Get Into Your Sanctuary
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Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Get Into Your Sanctuary, also, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. . , Get Into Your Sanctuary , 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 trafic 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 and grain to iron ore and copper., In 1866, the Lighthouse Board observed that while Sturgeon Point was "somewhat out of the track of the general commerce of the lake...vessels frequently, from various causes, get out of the direct course, and a light-house at this point would enable them to take a new departure and shorten the long stretch across the mouth of Saginaw Bay." The station was completed in 1869 and came into service in 1870., Automation, satellite navigation, radar and improved weather forecasting transformed maritime transportation. Stil, lighthouses remain sentinels of he Great Lakes, reminders of past bravery and dedication., Today, eight lighthouses stand guard within Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and visiting them is a great way to experience the Great Lakes and their rich history. To learn more, visit the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in downtown Alpena or explore thunderbay.noaa.gov. , Photo credit Sturgeon Point Lighthouse / Ted Fines , (Lighthouses top left to bottom right) , Spectacle Reef lighthouse / USCG . New Presque Isle Lighthouse . Middle Island Lighthouse . Sturgeon Point Lighthouse / Ted Fines . Old Presque Isle Lighthouse . Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse / Bob Wick . Alpena Light "Little Red" Lighthouse / Chuck Bennett, , The 4,300-square-mile Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects the Great Lakes and their rich history. Through research, education, and community involvement, the sanctuary endures that future generations can enjoy our irreplaceable underwater treasures., Managed jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State of Michigan, the sanctuary works with community partners to preserve our rich maritime heritage through education, research and community engagement. NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The sanctuary encourages paddlers, divers, and snorkelers to visit Thunder Bay's shipwrecks. Seasonal mooring buoys can be found on many popular shipwrecks. Moorings not only make shipwrecks easier to locate and safer to visit, they also help prevent anchor damage to these irreplaceable historical sites., The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail connects visitors with Lake Huron's fascinating maritime past. Whether, diving a shipwreck or climbing a lighthouse, you can find more storiess along the trail. This marker was funded by a federal Transportation Enhancement Grant and by the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments, Please join the sanctuary in preserving our maritime heritage for future generations. Removing artifacts or damaging shipwrecks is illegal. Please report looting to the DNR 1-800-292-7500., All artwork, historic and underwater images courtesy of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary unless otherwise noted. , Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary , Shipwreck Alley , For more than 12,000 years, people have traveled on the Great Lakes. From Native American dugout canoes to wooden sailing raft and steel freighters, thousands of ships have made milioins 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 scooners 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 Marine Sanctuary, visit the Great Lakes Marime Heritage Center located in downtown Alpena or explore thunderbay.noaagov. , The 4,300-square-mile Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects the Great Lakes and their rich history. Through research, education, and community involvement, the sanctuary endures that future generations can enjoy our irreplaceable underwater treasures., Managed jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State of Michigan, the sanctuary works with community partners to preserve our rich maritime heritage through education, research and community engagement. NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The sanctuary encourages paddlers, divers, and snorkelers to visit Thunder Bay's shipwrecks. Seasonal mooring buoys can be found on many popular shipwrecks. Moorings not only make shipwrecks easier to locate and safer to visit, they also help prevent anchor damage to these irreplaceable historical sites., The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail connects visitors with Lake Huron's fascinating maritime past. Whether, diving a shipwreck or climbing a lighthouse, you can find more storiess along the trail. This marker was funded by a federal Transportation Enhancement Grant and by the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments, Please join the sanctuary in preserving our maritime heritage for future generations. Removing artifacts or damaging shipwrecks is illegal. Please report looting to the DNR 1-800-292-7500., All artwork, historic and underwater images courtesy of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary unless otherwise noted. ,