Local diver Chris Roxburgh posted some photos of “The Wall” this morning on Facebook, and gave me permission to post them here on the Gazette. You may have heard Chris talk at the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society or the Old Mission Women’s Club in recent years.
Chris has a wealth of knowledge about what lies below our Great Lakes – including the many shipwrecks – and shares stunning photos on his Facebook page (follow it here). We are very fortunate to have him documenting and sharing his dives with us.
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He also released a book last year, “Leelanau Underwater,” with beautiful photos of shipwrecks in Leelanau County and the Manitou Passage. Click here to get yourself a copy.
Carved by Glaciers
Most of my knowledge about what’s underneath the bays surrounding the Old Mission Peninsula is centered on Old Mission Harbor and the drop-off along the shore where I grew up just south of Haserot Beach.
Sometimes we’d take our little fishing boat out to the drop-off, and it was always thrilling (and a bit scary) to know that one side of the boat was fairly shallow, and the other side was so deep that the water was a murky dark blue, almost black. What could be down there?!
Located in East Bay just off-shore from “The Bluffs” on Bluff Road, Chris said “The Wall” starts at 150 feet deep and ends at a whopping 560 feet deep. Carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago, he notes, “It’s a very unique and technical dive.”
Here are Chris’ photos of “The Wall” in East Bay near “The Bluffs.” See the captions for specifics.
A NOTE FROM JANE: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers like the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, and magazines like Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So of course, I started my own newspaper. Because the Gazette is mainly reader-supported, I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks my way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the Old Mission Peninsula. Check out the donation page here. Thank you so much for your support. -jb
