“We tend to be adrenaline junkies.” That was the consensus echoing around the conference table at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary when the team first sat down with the crew from Warfighter Scuba . While this incredible non-profit typically conducts its missions in warm Caribbean waters, during their 2025 expedition they traded palm trees for [...]
May 21st, 2026 Hi everyone! My name is Zoey Crossley and I will be working at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary this summer through the Michigan Sea Grant Environmental Internship. I am a rising senior at Michigan State University and originally from the Detroit area. I’ve lived in Michigan all my life and am [...]
Michigan Public Radio, NPR reached out to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2025 with an idea for a new podcast called Beyond the Shore. That led to a visit from Editor Rebecca Williams and Digital Director Jodi Westrick. Neither had ever been to this part of the state or explored sanctuary waters. The sanctuary [...]
Teamwork took center stage today—not on the field, but in the water—as student teams competed in the 2026 MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena. Teams were tasked with demonstrating their ROVs' (remotely operated vehicle) capabilities in the Marine Technology Training Tank as they navigated through a [...]
A passion for fish is common among many Michiganders — whether it’s tied to fishing, raising, stocking, cooking, or simply gathering around the table to enjoy a fresh catch. This shared connection was on full display during a special panel discussion and cooking demonstration held as part of the Thunder Bay International Film Festival. Nestled [...]
2026 Thunder Bay International Film Festival - More Than a Decade of Highlighting Ocean & Great Lakes Films For the past 14 years, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) has brought the wonders of the ocean and Great Lakes to northeast Michigan through the annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival. Held each January, the five-day [...]
On February 10, 2026, Stephanie Gandulla, Sophie Stuart, and Andrea (Andi) Yoxsimer returned — virtually — to their alma mater of Eastern Carolina University (ECU) to speak with students in a Cultural Resource Management class. The program prepares future leaders in underwater archaeology and heritage management, and admits a limited number of students per year. [...]
What if reading a book didn’t end on the final page? For sixth graders at Alpena Public Schools and Posen Consolidated Schools, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi became more than a classroom novel — it became an immersive, hands-on journey into maritime history at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS). From Page [...]
In August 2025, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary dive unit joined forces with experts from the NOAA Diving Program and NOAA Diving Center to conduct a series of deep-water archaeological surveys. Over an intensive three-week expedition, the team executed more than 120 dives to survey nine historic shipwrecks resting in the deep, cold waters of Lake [...]
Summer in the Sanctuary: Discovery, Exploration, and Hands-On Learning This year’s Summer in the Sanctuary education series at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) brought together curious kids and passionate educators for a season filled with exploration, creativity, and underwater adventure. The TBNMS Education Team offered three programs—Archaeology Adventure, Learn to Snorkel, and Underwater Robot [...]
