Explore above and beneath the waves in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. With 99 shipwreck sites identified and more to find, our sanctuary is a hot spot for research. The sanctuary protects the unique maritime heritage of the Great Lakes through research, education, community involvement, and also resource protection, such as sanctuary regulations and the seasonal mooring buoy program.

people swimming next to a boat tied to a buoy

Mooring Buoys

Mooring buoys make shipwrecks easier to locate and safer to visit. They also help prevent anchor damage.

diver examining the wreck of the van valkenburg

Regulations

One way the sanctuary's historic shipwrecks are protected is through state and federal laws.