Back In Time…

After several years of planning and training, the time finally arrived to drive 2,600 miles from California to a remote northern part of Michigan to dive on a number of shipwrecks dating back to the late 1800s. We were part of a group of twelve technical rebreather divers on a trip coordinated by Becky & Dave Schott who have extensive experience diving and documenting what lies deep in the cold clear waters of Lake Huron. Our dives were anywhere from 160 feet to over 200 feet deep for 20 minutes which required a total dive time of over an hour in 38-degree water after we spent our time doing required decompression. Two dives a day for 5 days was our goal, visiting historic steamships and sailing vessels lost over 120 years earlier after collisions with other vessels or succumbing to sudden violent storms that plague the Great Lakes year-round. Despite a number of setbacks, I was able to capture some of these incredible ships that to this day remain largely intact!

Emmy Award Winning Underwater Director of Photography, Photographer & Tech Instructor Becky Kagen Schott
Our Trip Leader
Becky Kagen Schott with one of her photographs reprinted XXXXXX-Large
for an outdoor display at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Visitors Center, Apena MI
Divers desending 200 feet to visit the shipwreck Norman in Lake Huron, MI
Divers exploring the remains of the shipwreck Florida’s steam engine.
Divers Jim Eckhoff & Keith Flood coming up after dive with a commercial freighter crusing by in the background.
Photo courtousy by Capt. Jitka Hanakova of the Molly V.
Divers explore the shipwreck Norman
Divers explore the steam engine of the shipwreck Florida
Tanks of oxygen, air and helium used to re-fill divers tanks.
Truck load of gear for cross country drive from California to Michigan