Moby's Dive ShopMoby's Dive Shop · Weekend Wreck Briefings
Class 1 · Straits of Mackinac (Dives 1 & 2)Class 2 · The Buccaneer (Dive 1)Class 2 · Inland Steel Barge (Dive 2)

Moby's Dive Shop · Wreck Dive BriefingCarferry Straits of Mackinac

Lake Michigan — off Chicago, NE of Navy Pier
Charter access from Hammond Marina, IN  ·  Scuttled April 10, 2003
Presented by Moby's Dive Shop · mobysdive.com
204 ft
Length overall
45 ft
Top of mast
50 ft
Main deck
73–82 ft
Sand bottom

The Vessel

Straits of Mackinac in service as a Mackinac Island ferry
In later service as a Mackinac Island passenger ferry for Straits Transit, Inc.
Straits of Mackinac stripped for scuttling and sinking sequence, 2003
Stripped for scuttling, and the April 10, 2003 sinking sequence. Photo © 2003 J. Joseph Schambers.
SURFACE — 0 ft 102030405060708090 DEPTH (FT) SAND BOTTOM 73–82 ft Descend / ascend on the line 45 ft Top of mast — 45 ft 50 ft Main deck — 50 ft Upright & intact — penetration for trained wreck divers only 204 ft LOA

History in 60 Seconds

Built in 1928, the Straits of Mackinac was a steel, coal-fired car ferry of the Michigan State Ferry fleet, carrying automobiles and passengers between Michigan's two peninsulas until the Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957. She then ran for decades as a Mackinac Island passenger ferry for Straits Transit, Inc. Sold at auction for $1 and saved from the scrapyard, she was stripped and intentionally scuttled on April 10, 2003 as an artificial reef and dive site — the first substantial wreck placed in Chicago-area waters since 1929. She sits upright, intact, and diveable bow to stern.

SSI Wreck Diving — Skills This ClassOpen Water Training Dives 1 & 2 — Both On This Wreck

Both open water training dives for this class are conducted on the Straits of Mackinac: Dive 1 is a general orientation of the wreck site, and Dive 2 uses pre-existing guidelines and safety lines to explore a portion of the wreck. Skill demonstration and evaluation may occur during either dive, and the sequence may be adjusted at the instructor's discretion as long as minimum training requirements are met.

Dive 1 — Wreck Orientation

  • Dive planning (buddy team) — build a wreck dive plan covering the dive goal, minimum air limits, max depth and bottom time, conditions and visibility, the nature of the wreck, equipment and emergency procedures, communication, descent/ascent and entry/exit procedures, and lost-buddy / out-of-air procedures.
  • Pre-dive check — complete buddy check of the Total Diving System: valve fully open, breathe both regulators while watching the SPG, inflator and dump valves working, weight system secure with releases reviewed, buckles and clips adjusted, final head-to-toe.
  • Controlled descent on a wreck — identify the wreck's orientation, descend with your buddy at a controlled rate, equalize early, and arrive neutrally buoyant at depth without contacting the wreck.
  • Wreck orientation — as a team, orient to the layout, points of interest, potential hazards, and the ascent point. Note: large iron wrecks can make compasses unreliable.
  • Navigating a wreck — use natural and compass navigation; start into any current; watch gas and distance from the ascent point; turn the dive at your limits and arrive back with reserve for a controlled ascent and safety stop.
  • Controlled ascent with a buddy — signal and confirm, ascend no faster than 30 ft/min while monitoring your computer, safety stop, and establish positive buoyancy at the surface.

Dive 2 — Exploration With Safety Lines

  • Using safety lines — know the purpose of and work with each line type: descent/ascent line, current line, surface current line, and cross-wreck line.
  • Tether line reel exploration — after the demo, in buddy teams: navigate from the descent line to the wreck, keep buddy contact, communicate with line signals, and return along the line to the ascent point.
  • Optional — underwater DSMB deployment — deploy from the safety stop or shallower than 45 ft, controlling the reel and avoiding entanglement; never let the bag pull you up.
  • Debrief & records — post-dive debrief, then complete, date, and sign the Training Record and DiveLog with your instructor.

Dive Plan

  • Descend / ascend on the mooring or anchor line. Orient to the line's tie-in point before leaving it.
  • Max depth 82 ffw at the sand; most of the tour runs at 50–60 ft on and around the main deck.
  • Plan gas and NDL for a square profile to the sand; safety stop at 15 ft on the line.
  • Site is rated for intermediate divers; wreck & penetration training required for any overhead work.

