We set out to visit a couple wrecks near middle island in Thunder bay, the DM Wilson and the Nordmeer.

 

She was going to Milwaukee with a cargo of coal when she starting sinking due to a torn fissue in the haul.  She was towed toward shore but foundered in 40 ft. of water. 

 

 A lot of the wreck was salvaged and she was damaged more 10 years later from ice but her 1894 foundering has left her windlass and more of her remains pretty well in tact.

 when I got into the water, the temperature was around 55 degree and dropped to the mid 40s after passing the thermocline.  What was fascinating about this thermocline is that I dropped my camera diffuser and as it sank to the bottom I saw it suspended at around 30 ft which was right at the thermocline line.

 The water actually became dense enough to hold this diffuser suspended in water and was incredible to see that happen!

 I highly recommend these two dives for people that want to visit some recreational shipwrecks that are unique to the Great Lakes.

Around 7 miles off shore, the shipwreck of the Nordmeer lies scattered about on a shoal platform at a depth of around 40ft. She was a Salty transporting Rolled Steel and simply ran aground November 19th, 1966. 

 

 Some of her crew stayed on the wreck but eventually left when a storm came a tore teh haul apart scattering the wreck. 

 

Ice and water enhanced this wreck to twist the steel into a diver paradise of artifacts to view, shallow warmish waters to enjoy and lots of artifacts to observe at you swim through the torn wreckage.

Today some of the vessal can be seen from the surface and until recently, people could camp inside some of the wreckage and have until ice and water had their ultimate resolve aganist the salty.

 

The large steel engine remains along with a controversial barge that attempted to haul steel from the wreckage but ended up sinking next to the Nordmeer.