October 26, 2005
TC's divers ready to scuba, scuba doo
Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve is officially launched
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Get ready Traverse City, dive tourism is on the horizon if area scuba enthusiasts have their way.
Wednesday night, two dozen scuba divers plus other interested people gathered at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy to officially launch the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve. They discussed the possible scope, location and economic impact of the preserve, which is designed to include an intentionally sunken ship, as well as the steps and fundraising needed to complete the project.
Greg MacMaster, one of the preserve's founding organizers and a local meteorologist, has been unstoppable for the past six weeks researching, networking, lobbying, promoting and gathering support for the idea. He has met with state legislators, talked to diving experts, checked out other preserves and looked into laws and funding.
"It started with a shimmer of hope in my eye when I came back from diving in Lake Huron and came back to dive in the Grand Traverse Bay: not much there," recalled MacMaster, who has been diving for five years. "This is a tourism community and there's a whole lot to offer above ground but not a lot underwater."
The centerpiece of the proposed preserve in the West Arm of the bay will be a sunken ship, or an airplane, whichever they can get there first. In the long run, maybe both or more as the preserve takes shape at least two or three years out.
The possible ships considered for an intentional sinking are being vetted for historical value. Ones under consideration include the 384-foot Atkinson or the 404-foot Spartan, both former ferries that plied Lake Michigan. Another idea is a retired Coast Guard amphibian aircraft, a model that served on the Great Lakes.
The preserve will have many steps to complete and approvals to gather before anything is sunk, not counting the money needed to buy, strip and clean any vessel for underwater life.
The vision at the end of the years-long process is what fires up MacMaster's enthusiasm for the project and keeps him in action.
"It's beautiful down there, rolling hills of sand like the Mojave Desert - the perfect place to sink a ship," he said. "Until you've seen it underwater, until you've done some wreck diving, I can't explain it to you."
The Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve began in mid-September and, thanks to MacMaster's passion and media savvy, is quickly gathering steam. Other divers in the region instantly see the appeal and believe it will draw other divers as well.
"It's unfortunate that we live here and there's nothing really to see," said Kurt Wierman, a longtime diver who learned the sport on Torch Lake. "I just wish that there was more stuff to see."
MacMaster is calling on local divers or others familiar with the waters of the West Arm to tell the group of any wrecks already there. They know of some historical shipwrecks, such as the schooner AJ Rogers, a barge in front of Scuba North and a 55-foot tramp, but believe there are six to ten more in the preserve area. Organizers are also working with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians to draw up proposed boundaries of the preserve and also help with the historical aspect.
"We would like the Tribe to assist us here, the Native Americans were here long before steam ships or some of the wooden ships here now," said MacMaster.
Because the proposed underwater preserve would be in a community already bursting with above-water tourist attractions, organizers see a natural synergy between the preserve and the region.
"This is a unique situation that really doesn't exist in other preserves," said Jack Spencer, owner of Scuba North. "I think we're very conservative to think that this will double or triple the amount of divers who would come to this area."
For more information on the proposed Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve, see their website at www.gtbup.org.