The sheltered port of Eagle Harbor has long been a haven for Lake Superior mariners and their ships seeking refuge from the tumultuous lake. Unfortunately, the treacherous harbor entrance and sharp reefs have caused some vessels to remain in the harbor longer than than their captains may have planned. Today, the bones of many old ships lie at the bottom of Eagle Harbor, preserved for future generations by the same icy water that sealed their fate. On August 19, 1999, the remains of one unfortunate vessel were relocated and laid to rest within the confines of the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve at the Harbor entrance.
Exhumed from the water in July, the wooden skeleton awaited transport on dry land for about one month prior to relocation. Approximately twenty local volunteer divers pitched in to carefully move the fragile bones of the ship from the east beach, with an equal number of observers enjoying the entertainment. 
The wreckage was carefully hauled back into the water and fitted with 55-gallon floatation barrels to prepare her for a slow boat-tow to her new grave. Upon successfully reaching the new location, six divers were in the water to assist with her sinking. It was at this point that the audience was treated to the most enjoyment, as the volunteer divers found out what happens to old wood when it is removed from the water and allowed to dry in the sun: it floats. Several air tanks were quickly emptied under the demand of heavy-breathing divers straining to sink the stubborn vessel. Suggestions from volunteers and onlookers ("Drill a hole in her!") were unsuccessful. The wooden frame was finally hauled to the bottom using ropes fastened to the already-submerged massive wreckage of the ship Traveler, whereupon rocks were piled on the new reef resident while the dry wood soaked.
The remains of this old vessel were familiar to most Harborites, as she was easily viewed in shallow water just off the east beach. An enduring mystery to scuba divers and marine historians, this wreck has gone unidentified for years. The fascinating wooden skeleton has long been a hazard to resident boaters and swimmers, with portions of the structure lurking just beneath the surface in some locations. Owing to the uncommonly low lake levels this past summer, it was decided to remove the wreck as a hazard to navigation, and relocate the remains to a more protected resting site.
The port of Eagle Harbor has developed an excellent reputation with the scuba diving public as a "Shipwreck Haven." There are currently at least two major diveable shipwrecks within the Harbor itself (reachable from shore), with six other vessels only a few minutes boat ride from the Eagle Harbor boat-launch ramp. Local dive shops and retailers estimate that on the order of one hundred scuba divers visit Eagle Harbor every summer to explore the diverse marine archaeology. In 1991, when local divers persuaded the State of Michigan to designate the waters surrounding the Keweenaw Peninsula as a protected Underwater Preserve, the waters within Eagle Harbor were included as a protected bottomland. In order to develop this tourist attraction and further bolster Eagle Harbor's excellent dive reputation, the Eagle Harbor Township, the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve, and the State of Michigan cooperated to relocate the exhumed wreckage from the east beach to a more diver-accessible site.
The participating parties decided to relocate the unidentified wreckage just west of the Eagle Harbor marina along the Harbor entrance. This location, with a depth of twenty feet, will protect the wooden structure from further winter ice damage. Additionally, this places the remains adjacent to those of the 199-ft. steamer Traveler, which burned and sank on August 17, 1865. The Traveler is currently one of the most frequently visited shipwrecks in the state of Michigan, thus ensuring that many divers will also get a chance to view the relocated wreckage, safe from boat hazards.
The excavated portion of this wreckage measured approximately 35 ft. long and roughly 8 ft. wide. This structure, which awaited relocation on dry land at the east beach for a few weeks, consisted of much of the original keel and some ribbing and spars from the ship's flank. 
Although some state historians tentatively dated the ship as constructed in the middle third of the nineteenth century, her true age is a mystery. It is likely that the intact vessel had an overall length of roughly 40-50 ft., with unknown beam. The presence of a very unique "stuffing box" near the vessel's stern indicates that she was likely a motor launch. There was evidence of burning on the upper ends of many of the timbers. Speculation as to the ship's fate range from an adventurous intentional beaching of the vessel prompted by an on-board fire, to a less glamorous scenario where the vessel was abandoned and burned to reclaim metal hardware. Various pieces of ceramic pottery were collocated with the wreckage, although any connection between the ship and the pottery is purely speculation.
For information on other wrecks and scuba diving resources within the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve and Eagle Harbor, visit the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve web site at:
Keweenaw Underwater Preserve
Another good link is:
Exploring The North
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