Present Day Video

In July, 2005, John Haapaniemi and his family chartered a small plane to fly over the Lake Michigan Coastline from Manistee to Crystal Lake. While viewing the area between the Outlet and Old Baldy, they spotted something which looked like it could be the remains of a sunken ship. Using the video they shot for reference, they snorkled out to about 15 feet of water just past the second sandbar. There they discovered the rest of the Marinette. The images on this page are frames from their video, and the remaining text is from John. Scroll to the bottom to download video clips.

The date we 1st snorkeled out to the wreck was July 21, 2005. We went back a couple time over the next couple days with different snorkelers. The flight was just a sightseeing
flight out of the Manistee airport a couple days prior to that. There are signs right there advertising the flights. They also advertise is several local brochures. I think the pilot was 20 years old, flying a four seater Cesna.
 I had known about a wreck from the pieces on the beach, an old news clipping at the Watervale Inn, and stories from the locals years before. I didn't expect to see it on the
flight, I mean we just stumbled on it by accident. Seeing the wreck from the air was fascinating. At first I wasn't sure what I was seeing, then I started playing with the polarizing filter on the video camera and the shape became quite clear.


 We got pretty excited about finding it, spent quite a bit of time studying the video and photos to approximate the location on the beach. The day we went looking for it was overcast so the landmarks were not very distinct. Three of us snorkeled out to look for it. We split up. I went out way too far, 2 or 3 times the distance from the shore. My 16 year old nephew Eric found it first. He and a friend, Pete were over it for some time before they could get my attention to swim back.

 It was amazing to first see it, very still, quiet, eerie. The gray sky, flat light, and cold water added to the sense we were not supposed to be there.
It is very well preserved. At first we thought it was upside down with the keel upright, but I think it is flattened out on the bottom in an upright position.
The good sized fish found between the ribs is a Burbot.

 The bow and stern look about the same.
The long center timbers must just be part of the framework.
The metal pieces held up by snorkelers must have been tools or pieces from the ship.
The ribs run out at right angles and clearly bow upward with planking covering the outside of the ribs.
 
 

Download Video Clips
Please note that these are Windows Media File clips. If you're a Mac user, click here to download a free Quicktime plugin.
Clip 1 - First sighting of Marinette from chartered airplane
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Clip 6