Most Popular Wrecks in the Alger Underwater Preserve...

The Bermuda (Glass bottom boat tour highlight)

The Bermuda is a very popular for both beginners and advanced SCUBA divers. A merchant schooner of 394 tons, she was built launched from Oswego, NY, in 1860, and sunk with 3 lives lost of in October 1870. Although this wreck lies in only 30 feet of water, it is protected from ice and wave damage. The result is an intact 136 foot schooner sitting upright and waiting for visitors. The BERMUDA was 26 feet in beam and l l feet, 9 inches in depth.

The Herman Hettler (Glass bottom boat tour highlight)

The Herman Hettler, a 210′ wooden steamer wrecked on Nov. 23. 1926. It was launched in 1890 from West Bay City, MI as the steamer WALTER VAIL. The HETTLER was laden with a cargo of table salt when she encountered one of those famous November gales. She was headed for the shelter of Grand Island, Munising, Michigan, when she struck Trout Point reef and was torn apart over the next 3 days. All 27 of her crew escaped before the steamer broke up. This Shipwreck site is scattered over 1/2 mile and is classified as two different dive sites.

The Kiowa

The Kiowa, a steel bulk freight steamer of 2,309 tons and 251 feet was launched in 1920 at Wyandotte, Michigan. The KIOWA was blasted by a tremendous gale on November 30, 1929. The shifting of her unstable cargo of flax seed made her unmanageable, and she went on an Au Sable reef, several miles west of Grand Marais, Michigan. Five lives were lost, but the other 16 crewmen were saved in a courageous rescue effort. The wreck is located in 20-40 foot depths.

The ManHattan

The ManHattan, a wooden bulk freight steamer of 1,545 tons, 252 feet in length, launched in 

1887 at Wyandotte, Michigan, and sunk Oct. 26, 1903. She was caught in a gale and seeking shelter in Munising Bay for the night. In the morning the was heading out when one of the rudder chains broke. The ship took a slow turn to port and crashed into the rocks of Grand Island. A lantern tipped over catching fire and didn’t go out until it burned to the water. The crew made it to the East channel lighthouse safe and sound. The wreck sits in 20-40 feet of water.

The Steven M. Selvick

The Steven M. Selvick, a steel tug of 70 gross tons, 71 feet in length and 19 feet beam was cleaned and intentionally sunk off Trout Point on June 1, 1996 by the Alger Underwater Preserve and many volunteer efforts.  This wreck is a great fish habitat and a great example of Lake Superiors awesome power for it was originally sunk in 65 ft. of water and sat almost upright. Over the years the wave action has picked up this shipwreck and has dropped it on it’s side in 60 ft. of water. WOW!

The Smith Moore

The Smith Moore, a 260-foot three masted steamer which sank July 13, 1889. Bound from Marquette with her holds filled with iron ore, the freighter was running in a dense fog when she was rammed by the similarly sized steamer JAMES PICKANDS. The PICKANDS never stopped and, though she remained afloat for some time, the MOORE was fatally damaged. After the fog lifted, her distress signals brought the freighter M M DRAKE to her assistance. The MOORE’s crew was taken off and the steamer herself taken in tow, but she sank on her approach to Munising.