The Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve is a state preserve in and around the

Straits of Mackinac The Straits of Mackinac ( ; french: Détroit de Mackinac) are the short waterways between the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, traversed by the Mackinac Bridge. The main strait is wide with a maximum depth of , and connects ...

. The preserve is divided in two by the

Mackinac Bridge The Mackinac Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the worl ...

. The waters of the preserve include the waters offshore from

Mackinaw City Mackinaw City ( ) is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 846 at the 2010 census, the population increases during summertime, including an influx of tourists and seasonal workers who serve ...

and

St. Ignace St. Ignace is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Mackinac County. The city had a population of 2,452 at the 2010 census. St. Ignace Township is located just to the north of the city, but the two are administered auto ...

, as well as all or part of the shorelines of Bois Blanc Island,

Mackinac Island Mackinac Island ( ; french: Île Mackinac; oj, Mishimikinaak ᒥᔑᒥᑭᓈᒃ; otw, Michilimackinac) is an island and resort area, covering in land area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the island in Odawa is Michilimackinac an ...

, Round Island, and St. Helena Island. The preserve contains at least eleven identified

wrecks ''Wrecks'' is a one-man play by Neil LaBute, that was commissioned and produced by the Everyman Palace Theatre in Cork, Ireland. The play was a part of the city's Capital of Culture programme in 2005.LaBute, Neil''Wrecks'Wrecks: And Other Plays ...

. Frequent fog and congested shipping added to the count of shipwrecks in the Straits area. Half a dozen

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

s in and around the preserve testify to the dangers that existed prior to the invention of

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

in the 1940s. However, tragedies have continued. One modern wreck within the boundaries of the preserve is , a

lake freighter Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that operate on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. Since the late 19th century, lakers have carried bulk cargoes of m ...

transporting

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

that sank in 1965 after a collision. Divers also visit underwater formations of Mackinac

breccia Breccia () is a rock composed of large angular broken fragments of minerals or rocks cemented together by a fine-grained matrix. The word has its origins in the Italian language, in which it means "rubble". A breccia may have a variety of di ...

near Mackinac Island; one such formation, the "Rock Maze", is offshore from Arch Rock. Further east off Arch Rock, a drowned, -high waterfall formation, Mackinac Falls, was discovered in August 2007.

Known wrecks within the preserve

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Straits Of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve Protected areas of Cheboygan County, Michigan Protected areas of Emmet County, Michigan Protected areas of Mackinac County, Michigan Marine parks of Michigan Lake Huron Lake Michigan Shipwreck discoveries by John Steele

Known wrecks within the preserve

See also

References