Hazards

  • Overhead environment — the wreck is intact; no penetration without proper training, lights, and reels.
  • Monofilament & entanglement — the wreck is an active salmon-fishing spot; carry two cutting devices.
  • Silt inside the hull — stay off the bottom, use good trim and finning technique.
  • Cold below the thermocline — Lake Michigan can drop into the 40s °F at depth even in summer; dress accordingly.
  • Boat traffic — surface on the line or with an SMB.

Logistics & Conditions

  • Charters run from Hammond Marina (Hammond, IN), a short ride to the site.
  • Visibility is variable — plan for anywhere from 5 to 30+ ft depending on weather and season.
  • Fresh water: adjust weighting vs. salt; ffw depths on gauges.
  • Buddy checks and lost-line / lost-buddy protocol briefed before splash.

Moby's Dive Shop · Wreck Dive BriefingPatrol Boat Buccaneer

Lake Michigan — ~10 miles off Chicago
Charter access from Hammond Marina, IN  ·  Scuttled June 18, 2010
Presented by Moby's Dive Shop · mobysdive.com
100 ft
Length overall
23 ft
Beam
72 ft
Sand bottom
2010
Scuttled June 18

The Vessel

The Buccaneer afloat before scuttling
The Buccaneer afloat before her 2010 scuttling — wheelhouse, long cabin, and pirate-era paint still aboard. Photo via Double Action Dive Charters.
SURFACE — 0 ft 1020304050607080 DEPTH (FT) SAND BOTTOM 72 ft Descend / ascend on the line Wheelhouse top ≈ 50 ft* 50 ft 60 ft Main deck ≈ 60 ft* Upright on sand — wheelhouse & cabins intact 100 ft LOA * approximate — only the 72 ft bottom depth is published; verify on site

History in 60 Seconds

Launched in the early 1900s, the 100-foot Buccaneer served from 1925–1936 as a fast patrol boat — one of only 13 vessels fitted with a 3-inch/23-caliber deck gun — chasing rum runners on the lakes during Prohibition. After her government service she lived a second life as a pirate-themed party and charter boat. She was intentionally scuttled on June 18, 2010, about 10 miles off Chicago as an artificial reef and dive site, and sits upright on the sand in 72 ft with her wheelhouse and cabins to explore.

SSI Wreck Diving — Skills This DiveOpen Water Training Dive 1 · Wreck Orientation

First dive of this wreck class — objective: a general orientation of the wreck site. Skill demonstration and evaluation may occur during either training dive, and the sequence may be adjusted at the instructor’s discretion as long as minimum training requirements are met.
  • Dive planning (buddy team) — build a wreck dive plan covering the dive goal, minimum air limits, max depth and bottom time, conditions and visibility, the nature of the wreck, equipment and emergency procedures, communication, descent/ascent and entry/exit procedures, and lost-buddy / out-of-air procedures.
  • Pre-dive check — complete buddy check of the Total Diving System: valve fully open, breathe both regulators while watching the SPG, inflator and dump valves working, weight system secure with releases reviewed, buckles and clips adjusted, final head-to-toe.
  • Controlled descent on a wreck — identify the wreck’s orientation, descend with your buddy at a controlled rate, equalize early, and arrive neutrally buoyant at depth without contacting the wreck.
  • Wreck orientation — as a team, orient to the layout, points of interest, potential hazards, and the ascent point. Note: large iron wrecks can make compasses unreliable.
  • Navigating a wreck — use natural and compass navigation; start into any current; watch gas and distance from the ascent point; turn the dive at your limits and arrive back with reserve for a controlled ascent and safety stop.
  • Controlled ascent with a buddy — signal and confirm, ascend no faster than 30 ft/min while monitoring your computer, safety stop, and establish positive buoyancy at the surface.

Dive Plan

  • Descend / ascend on the mooring or anchor line. Orient to the tie-in before leaving it.
  • Max depth 72 ffw at the sand; work the deck and superstructure shallower.
  • At 100 ft long she tours quickly — plan a full perimeter at the sand, then rise to deck level for the second lap.
  • Rated an ideal intermediate wreck; overhead training required for any interior work.

Hazards

  • Overhead environment — cabins and wheelhouse are enclosed; no penetration without training, lights, and reels.
  • Monofilament & entanglement — carry two cutting devices.
  • Silt in interior spaces — good trim and finning technique.
  • Cold below the thermocline — 40s °F possible at depth even in summer.
  • Boat traffic — surface on the line or with an SMB.

