Diving The Rockaway – South Haven, Michigan
The marine forecast had been calling for lake conditions that would have been less than comfortable the whole weekend so an alternate site, Lake 16, was chosen for a Sunday afternoon dive. Checking conditions just before loading the gear though showed that Lake Michigan would cooperate with yet another nice dive this season.
Bob S., Kirk W., and Jim K. headed out of South Haven for a dive on the Rockaway that was lost in 1891.
Descending down on the wreck, the visibility was in the 15′-20′ range and the water temp was approx 60f. While she is mostly rubble now, the anchor chain, windlass, and keel box were easily found. Some pieces are just out of sight from the main portion so when visiting those areas, running a line would be a good idea. And with a maximum depth of 60′-65′, there is plenty of time to explore the remains.
On surfacing, the conditions were found to have changed a bit with the waves picking up a little and a light rain but it didn’t dampen the feeling that this was another really good dive.
If you haven’t visited the Rockaway lately because you thought there wasn’t much to see, do it again but slow down and appreciate it for what it is. You may even be able to visit for a bit with some of the locals that have taken up residence in the wreck.
