Is Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point) good for beginner divers?

Yes, partly: 5 of the 11 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Bermuda (Murray Bay wreck), Robert L. Fryer (Welcome Islands) and Mary E. McLachlan. The others need more experience or a higher certification.

What is the water temperature in Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?

The water is usually between 1 °C and 13 °C over the year.

What marine life can you see in Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?

Divers regularly see freshwater fish.

Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)

Diving in United States

11 documented dive sites, 5 of them for Open Water divers.

Best months: Jul–Sep
Water: 1–13 °C
Levels: Open Water, Advanced, Experienced, Technical
Nearest airport: MQT

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

Best
Good
Possible
Closed
Not documented yet

Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point) in November

Possible

Air: 4 °C; 1 °C at night
Rain: 80 mm; one of the wettest months
Wind: 30 km/h; on average

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

Compare with another destination

Best in summer (NPS, Pictured Rocks); early September is described as the warmest time of year to dive Lake Superior. Off-season diving is possible, with ice diving each February in Munising.

Source: nps.gov

Dive sites in Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m5 sites

Wreck

down to 11 m

Bermuda (Murray Bay wreck)

An 1870 schooner whose top deck lies just 12 ft down, popular with sport divers for its depth and condition, with schools of rock bass.

Open Water

Wreck

down to 10 m

Robert L. Fryer (Welcome Islands)

A wooden steamer that breaks the surface and slopes to 10 m off the Welcome Islands, 10 km from Thunder Bay: a wreck novice divers can tour.

Open Water

Wreck

down to 12 m

Mary E. McLachlan

An upright 1921 schooner in 12 m of clear water in Mountain Bay, decks just 5 m down, open to divers of all skill levels.

Open Water

Wreck

down to 17 m

Myron

Open Water

Wreck

down to 11 m

Tioga

The boilers and engine of the Tioga, wrecked on Sawtooth Reef in a 1919 winter storm, lying in 28-35 ft of water.

Open Water

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m4 sites

Wreck

down to 32 m

Smith Moore

An 1889 steamer lying in 70-105 ft with its deck at 80 ft, where divers find machinery and game fish.

Advanced

Wreck

down to 24 m

America

A package freighter lost in 1928 whose midship and stern are intact, including the engine room, galley and numerous cabins.

Advanced

Wreck

down to 21 m

Steven M. Selvick

A tug sunk on purpose for sport diving in 1996, which Michigan Preserves calls a great dive for photography.

Advanced

Wreck

down to 21 m

Thomas Wilson

A whaleback freighter sunk in 1902 in 70 ft just outside the Duluth Ship Canal, with an interior that has survived largely intact.

Advanced

For experienced divers

usual dive down to 40 m1 site

Wreck

down to 34 m

Mesquite

A Coast Guard cutter sunk in about 110 ft, which EGLE calls the most popular dive destination in the Keweenaw preserve.

Experienced

Technical and specialty dives

1 site

Wreck

down to 53 m

Emperor

A 1910 steel freighter lost in 1947, with its bow in 25-60 ft and a stern at 100-170 ft for more experienced divers.

Technical

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

Reported here, season not documented yet:

Freshwater fish

What diving costs here

Dives, try dives and courses: the price ranges we found at local dive centres.

Marine park feeofficial amount · per person per day: €67 USD

The cheapest and the most expensive of the dive centres we checked, from the prices on their own websites in October 2026. Prices change: confirm with the centre before booking.

Converted to euros at the ECB reference rate of 30 October 2026; for currencies the ECB does not publish, the official rate of the country's central bank.

Sources (0)

Where is Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Lake Superior (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

Nearest airport: MQT

Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point): frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?: The best months to dive Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point) are Jul–Sep. Best in summer (NPS, Pictured Rocks); early September is described as the warmest time of year to dive Lake Superior. Off-season diving is possible, with ice diving each February in Munising.
Is Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point) good for beginner divers?: Yes, partly: 5 of the 11 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Bermuda (Murray Bay wreck), Robert L. Fryer (Welcome Islands) and Mary E. McLachlan. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?: The water is usually between 1 °C and 13 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?: Divers regularly see freshwater fish.
How do you dive Lake Superior shipwrecks (Munising & Whitefish Point)?: The nearest airport is MQT.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash

Photo credits

Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash