Shipwreck Tour Highlights
Shipwrecks
There are dozens of wrecks in the Thunder Bay area. Lake Huron and Mother Nature collaborate on which shipwrecks they’re willing to share on any given day. Those that may be seen during the tour are highlighted below.
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Bay City Shipwreck
1857 – 1902
Wooden Two-Masted Schooner Barge
Length: 146
Beam: 29
Gross Tonnage: 306
Build Location: Saginaw, Michigan
Final Location: Thunder Bay – 11 feet
Read more…
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Steamer Monohansett Shipwreck
1872 – 1875
Wooden Bulk Freighter
Length: 167
Beam: 30
Gross Tonnage: 572
Build Location: Gibraltar, Michigan
Final Location: Thunder Bay – 17 feet
Read more…
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Haltiner Barge Shipwreck
Circa 1929
Wooden Derrick Barge
Length: 80 (wreckage)
Beam: 33 (wreckage)
Gross Tonnage: unknown
Build Location: unknown
Final Location: Thunder Bay– 13 feet
Read more…
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Shamrock Shipwreck
1875 – 1905
Wooden Steamer
Length: 145
Beam: 30
Gross Tonnage: 403
Build Location: St. Clair, Michigan
Final Location: Thunder Bay– 11 feet
Read more…
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Harvey Bissell Shipwreck
1866 – 1905
Wooden Two-Masted Schooner Barge
Length: 162
Beam: 33
Gross Tonnage: 496
Build Location: Toledo, Ohio
Final Location: Thunder Bay – 15 feet
Read more…
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William P. Rend Shipwreck
1888 – 1917
Wooden Bulk Freight Barge
Length: 287
Beam: 40
Gross Tonnage: 2073
Build Location: West Bay City, Michigan
Final Location: Thunder Bay – 17 feet
Read more…
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Attractions
Cement Plant
One of the most visible features on the Thunder Bay shoreline is the LaFarge Cement Plant. The plant marks the southern edge of century-old limestone quarries that stretch 30 miles north to Rogers City. Limestone has been mined here since the 1870s, and cement production began in 1903.
Inland Lakes Transportation Company operates five freighters to transport cement around the Great Lakes. Perhaps you will see one on your tour!
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Second Avenue Bridge
Every tour aboard the Lady Michigan experiences the impressive Second Avenue Bridge close-up! The bascule-style drawbridge opens its two concrete leaves to allow tour boats, research vessels, and tall ships to pass through safely. Each side weighs 270 tons!
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Freighters
The Shipwreck Century has come and gone, but it isn’t because ships aren’t on the lakes anymore. It’s because the safety and efficiency of commercial shipping and recreational boating have significantly improved.
During the Shipwreck Century there were thousands of sailing craft and hundreds of steamships operating on the Great Lakes. Today’s commercial fleet consists of over 50 American ships and over 70 Canadian, plus about 200 foreign-flagged freighters that visit the Lakes each year. The average freighter is a 730-footer, carrying 30,000 tons of cargo. U.S. vessels alone carry 115 million tons of cargoes in a year!
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Alpena Light
Every boat leaving the Thunder Bay River, including the Lady Michigan, passes by faithful “Little Red.” Since 1877, this light station has guided ships into Thunder Bay from the treacherous open waters of Lake Huron. Originally a wooden structure with a 6th order Fresnel lens, today’s light is housed in steel and fueled by electricity.
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Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse
Take our Saturday evening cruise to view the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse. Since 1832, Thunder Bay Island lighthouse has marked the jagged limestone reefs of Thunder Bay Island. Standing at a height of 64 feet, the light can be seen for 14 miles and is the second oldest light in the state of Michigan.
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Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center is Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s visitor center. Featuring exciting and immersive exhibits for all ages, the visitor center is free and open all year! Before and after your cruise, explore over 9,000 square feet of exhibits at the center, including a full-size replica of a wooden Great Lakes schooner and shipwreck, theater, NOAA’s Science on a Sphere, artifact conservation lab, and more!
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