PHOTOS: Coast Guard Spots Century-Old Shipwrecks as Fading Ice Reveals Clear Water of Lake Michigan

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

April 29,2015; 9:32PM,EDT

As the ice forged by a brutal winter melted on Lake Michigan, various century-old shipwrecks became visible through the now clear waters.
On a routine patrol Friday, April 24, the Coast Guard spotted several ships strewn across the bottom of Lake Michigan near Sleeping Bear Point.
The fresh water of the lake helps keep the ships preserved compared to the corrosive salt water of oceans, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Dave Samuhel said.
The ships are visible every few years due to changes in water levels and clarity.
When Michigan's lumber industry was at its peak, the area became a hotbed for passing ships. Now, the passage is a key destination for shipwreck diving.
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An unknown shipwreck is visible as Lake Michigan returned to the usual clear waters. (Photo/U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City)
The 121-foot-long brig known as the James McBride sank during a storm in 1857. (Photo/U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City)
Known as the Rising Sun, this ship sank in 1917 during an October snowstorm. (Photo/U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City)
An unknown ship is visible in the clear blue water of Lake Michigan after the ice cover melted. (Photo/U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City)