Port Sanilac, Michigan
Lake Huron Shipwreck Dives
Wrecks of the North Star, Regina,
Checotah and the Col. A. B. Williams
September 25th and 26th, 2004
Trip Report
What a fantastic Weekend! We left in the mid morning to start our trek up to Port Sanilac for a shipwreck diving adventure aboard the Sylvia Anne. We were looking forward to a fantastic day and the weather was very cooperative.
Not too hot, not too cold and perfect for diving. Since we started on our voyage in the afternoon, we were all well rested and ready for the fun and excitement that awaited us.
The first shipwreck that we chose to dive was the wreck of the North Star. This Steamer was built in 1908 and sank a few years later. She sits relatively upright in just under 100'
of water. The North Star was over 300 feet long when she sank.
We descended through the clear green water towards the shipwreck. The mooring line was tied into the third piston of the North Star's huge triple expansion steam engine. Rising over 30 feet from the bottom, the top of the engine was only about 70 feet from the surface. The shipwreck explorer could spend a good portion of the dive exploring just the engine and be satisfied with the dive. On the bottom, the visibility
was murky but previous explorers had run a guideline out to the rest of the stern which had decking and the rudder and some of the deck machinery still visible. Making our way around the stern we saw a huge rudder and propeller assembly. After returning to
the engine, we started towards the bow. This wreck is essentially twisted bunch of metal with two intact ends so navigation was difficult. We ran a guideline part of the way up through the twisted metal but decided that it would take more than one dive to explore the 300' length of this ship.
 After a surface interval that took us to the wreck of the Regina, we all suited up for our second dive of the weekend. The Regina is always a favorite dive site among the Divers Incorporated Explorers with lots to see. This time was no exception. Unlike the North Star, visibility on the Regina was fantastic. We were able to see many different aspects of the dive site, including the auxiliary steering
wheel which lies broken at the stern. We did a limited penetration into the engine room to check out the machinery and the electrical panel, then headed back out to explore an area we found access to in July when we last dived on the Regina.
Near the center of the ship there is a large break in the hull, giving us access to the cargo holds inside the ship. Running our guideline, we first explored the aft section of the hold. Lots of hoses and packaging was visible
along the bottom and there were a number of different artifacts to see. Being very careful not to stir up the silt we explored aft to the bulkhead where we found a few fish waiting in the darkness. When we turned around and headed out, the silt, rust and zebra mussels that had our bubbles dislodged from the ceiling had partially obscured the visibility, and we were glad that we had the guideline and the training to execute
this dive safely. We exited the wreck, checked our air supply and decided to explore the forward hold as well. At about 65' most people can spend a lot of time on the Regina before running low on air. But air is a big concern for dives with an overhead environment and the PADI Wreck Diver specialty teaches you how to manage your air supply.
In the forward hold, there were bolts of cloth on the floor of the wreck as well as rusted paint cans the still sat in their boxes. The ship was huge inside and there were a number of artifacts to look at. Once again we were careful not to touch the bottom and stayed in close proximity to the guideline just in case visibility got bad.
The next day we decided to explore the wreck of the the Checotah. Lying in about 105' of water this shipwreck is laid out pretty flat on the bottom with a massive main keel exposed. The Ship has some deck machinery and the visibility was very good and made navigating the wreck a little easier. The ship had one of the largest windlasses that we had ever seen and some of the deck machinery was still in place.
During the surface interval the great weather became even better. The waves settled and it became a very calm day. We headed towards the wreck of the Col. A. B. Williams to do the last dive of the weekend. Since the wreck no longer had a buoy on it, this was going to be truly an exploration. Using the bottom finder and GPS of the Sylvia Anne, Captain Gary was able to locate the
shipwreck. Gathering around the screen in the cabin of the vessel we all waited with excitement as the image of the wreck appeared. The crew of the Sylvia Anne Dropped a marker buoy on the wreck and when they were sure that they had come close, Divers Incorporated divers dropped over the side to set the mooring.
Descending down the marker line, the wreck appeared in the good visibility as they approached. The marker line had just missed the wreck and was lying just off the starboard bow. The underwater explorers carefully dragged the marker line back to the main hold where they were to secure it and were happy to find that the permanent mooring as still in place, just that the buoy had sunk. Using a lift bag, the
divers sent the permanent line up for the other divers
 to use, and started exploring this historic shipwreck.
Ask a non- diver to describe a shipwreck to you and you will get a pretty good description of the Col. Williams. This little 110' schooner sank in 1864 carrying a cargo of coal. It sits upright and intact on the bottom of Lake Huron at about 80' and looks like a Hollywood Movie set. There is a lot to see and the cargo holds are still filled to the top with coal. The bow sprit, deck machinery and anchor chains
are still prominent in the bow, and the stern is relatively intact with the decking removed and off to the side of the ship. This is a fantastic dive and although the visibility is not always clear, on this dive it was clear enough to easily find your way around and have a fantastic last dive of the charter boat season.
We can't wait until next year to return to the wrecks of the Sanilac Shores Preserve.
  
    
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