Diving the Westmoreland Shipwreck

Wreck of the Westmoreland by Chris Roxburgh

The Glen Arbor Sun has a nice feature on the discovery of the Westmoreland shipwreck a decade ago:

…The 160-foot passenger steamer sank more than 150 years ago in the icy waters off what is known now as the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The ship, with 34 passengers and crew, was rumored to have been carrying whiskey and gold coins when she went down in December, 1854 — a tale that launched over a dozen expeditions in the ensuing years to find her and her treasures. Only 17 people were saved during the tragic event.

(area diver Ross) Richardson solved the mystery of the ship’s whereabouts using history books, old newspapers and what he calls “a little bit of hard work.” He found the wreck in July, 2010 — sitting upright, bow and arches intact — in an uncharted hole.

See many more awesome shots from Chris on his Facebook page!