City
Captain Charlie Wilson said it’s not uncommon to find wrecks in the lake’s waters during helicopter patrols, but it’s not at all common to see so many in a single day.
While the waters of Lake Michigan truly do look like heaven on earth and invite everyone to take a dip, it must be remembered that in April the temperatures are still very low and the water is freezing cold.