This weekend I spent some time in Alpena, Michigan. Not far away, but like many other people, I just don’t spend much time in places not far off. I don’t know if I just assume there is nothing there, or if I just don’t take the time to seek them out, but whatever the reason, it’s going to change. As an one time natural history interpreter, I love and adore all that is outdoors. Places like the Jordan River Valley, Largo Springs, and the Ausable River are just a few of the many amazing natural features Michigan has to offer, but for now, I digress on those topics as my focus today is on Alpena.
Though I didn’t get a chance to go exploring due to time constraints and poor weather, I did look up the natural features and activities popular in Alpena and thanks to a little help from my friends, am now officially sucked in to this beautiful little town. As a destination junkie, I love finding the best places to enjoy specific activities and diving and shipwrecks are incredibly mysterious and attractive to me. All this time I have spent learning about the Caribbean and Pacific and the shipwrecks there, when right here in Michigan, we have a wonderful place to explore our own mysterious and amazing shipwrecks.
Located on Thunder Bay, Lake Huron, Alpena is home to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center.The Marine Sanctuary is the location of almost 200 shipwrecks which due to the cold water, are remarkably preserved. Ranging in depths from a few inches to 200 feet, divers and snorkelers from around the world come to explore this amazing site. A visit to the Maritime Heritage Center also holds a number of wonderful exhibits and a discovery center which allow visitors the opportunity to explore the history of many of the stories behind the wrecks in and around the area.
This is not the end of my journey to explore Alpena and it’s amazing history, but just the beginning. When next I talk about Alpena, I will be able to share my own experiences of this great Michigan town. What I did learn on my first trip to Alpena is that it is beautiful, has wonderful people, and a great heritage worth exploring. The houses are beautiful, the John A Lau Saloon is very nice and has an amazing history, and I will be returning. Lesson learned. Never discount the amazing sites and towns in your own state, get out and explore the sites and destinations near to you and learn why people travel to your state.
If you are interested in learning about Alpena, I am attaching a link to their website. (click here to visit Alpena’s website.)
This is a video I found of a dive in the Marine Sanctuary in Alpena.