May 21, 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 [...]
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 [...]
This year’s Sail Into Your Sanctuary event brought adventure, history, and plenty of on-water time to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. From August 14–17, 2025, the sanctuary teamed up with Tall Ships America to host a sailing weekend that gave participants the chance to set sail on replica historic schooners and connect more deeply with [...]
"Even though lighthouses may no longer serve their original purpose with modern GPS and radar, they still hold a valuable place in our cultural heritage and in how communities connect with their past." —Don La Barre, maritime historian at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary & the Michigan History Center In August of 2025, Thunder Bay [...]
