Lake Erie Technical Wreck Diving Guide: A Necessary Tool

by Gene Peterson

Header image of book cover courtesy of E. Petkovic

Erik Petkovic Sr.’s original book, Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, Volume One, is jam-packed with adventurous wreck diving history within recreational diving limits—no-stop dives to 40 m/130 ft. In his latest edition, Petkovic has gone beyond the limits and ventured to deeper wrecks in Lake Erie Technical Wreck Diving Guide. The historian takes this book to a new documentation level in this unique, comprehensive guide for technical deep wreck divers. The accuracy of the guide demonstrates the author’s drive to present a thrilling, non-fiction read with remarkable wreck survival tales, heroic accomplishments, and dramatic narratives. 

Petkovic demonstrates his passion for history by  thoroughly recounting nineteen ship’s careers and disasters. Rarely visited because of their depths, the author thoroughly examines the remains of the nearly untouched sites strewn across the floor of Lake Erie firsthand. Relics such as bells, helms, portholes, deadeyes, and related discoveries litter these hulks. They remain untouched in situ, preserved in the fresh lake water. These protected sites are threatened only by the weight of the zebra mussels that flourish in the dark, productive environment and whose increasing weight may lead the sites to collapse. Petkovic draws the reader in, describing his journeys to these sites and sharing the in-depth research that led him to explore these haunting wrecks. As a diver, his writing encourages me to go beyond the armchair and venture, as he did, to explore each wreck site firsthand. 

Each narrative unveils so much history. It is remarkable that these stories have been overlooked until this guide was printed; otherwise, these records may have been swept away. The writer preserves the fateful tales of those souls destined for tragedy on these historic voyages. Such is the story of the sinking of the sidewheel steamer Atlantic, which caused the greatest loss of life on Lake Erie to date. Over 300 passengers perished during the collision with the steamer Ogdensburg on August 20, 1852—nearly half the passengers. Of notable interest are the fearless salvage attempts and successes by hard hat divers in the early 1800s. Authorities offered a five thousand dollar reward to anyone who could retrieve the ship’s safe, leading these pioneers of deep diving to risk serious injury in order to pursue the reward.

Despite her depth of 50 m/165 ft, the Atlantic was clearly an alluring challenge for these men. Petrokvik’s telling of the bold attempt by diver John B. Green—who faced the depths of this cold and dark water multiple times—is compelling and memorable. Undaunted by the limited technology of the time, Green fearlessly hunted the treasure until decompression sickness struck. Ultimately, the safe was recovered by a competitor following Green’s trail of buoys in the limited visibility. The story is curiously familiar to modern-day pursuits. One must follow the author’s narratives throughout the book to admire his remarkable perceptions. I admire Petkovic’s principles, which are subtly presented, as well as his exploration of the balance between earned honor and purloined glory.

The deepest wreck in Lake Erie, the Straubenzee, had a prominent history of near disasters prior to her demise. Checkered by groundings, hit and runs, near collisions, actual collisions, and riotous boardings, the Straubenzee peppered newspaper columns throughout her career. A collision with the steamship City of Erie ended her notorious career, sending the barquentine to the depth of 61 m/200 ft on September 27, 1909. Her wreckage remained unseen until wreck hunter Garry Kozak discovered the broken hull in July of 1982. Petkovic describes the wreck as phenomenal and strewn with artifacts, even though the hull is separated by a 7.6 m/25 ft gap. Both sections are picturesque.     

The illustrations, news clippings, and fantastic photos by well-recognized photographers such as Becky Schott, Gary Gentile, Steve Gatto, Chris Kohl, Vlada Dekina, Tom Wilson, and Warren Lo draw the reader deeper into the writer’s unique descriptions. Each wreck is annotated with a sidebar describing the ship’s features and providing a brief history, an updated wreck account, and the degree of dive difficulty. 

Erik A. Petkovic’s Lake Erie Technical Wreck Diving Guide is a necessary tool for any deep water diver preparing to explore these Great Lakes shipwrecks, and it is a brilliant edition to any serious marine historian’s collection.  

An avid wreck diver, Gene has logged thousands of wreck dives off the Atlantic Coast from Florida to Newfoundland. These exciting adventures have included the discovery of more than 30 undived wrecks, eight Andrea Doria expeditions, and a position as acting diving safety officer for Gary Gentile’s 1990 U.S.S. Monitor Photographic Expedition. He led dozens of wreck hunting expeditions to Nova Scotia and numerous wreck discovery adventures off the Mid-Atlantic coast. Gene has an active 100-ton Ocean Operator’s license and a teaching degree from Rowan University. Gene has received honors from the New Jersey Council of Dive Clubs and from the National Association of Underwater instructors for his 45 years of dedication to safe diver training.