Just returning from a 2400 mile road trip to Rossport, Ontario. I haven’t written that many trip reports this year although I’ve certainly done a lot of dive trips. 🙂
Although I’ve done a lot of diving in the Great Lakes I really think Lake Superior is my favorite lake, in particular the Gunilda and the Judge Heart wrecks. I really love seeing shipwrecks without zebra and quagga mussels. I cannot get enough of these shipwrecks although it is really honestly hard to pick a favorite. The wrecks in Isle Royale National Park and Whitefish Point are also some of my favorites. There is just so much to see in Lake Superior.
We were extremely lucky to have five awesome weather days. One day was a little choppy which made getting back into the boat interesting but otherwise the rest of the conditions were excellent.
This was my third trip on the Gunilda and I now have a total of 12 dives on the wreck. Obviously people have been diving this wreck way longer than myself but I’m really happy to have the opportunity to dive up here. There is so much to see on this wreck that I don’t think I’ll ever get bored up there although ask me the same question again in another 12 dives. The reality is I don’t mind revisiting wrecks. I always tend to see different things.
That part of Lake Superior is also stunningly beautiful. It reminds me a lot of the coastline and Acadia national Park in Maine. Looking out you sometimes forget that you’re looking at a lake.
People think I’m crazy for driving 21 hours to go diving but the reality is there is no easy way to dive up there without bringing your own stuff or your own boat. The bustling metropolis of Rossport has a population of about ~60 people these days with the next town over only being slightly larger with a population of 1,000. The big city of Schreiber! 🙂 🙂
Rebreathers also make logistics much easier. I cannot imagine diving this in the early 90s back in the day with pumped up Double 130s and having to blend that much trimix. It’s really nice to show up with five or six sets of 3L bottles in a milkcrate and not have to run a compressor or boost gas for the week. Nobody really wants to blend gas after a long day of diving. Lately that has been my strategy for these types of week-long Great Lakes trips. I will bring 5 or 6 sets of 3Ls, 6 inflation bottles and not have to worry about blending or filling tanks for the week. More time to BBQ and drink beer.
We also ate very well on this trip. We wined and dined at the best and only restaurant that Rossport has to offer, the Serendipity. Their prime rib is great and that’s quickly become something of a tradition for me.
Another night we grilled up steak tips, Italian sausages and bacon-wrapped scallops on the Blackstone. After that we ventured into the big city of Schreiber, Ontario to head to Filene’s Restaurant owned by the Great Canadian singer-songwriter Cosimo Filane. Sadly Cosimo was not available for that night’s entertainment 🙂
We were also lucky to have an absolutely amazing thermocline down to 150 ft. For those that do not know, Lake Superior takes a very long time to warm up and it’s not uncommon to have very little to no thermocline in the lake depending on the time of year. We had 60 degrees up from 50 ft to the surface which was fantastic for deco. I recall diving Isle Royale in Lake Superior in early July and it was 38 to 39 degrees all the way up to 16 ft. That was absolutely brutal but this week in Rossport was downright tropical.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s photos. I didn’t take my camera this trip and enjoyed playing dive model. I did take my GoPro the last dive but it’s honestly nothing special compared to the pictures in video that other people have taken on this wreck
In the summer of 1911, Gunilda’s owner, William L. Harkness, his family and friends were on an extended tour of northern Lake Superior. They were headed to Rossport, Ontario and then planned to head into Lake Nipigon to do some fishing for speckled trout. As she was about 5 miles (8.0 km) away from Rossport, Gunilda ran hard aground onto McGarvey Shoal on the north side of Copper Island. On August 11, 1911, after she was pulled free, she suddenly rolled over to starboard, filled with water, and sank. Harkness and his family were picked up by James Whalen.
Her wreck was rediscovered in 1967 resting in 270 feet (82 m) of water, completely intact, with even the gilding on the hull surviving. In 1980, Jacques Cousteau and the Cousteau Society used the research vessel Calypso and the diving saucer SP-350 Denise to dive and film the wreck. The Cousteau Society called Gunilda the “best-preserved, most prestigious shipwreck in the world” and “the most beautiful shipwreck in the world”.
TL;DR – I love the Gunilda and I love Lake Superior diving however I do not like 21 hours of driving. I’m a bit envious of my friends who live much closer.
Very interesting report, Mike, I’m glad you enjoyed this trip and thank you very much for sharing. Especially I liked reading about the history of the racks, makes it “personal”. Canada is also my favorite country for underwater exploration. Cheers