Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary

  1. ONMS
  2. TBNMS

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, located in northwest Lake Huron, is adjacent to one of the most treacherous stretches of water within the Great Lakes. Unpredictable weather, murky fog banks, sudden gales, and rocky shoals have claimed over 200 vessels in and around Thunder Bay. The 4,300-square-mile sanctuary protects a nationally significant collection of historic shipwrecks off the Michigan coast. Through research, education, and community involvement, the sanctuary works to protect the Great Lakes and their rich history for this and future generations. The sanctuary is co-managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the state of Michigan.

Learn more about Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary at thunderbay.noaa.gov.

Lake Huron with the sanctuary boundaries highlighted
This graphic map illustrates the waters protected by Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary's boundaries, shown in blue, encompass a large area of Lake Huron surrounding the city of Alpena, Michigan.

Quick Facts

Location: Northwest Lake Huron, off the northeast coast of Michigan's lower peninsula

Protected Area: 4,300 square miles

Designation: October 2000; Expansion: September 2014

By the Numbers

  • 100 discovered shipwrecks
  • 100 shipwrecks await discovery
  • 7 shipwrecks listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • 52 mooring buoys
  • 8 historic lighthouses
  • 115 species of fish make their homes in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary waters
  • 230 miles of shoreline
  • 750 feet deep at the deepest part of the sanctuary

Sanctuary Highlight

split shot image of a student above the water lowering down an ROV by its tether into a competition pool with an underwater obstacle course of many PVC pipes
Read

Training Tomorrow’s Workforce: Underwater Robotics in Alpena, Michigan

Underwater robotics blends engineering, computer science, and marine science — fields essential to America’s future workforce in marine commerce, ocean exploration, technology innovation, and national security. Thanks to the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) program, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the development of these skills is full speed ahead in northeast Michigan.

Multimedia

Our Planet is an Ocean Planet: Earth Is Blue.

No matter where you are, the ocean and Great Lakes are in your hands. We hope these images and videos from Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary inspire you to help care for our ocean and to spread the word that Earth isn't green—it's blue.

Illustrated poster of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary showing scuba divers exploring a well-preserved wooden shipwreck underwater, with fish swimming nearby and a small sunken boat on the seabed.
diver swims above the deck of a shipwreck
diver swimming by a shipwreck
A lighthouse surrounded by trees
photo of a propeller from a shipwreck under water
Several people in a row boat

National Marine Sanctuary System

national marine Sanctuary system map

Safeguarding America's Premier Marine Places

From Washington state to the Gulf of America and from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Islands, the National Marine Sanctuary System protects 18 underwater parks spanning over 629,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes waters. By investing in innovative solutions, we strengthen these iconic places to address 21st-century challenges while supporting America's commerce and tourism. These unique locations inspire people to visit, value, and steward our nation’s iconic ocean and Great Lakes waters.