Thunder Bay National Maritime Sanctuary

Thunder Bay National Maritime Sanctuary. . , Shipwreck Alley. For more than 12,000 years, people have traveled on the Great Lakes. From Native American dugout canoes to wooden sailing craft and steel freighters, thousands of ships have made millions of voyages on the Inland Seas. The last 150 years have seen enormous growth in Great Lakes shipping, and today it remains critical to our national economy. , With extraordinary growth comes increased adversity. Fire, ice, collisions and storms have claimed hundreds of vessels, including pioneer steamboats, majestic wooden schooners and huge steel freighters. , Get Into Your Sanctuary. Today, the 4,300 square-mile Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects an incredible collection of 200 shipwrecks. Preserved in clear, fresh Lake Huron water, they offer world-class diving, snorkeling and paddling opportunities, and they are here for you. Get into your sanctuary by climbing the steps of a lighthouse; getting your feet wet on a snorkel expedition; taking a glass bottom boat or kayak tour; or plunging below the waves to explore a majestic schooner. , To learn more about Thunder Bay National Maritime Heritage Center located in downtown Alpena or explore thunderbay.noaa.gov. , Sanctuary Sentinels. As the nation’s population and economy rapidly expanded throughout the 19th century, so did the shipping traffic on the Great Lakes. Violent storms, thick fog, shifting sandbars, rocky reefs and heavy vessel traffic made this transportation corridor dangerous, and at times deadly. , The federal government responded by constructing a network of lighthouses across the Great Lakes to improve the safety of transporting people and commodities, from lumber to grain to iron ore and cooper. , The “Little Red” steel Alpena Light, also known by locals as “Sputnick,” was built at the mouth of the Thunder Bay River in 1914. Two wooden light towers preceded it. The first, built in 1877, was replaced in 1888 after a fire destroyed it and much of Alpena. Originally painted black, it received it first coat of red paint in 1950. Little Red is cared for by the Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy. , Automation, satellite navigation, radar and improved weather forecasting transformed maritime transportation. Still, lighthouses remain sentinels of the Great Lakes, reminders of past bravery and dedication. , Today, eight lighthouses stand guard within Thunder Bay National Maritime Sanctuary and visiting them is a great way to experience the Great Lakes and their rich history. To learn more, visit the Great Lakes Heritage Center in downtown Alpena or explore thunderbay.noaa.gov.