Shipwreck Mooring Buoys
The GLSPS maintains mooring buoys for various shipwrecks along the North Shore of Lake Superior sometimes with the help of several local diving organizations, dive stores, and individuals.
Mooring buoys on shipwrecks serve several purposes:
- Improve diver access to the shipwrecks by making them easier to find.
- Improve the safety of the dives by insuring that divers have a descent and ascent line that won't disappear like an anchor line can if the anchor breaks loose.
- Eliminate potential anchor damage to the shipwreck which can happen over time as many groups of divers have to grapple the wreck with their anchors.
The GLSPS performs the process of receiving authorization from the US Coast Guard, Minnesota DNR and Port Authority. We obtain the funding for the buoys partially from membership dues, Grants, DNR and PADI Aware Foundation. Membership dues pay for most of the mooring attachment hardware, and installing the mooring buoys.
The GLSPS is always seeking out a partner (s) who have a regular presence on the shipwreck sites to do the annual installation and removal of the buoys and to monitor their condition over the season. Currently we do not have any sponsors for any of the buoys. We are seeking any group such as Scuba Clubs or Dive Shops to sponsor one or possibly more buoys. Please contact us if you or anyone you know that would like to sponsor our shipwreck mooring buoy program by going to the "Contacts" section of this website.
We have also assisted the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association in placing mooring blocks and buoys on the shipwrecks of the Pretoria and the Sevona located in the Apostle Islands. Currently there is no one installing and removing the Pretoria and Sevona shipwreck mooring buoys. Please contact us if you are interested in manning these moorings and we can make the necessary arrangements.
Please Note: Even though we remove the main mooring buoys, on some shipwrecks, there will still be subsurface buoys and lines attached for divers to use to descend and ascend from the shipwreck when dived from shore.
Wreck
______________ |
Buoy Status
_________________________________________ |
GPS Coordinates
_______________ |
| Hesper |
Install, June 11 - 12, 2022.
Removed for Winter October 08, 09, 2022 by Hanz Scuba Charters
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
47o 16.25' N
91o 16.30' W
|
Just For Fun
|
Not Planned to be Installed
If you would like the GLSPS to install a Buoy,
Please contact us.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
47o 15.56' N
91o 17.15' W
|
Madeira (Stern)
|
Install, June 11 - 12, 2022.
Removed for Winter October 08 - 09, 2022 by Hanz Scuba Charters
However, a winter subsurface marker buoy was installed
for use until spring
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
47o 12.360' N
91o 21.480' W
|
Madeira (Bow)
|
Install June 11 - 12, 2022.
Removing for Winter October 08 - 09, 2022
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
47o 12.360' N
91o 21.485' W
|
S.P. Ely
|
Installed June 11 - 12, 2022.
Removing for Winter September 17 - 18, 2022
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
47o 00.699' N
91o 40.684' W
|
Here is a link to the Photo Page of how the Shipwreck Access Buoys are configured:
Access Buoy Program
Here is a link to an article written by a fellow GLSPS Member about his experience riding along on the RV Preservation Research Vessel installing the shipwreck mooring buoys on the way to Silver Bay Marina where the vessel is docked for the summer.
Going Out with the Buoys Article by Dale Koziol