How deep is SS Pewabic Wreck?

SS Pewabic Wreck ranges from 47 to 51 metres deep (154–167 feet) — a deep dive at its limit. It is a freshwater site rated as expert difficulty. Depths vary across the site, so plan your profile to your training and verify conditions locally.

Is SS Pewabic Wreck a shore dive or a boat dive?

SS Pewabic Wreck is a boat dive — access is by boat rather than from shore. The entry area is recorded as moderately exposed to surge. No facilities are recorded at the site, and cell service is recorded as good. Entry details and parking notes, where known, are listed in the access section of this page.

Can beginners dive SS Pewabic Wreck?

SS Pewabic Wreck is rated as expert difficulty, which may not suit new divers. Listed depths run from 47 to 51 metres (154–167 feet). Access is by boat. Consider your experience level, conditions, and local guidance before planning.

When is the best time to dive SS Pewabic Wreck?

June-September; cold clear water gives the best visibility. None official; charter season roughly May-October. Conditions vary, so check the latest reports and forecasts on the dive site page before your trip.

What will I see at SS Pewabic Wreck?

Divers at SS Pewabic Wreck in United States commonly report sightings of Round goby, Burbot, and Quagga mussel. Round goby and Quagga mussel are recorded as common sightings, while Burbot is reported only occasionally. Marine life varies by season and conditions—check the site page for recent diver observations and photos.

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ExpertBoat entry

SS Pewabic Wreck

Michigan, United States

Depth (deck 155 ft, bottom ~165 ft)47–51 m depthBoat entry

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

SS Pewabic Wreck at a glance

SS Pewabic Wreck is an expert boat dive site in Michigan, United States with depths of 47–51 m (154–167 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Round goby, Burbot, and Quagga mussel. Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Wind model · graded 4h ago

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Tap a factor for its source and model point

Site hazards: Depth (deck 155 ft, bottom ~165 ft) · Very cold, dark water below the thermocline · Mass-casualty site (75-100 victims)

All 4 hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Mon

Fri15:00–20:00

Sat18:00–19:00

Sun8:00–13:00

Mon8:00–20:00

Tue17:00–20:00

Wed11:00–19:00

Thu—

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 6:37 · Sunrise 7:06 · Sunset 19:51

Source: Open-Meteo wind · graded 4h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Round goby, Quagga mussel

Best time: June-September; cold clear water gives the best visibility.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

Jan12% 21 kn
Feb11% 22 kn
Mar6% 21 kn
Apr14% 20 kn
May32% 15 kn
Jun31% 16 kn
Jul43% 14 kn
Aug29% 16 kn
Sep40% 15 kn
Oct11% 20 kn
Nov2% 23 kn
Dec9% 22 kn

July hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Data updated June 2026

Site details

The sidewheel steamer Pewabic sank within minutes on August 9, 1865 after turning into the path of her sister ship Meteor off Thunder Bay, killing between 75 and 100 people — one of the Great Lakes' worst disasters. Salvagers recovered most of her copper cargo by 1917, wrecking the cabins but leaving the 200-ft hull upright and largely intact with its deck at 155 ft and the bottom at about 165 ft. Today she is a classic entry-level technical dive in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, sobering both for her history and for the divers lost on her over the years.

boatwreck

Depth (deck 155 ft, bottom ~165 ft) — decompression dive; at least 10 divers have died on this wreck historically

Very cold, dark water below the thermocline

Salvage-damaged cabins leave jagged structure and entanglement points

Mass-casualty site (75-100 victims) — human remains have been encountered; treat with respect

Reviews

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