Whitefish Point Dive Shipwreck Indiana Great Lakes Michigan

The Indiana shipwreck, Lake Superior, Whitefish Point area. The Indiana was built in 1848 and and sunk on June 6, 1858 due to mechanical failure. This wooden schooner barge is 146 feet long and wide deck 23 feet. It was built with flared sides giving the ship a wide deck for loading cargo. This ship started out as transportation service in the lower lakes, but once the Soo Locks were opened, this ship transported iron ore on Lake Superior. The Indiana sits mostly intact in about 115 feet of water to the bottom of the wreck, top of wreck is about 100 feet.

Photos show a propeller shaft, a winch, stern, and depth markings.

Whitefish Point Dive Shipwreck Panther Great Lakes Michigan

The shipwreck Panther located in the Lake Superior Whitefish, Point area. A wooden steamer 247 feet long in a depth about 110 feet to the bottom of the wreck. Date lost, 1916, collision with another steamer brought this ship down.

In the first photo is my dive buddy shining a light on a mushroom anchor. I am using an "antique" camera, Nikonos V with two strobes. Everything is manual even the focusing, you can't just look through the viewfinder and see that you need to adjust the focus. You need to make an estimate of distance to subject and set that number on the camera. Adjust the strobe lighting, set the f-stop and shutter speed, snap your photo and advance your film. Pretty challenging, especially when wearing big thick gloves. Now, there are digital cameras, that makes things a little easier.

Second photo is the same mushroom anchor taken from above. Other photos show the deck part of the wreck which is mostly broken up, chains, wood planks, and a metal gear can be seen.