Manitou Passage

The coordinates are presumed to be accurate but we place no guarantee.  Water depths may be off due to water level changes.  Always evaluate weather conditions and divers abilities before diving any wreck.  We are not recommending any of these dive destinations. We are only publishing information. Caution some wrecks may be out of the sport diving depth limit. Diving is a potentially dangerous activity. Neither MichiganShipwrecks.com or its contributors accept responsibility for diving related injuries incurred by those who view this site. The materials at this site are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for dive training.  Site conditions change rapidly therefore wreck descriptions should not be relied upon before or during a dive.

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Alva Bradley was a 192' three masted schooner barge.   The Alva Bradley was in tow by the Joseph S. Fay when it became separated and ran aground on North Manitou Shoal.  Today the wreck is broken up but many artifacts remain.  There are also additional artifacts buried in the sand.   The wreck is located off the south end of North Manitou Island on the shoal.

Congress was 265' long and was built in 1867.  It was rebuilt into a coarse freighter in 1903.  The ship caught fire at a dock and was set adrift to save the dock.  The wreck still has its anchors, boilers and machinery.  The wreck is located in South Manitou Harbor on the east side of South Manitou Island. 

Francisco Morazan was a steel freighter built in Norway in 1922.  It was 246' long.  The ship rests in about 20' of water and most of the superstructure is above the surface.  Sharp edges are prevalent.  The hull is partially intact and there is a lot of machinery to inspect.   The wreck is off the south end of South Manitou Island. 

H.D. Moore was built in 1874 in Saugatuck, MI.  It was a two-masted schooner.  The wreck lies in 25' of water N of Gull Pt. at South Manitou Island.  The wreck may be completely covered by sand at times. 

J.B. Newland was a three-masted schooner.   The Newland became stranded on North Manitou Shoal during fog.  The wreck is broken up but the deck and hull are interesting to dive on.  Boat should be very cautious of all the boulders in this area.  The wreck only lies in 4'-10' of water.   It is located off the southern end of N. Manitou Island on  North Manitou Shoal.

J.S. Crouse was a 90' steam freighter.  It was built in Saugatuck, MI in 1898.  The ship caught fire after leaving the Glen Haven Dock and sunk.   There may be wreckage from other ships scattered with the wreckage of this ship.  It now lies off 209 in Leelanau County off the Glen Haven Dock.

James McBride was a brig that was built in 1848 in New York.  The ship was 121' long.  The ship had sunk two years prior but was raised and rebuilt.   In 1857 it was run aground by a powerful storm and now lies in about 15' of water.  Sand can cover this wreck up completely at times.  The wreck lies off Sleeping Bear Point.

Montauk was a schooner built in 1863 in New York.  The ship ran aground and was beaten and broken by heavy seas.  The wreck is located N of Vessel Pt on the NE end of North Manitou Island. 

P.J. Ralph was a wooden steamer of 211'.  It was built in Marine City, MI in 1889.  The U.S. Coast Guard dynamited the wreck after it's sinking so it would not be a hazard to navigation.  The wreck is scattered but the engine and boiler are still there.  The wreck is located at the southern end of South Manitou Island. 

Rising Sun was a wooden steamer of 133' in length.  It was built in 1884 in Detroit, MI.  The ship is broken up but the engine remains on its side on the bottom.  The ship now lies in 10-20 ft of water North off Pyramid Point.

Supply was a wooden schooner.  The Supply was carrying a load of bricks when it sunk.  There are a lot of the bricks still left in the wreckage.  The wreck is located E of Vessel Point on the east side of North Manitou Island. 

Three Brothers was a 162' Brig.  The ship ran aground trying to take cover from a storm.  The cargo of lumber was salvaged by island residents.  The bow of the ship is in five feet of water while the stern is in 45 feet of water.  Artifacts can be found in the sand around the wreck.  The wreck is located directly off Sandy Pt. on South Manitou Island a few yards from shore.

Walter Frost was a wooden steamer built in Detroit in 1883.  She was 235' long.  The ship was crushed when the Franscisco Morazan ran aground in 1960.  The ship is scattered but some of the hull is intact.  Most of the machinery is gone.  The wreck lies at the south end of South Manitou Island about 200 yards south of the Francisco Morazan.  Boat traffic is heavy in this area due to the wrecks being so close together. 

William T. Graves was a steamer and it was the first bulk freighter on the Great Lakes.  The site does have a buoy but the buoy could be blown off so do not count on it.  The wreck is on North Manitou Shoal on the south end of North Manitou Island about 1/2 mile from shore.    

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