a single factor lies at the heart of the state's extraordinary
shipwreck diving: unparalleled preservation. The Great Lakes
' cold, fresh water continues to keep many historic shipwrecks
and related artifacts virtually frozen in time. There are
shipwreck sites for every level of scuba diver as well as
snorkelers and kayakers. Mother Nature will, of course, inevitably
claim Wisconsin 's historic shipwrecks, but considering the
exceptional preservation of many sites well over 125 years
old, the process is arguably slow. The larger threat, and
the only one completely within our control, is human impact.
Beyond state and federal laws
protecting shipwrecks from looting, there are several efforts
underway in Wisconsin to foster shipwreck preservation and
encourage responsible diving on these non-renewable cultural
resources.
The
Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) and the UW Sea Grant Institute
are dedicated to preserving historic shipwrecks and facilitating
responsible diver access to these unique, non-renewable cultural
resources. Divers who visit these historically significant
and often fragile sites must take care to ensure that future
generations of recreational divers, the general public, marine
enthusiasts, historians and archaeologists have an opportunity
to enjoy and learn from them. With our help, the cold, fresh
water of the Great Lakes will continue to preserve many of
Wisconsin 's historically significant shipwrecks for generations
to come.
The
WHS has installed permanent moorings
on 16 historic shipwrecks in Lakes Superior and Michigan .
The moorings facilitate recreational access to the site, provide
a safe point of descent for divers, and eliminate anchor damage
to the wreck from boats that anchor at the site. The WHS and
the UW Sea Grant Institute have also produced three sets of
dive guides to 18 popular
shipwrecks around the state. The sturdy, waterproof slates
include site maps and short histories of the vessels, allowing
divers to take self-guided tours of the wrecks.
|
|
