The Marquette Underwater Preserve is made up of two separate units — the Marquette and the Huron Island Units — which collectively reach depths of 200 feet and cover many miles of Lake Superior Coastline. Five favorite dives in the area include the Southwest, Arctic, George Nestor, Florida, and DeSoto.   The Southwest The most popular dive—The Southwest—went down in 1898. Today, divers still find small artifacts and remains scattered 100 feet below the surface. The Arctic On the foggy, fateful day of May 20, 1860—the Arctic—a 237 foot long steamer sunk. Today, it rests on a steep incline with depths of 5 to 105 feet of water. The George Nestor On April 30, 1909, the 207 foot George Nestor got stuck out in a storm. The remains are located near the Huron Island's Lighthouse with water depths from 20 to 100 feet. The Florida Built in New York in 1886, the Florida crashed into a Marquette dock due to a blizzard on November 16, 1886. The remains, while well decayed, are now in shallow water covered with shifting sand. The DeSoto Launched in 1856 and deceased on December 4, 1869, the DeSoto's framing and planking can be found in 10 foot waters, making it a nice dive for new divers.   The Marquette Underwater Preserve: 
Wreck Name Depth GPS/LAT/LON
Arctic 5’ to 105’   46°57.74’N 087°59.85’W  
DeSoto 8’ to 10’   46°32.07’N 087°23.55’W  
F-106B Fighter Plane 20’ to 22’   46°31.71’N 087°23.75’W  
Florida 10’ to 15’   46°32.11’N 087°23.53’W  
“Gold Mine” Pinnacle 12’ to 150’   46°35.38’N 087°21.75’W  
“Iron Man” & J.H. Sheadle 15’   46°34.08’N 087°23.17’W  
Charles J. Kershaw 25’   46°30.56’N 087°21.81’W  
D. Leuty 40’   46°32.76’N 087°22.44’W  
George Nester 20’ to 100’   46°57.99’N 088°00.20’W  
Queen City 10’ to 13’   46°29.42’N 087°18.64’W  
George Sherman 10’ to 12’   46°29.89’N 087°09.63’W  
Southwest 100’   46°56.42’N 087°56.11’W  
Superior & Marion L. 20’   46°32.50’N 087°23.35’W  
  For more information visit: http://www.michiganpreserves.org/marquette.htm Not scuba certified? Check out Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours for cruise tours near Marquette, Mi.