Michigan

Ottawa County

Divers will travel far and wide to find the best diving. But those who live in the United States have plenty of great diving on their doorstep as well, with plentiful access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. From warm-water reefs to temperate seas, here are some of the top places to scuba dive in the United States.

United States

Visibility on the Ironsides can vary from a few feet to 50 feet or better.  This wreck does get a fair amount of fishing line and lures, be sure to carry safety sheers or knife.

Site is located 4 miles offshore from Grand Haven Pier.  The nearest boat ramp is 15 minutes up river from the pier.

Grand Haven

Ironsides Wreck

This is a Dutch ship sunk in 1954.  It is intact and laying on her starboard side in 75 feet of water. Is is intact and divers swim through the cabins and cargo holds.

This is Milwaukee's best ship wreck just 3 miles east of the main harbour entrance.

Prins Willem V is also known as Willie.

Prins Willem V

Wood schooner lost in a storm on Sep. 7, 1860.



St. Mary is also known as St. Marys.

St. Mary

Straits of Mackinack

Three masted wooden schooner, sunk May 20 1883.



Wells Burt

Various Marine Life, Old Schooner at 40' depth, Grassy area offers great exploring and includes great marine life viewing along rock jetty. Specific Directions/Briefing can be obtained at Scuba North (231-947-2520)

Located at Elmwood Park in West Grand Traverse Bay, M22 north from M72 intersection. North of Old Coal Dock and South of Harbor West. Go west from Traverse City on M-22 (towards the Leelenau Penisula). Enter Elmwood Township park. Enter from the shore at the north end of the beach by the jetty. Swim along the jetty until the bottom drops off to 25'-30'. Swim south following the contour of the drop off (about 250'). You should run into the wreck.

Elmwood Wreck



Higgins lake, Michigan. ~190 miles North-North West of Ann Arbor. Dive site is located on the north west shore, at the boat launch.

Higgins lake

Lake Fenton is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in USA, Michigan which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Lake Fenton

The three brothers is a great wreck for beginners because it offers a range of depths to choose from. Due to the fact that the wreck had been covered by sand for most of the time after her sinking she remains intact. The wreck however is on the verge of exploding due to the large amounts of sand still inside her. Independent ship wreck preservationists have offered to remove the sand free of charge but the DNR refused. The wreck sits upright and is broken up in the shallows. When it was rediscovered in 1996 the name was still visible on the back. Today however zebra muscles have taken over. The wreck is completely covered in Zebra muscles so gloves are a must. The site is usually marked. To get to the island a boat is required or a ferry service can be used but once their this dive can easily be a shore dive. If you have questions ask the rangers. The ranger station can be located about a hundred yards west of the wreck. The island offers many other interesting activities as well. 

The three brothers had been covered for over 20 years Then, in the winter of 95'/96', Lake Michigan decided to uncover her. When David Nagel and David Wilkins of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore returned to opn the park on April 30th, 1996, they discovered the Three Brothers lying under water where Sandy Point had previously been. Today, she can be seen from the surface and is usually buoyed. Her LON/LAT is 45.00'62" / 86.05'49".

The wreck can be accessed from shore or by boat and can be snorkeled of dove on. 

Three Brothers

Finding the site can be a little tricky.  Use the map as a rough guide to find the spot on the lake.  Once there, traverse the bay in a zig-zag pattern until you see a white uderwater bouy (Tropicana OJ Jug that I put there in 2005).  Drop anchor to the North a safe distance away as to not interfere with the car bodies or any of the marine life that live there.

The site consists of two car bodies that were dragged out on the Ice and sunk with the spring thaw sometime in the 50s.  The car that the bouy is tied to is an upside-down 1951 Studabaker Land Cruiser. The other car (located 10 feet away to the SouthEast) is an upside-down 1940s Pickup.

Lots of marine life calls this site home.  Mostly Rockbass and Smallmouth Bass.

Since there is no public access close to the dive site, the best way to get there is to launch a boat in either Elk Rapids or Kewadin.

Car Bodies

Spring Mill Pond has a public beach with changing and bathrooms.  A good place for an afterwork dive or if you have limited time on the weekend.  There are also hiking and biking trails.

One training platform and few thing to find (toilet, paddle boat, etc).  Have seen several large trout and is know to have freshwater jelly fish.

~20 miles North of Ann Arbor

Ironsides Wreck

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Ironsides Wreck