This will be Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s (TBNMS) fifth year welcoming Viking Expedition ships into the port of Alpena. The 665-foot cruise ships carry 378 guests and 256 crew members. The sister-ships Polaris and Octantis each anchor in Thunder Bay and use tender boats to bring guests to shore. They come ashore at The [...]
This is your chance to win a gorgeous 17-foot long wooden kayak with seat and two hatch covers, handcrafted by Heritage Coast Sailing and Rowing, Inc., Community Boat Builders in Tawas, Michigan. Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. Proceeds support Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Heritage Coast’s Community Boat [...]
Celebrate Alpena’s rich nautical history at this year’s Maritime Festival! Returning with an exciting new twist, the festival takes over the waterfront from Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23. This year’s lineup features 2-hour tall ship excursions, deck tours, hands-on family activities, Great Lakes exhibitors, the Battle of the Paddles river race and rooftop [...]
🤿 Vintage Dive Days: Double Hose Regulator Experience Step back in diving history Are you a certified scuba diver? Jump in on a unique opportunity to experience classic scuba diving using double-hose regulators as part of the events happening at the 2026 Thunder Bay Maritime Festival. Led by the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), [...]
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is playing an important role in an expedition happening in the Pacific Ocean! Ocean Exploration Trust’s Exploration Vessel Nautilus and team are headed to Wake Atoll, one of the most isolated land masses on Earth and the site of a key battle in World War II shortly after the bombing [...]
Sinkhole Odyssey: A Journey to an Ancient Underwater World | Hidden Below: Live WHEN: September 16th | 11 A.M BACKUP DATES: September 17th and 18th WHERE: Middle Island Sinkhole in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Lake Huron WATCH LIVESTREAM HERE: https://greatlakesnow.org/hiddenbelow What can Lake Huron tell us about early life on Earth? Join a livestreamed [...]
On Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, you can catch “Superior Maximus: The Deepest Point in the Great Lakes,” a recent episode of Great Lakes Now from Detroit PBS. This month's episode takes you more than 1,300 beneath the surface of Lake Superior, to the deepest point in the Great Lakes. 40 years after [...]
Great Lakes Fisheries: People, Fish, and the Waters That Connect Us Great Lakes fisheries reflect stories of people, places, science, culture, and stewardship that have shaped life across Michigan for generations. Explores the fascinating relationship between fish, fishing communities, and the ever-changing Great Lakes ecosystem. Through stories drawn from Indigenous traditions, commercial and recreational fisheries, [...]
Top off (or kick off!) your Downtown Trick-or-Treating evening with a trip to the Haunted Museum inside the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center on Friday, October 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is an all ages, free event. There will be trick or treating, games, and the haunted ship/museum is optional. This event [...]