|Audubon| |Florida| |Norman| |Windiate|
A Rough Site Plan by Jack Papes.
A Rough Site Plan by Jack Papes.

Florida
LOCATION: Lake Huron. ~6 mi [10 km] off Presque Isle Harbor, MI, USA

DIVE CHARTER: Great Lakes Dive Charters.

LIES: Upright on hard bottom.

CONDITION: Stern Sheared of and Collapsed on the Bottom. Otherwise intact.

DEPTH: 180'-220' [54-67m]

TYPE: Wooded Steam Propeller

BUILT: at Buffalo, NY 1889

LOST: On May 21, 1897, Collided with the steamer GEORGE W. ROBY in a dense fog. Sank in 12 minutes. ROBY picked up her crew. Florida was one of the largest boats on the lakes at the time of the accident. 
 
CARGO: General Merchandise. 

DIMENSIONS: 271' [83m] x 40' [12m] x 15' [5m]

NOTES: 
This very large wooden steamer sits well off of the bottom. A view of the bowBow of the Florida. Photo by Jack Papes looking aft provides a good perspective of the magnitude of this spectacular dive site. The ships name appears clearly on the forward capstan. · Opportunity for exploration lies everywhere. Numerous artifacts are located in the large cargo holds, including numerous crates, barrels, and hand carts for moving said. · The stern structure forward of the collapse is intact. A fire ax remains cradled in its wall hangers here. · Swimming aft of the stern structure, the stern has sheared off cleanly and collapsedLooking Forward at Stern Cross Section. Photo by Jack Papes on the bottom a good 30' [9m] below the main deck. The Engine of the Florida. Photo by Jack Papesmassive engine lies amongst the tangled wreckage. · Making the turn here, looking forward, provides an awesome view of the cross section of the ship. One could dedicate an entire week diving this ship. Another gem. 


See Photos:
July 22, 2006

See Video:
July 22, 2006

|Audubon| |Florida| |Norman| |Windiate|

This page was last updated 12/12/2006 .
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