Logistics & Conditions

  • Charters run from Hammond Marina (Hammond, IN) — roughly 10 miles to the site.
  • Visibility variable — plan for 5 to 30+ ft depending on weather and season.
  • Fresh water: adjust weighting vs. salt; ffw depths on gauges.
  • Buddy checks and lost-line / lost-buddy protocol briefed before splash.

Moby's Dive Shop · Wreck Dive BriefingInland Steel Barge

Lake Michigan — off the Inland Steel shoreline
Charter access from Hammond Marina, IN  ·  Identity & sinking date unknown
Presented by Moby's Dive Shop · mobysdive.com
40 ft
Sand bottom
≈25–30 ft
Deck (approx.)
Upright
And intact
?
Identity unknown

The Vessel

Inside the Inland Steel Barge — light shafts through deck openings
Inside the barge: daylight shafts through deck openings across the open internal framing — the swim-through terrain trained divers can tour. Photo via Double Action Dive Charters.
SURFACE — 0 ft 1020304050 DEPTH (FT) SAND 40 ft Descend / ascend on the line ≈28 ft Deck ≈ 25–30 ft* Open internal framing — swim-throughs for trained divers only Massive footprint — plan multiple dives to cover it * approximate — only the 40 ft bottom depth is published; verify on site

History in 60 Seconds

The Inland Steel Barge is a massive, unidentified barge resting upright and remarkably intact in 40 ft of water off the old Inland Steel mill shoreline near Indiana Harbor. How and when she sank is a genuine mystery — no confirmed identity or date exists. Her scale is the draw: an immense exterior that beginners can cruise easily, plus open internal framing with swim-throughs for properly trained divers. You can log multiple dives here and still not see all of it.

SSI Wreck Diving — Skills This DiveOpen Water Training Dive 2 · Exploration

Second dive of this wreck class — objective: experience using pre-existing guidelines and safety lines to explore a portion of the wreck site. Repeat the core habits from Dive 1 (buddy planning, pre-dive check, controlled descent and ascent); skill evaluation may occur on either dive, with sequence at the instructor’s discretion. At 40 ft the barge also suits the program’s optional skills perfectly.
  • Dive planning & pre-dive check — buddy team plan (goal, air limits, depth/time, wreck hazards, communication, lost-buddy and out-of-air procedures) and a full Total Diving System check before splash.
  • Using safety lines — know the purpose of and work with each line type: descent/ascent line, current line, surface current line, and cross-wreck line.
  • Tether line reel exploration — after the demo, in buddy teams: navigate from the descent line to the wreck, keep buddy contact, communicate with line signals, and return along the line to the ascent point.
  • Controlled ascent with a buddy — max 30 ft/min, safety stop, positive buoyancy at the surface.
  • Optional — underwater DSMB deployment — the 40 ft bottom is within the SSI guideline that deployment be shallower than 45 ft: unpack carefully, inflate, control the reel as the bag ascends, then tension the line — never let it drag you up.
  • Optional — swim through — the barge’s framing fits the standard: buddy teams, daylight zone, clearly visible entry and exit free of obstruction, direct instructor supervision — only if conditions and every diver’s comfort and buoyancy allow.
  • Debrief & records — post-dive debrief, then complete, date, and sign the Training Record and DiveLog with your instructor.

Dive Plan

  • Descend / ascend on the mooring or anchor line. Note the tie-in — the wreck is big enough to lose it.
  • Max depth 40 ffw — generous no-deco time; gas supply is the practical limit.
  • Navigate by the long hull sides: pick a side, run it out, come back the other — note your heading at the line.
  • Suitable for all certified divers outside; swim-throughs only with overhead training.

Hazards

  • Overhead environment — swim-throughs and interior framing require training, lights, and reels.
  • Sharp, rusted steel — gloves and careful hand placement; watch hoses near edges.
  • Silt inside the structure — one bad fin kick can brown out a swim-through.
  • Monofilament & entanglement — carry two cutting devices.
  • Boat traffic in the nearshore zone — surface on the line or with an SMB.

Logistics & Conditions

  • Dived from the SeaQuest II out of Hammond Marina — short nearshore run.
  • Shallow site — often diveable when deeper sites are weathered out; can carry surge in a blow.
  • Visibility variable nearshore — plan for 5 to 20+ ft.
  • Great second dive of the day after a deeper wreck; still worth a full day on its own.