Under the sparkling azure waters of the St. Clair River, lies the history of the Port Huron area.
Marko Tomko is a diver of 39 years and has explored the river 750 times. He began diving in 1985 when he and his wife went to a Club Med resort in the Bahamas, and he obtained a basic dive certification. Captivated by his experience, he returned to Michigan and received his Open Water Certification. He was drawn to the
Sea Snoopers Diving Club, comprised of divers throughout southeast Michigan, and cultivated friendships and dive buddies to explore the Great Lakes.
One of Tomko’s favorite places to dive is the St. Clair River and 75% of his 1000 dives have been there.
“The river is a great place for diving because it is easy and cheap to get to and there are neat things to find if you are inclined to look for them,” Tomko says.
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The Huron Lightship Museum.
The history of the river stretches hundreds of years back. Local tribes traversed its waters via canoe, harvesting an abundance of fish including white fish and sturgeon, and farmed its fertile banks. Port Huron was a common meeting place with its centralized location and easy access. The indigenous people were replaced with Europeans who over four hundred years logged, trapped, fished, and industrialized the river.
Used as a shipping lane, the river has wrecked many boats due to its swift current and the region’s stormy weather. Many ship skeletons remain buried in the river’s bottom. Trash from the settlers also lies below and paints a picture of how people lived during the period. Divers have flocked to the river over the years to seek these hidden treasures, including Tomko.
The St. Clair River is close to his home and is low-cost to explore, as a diver can gain access on the sides and does not have to hire a charter vessel. The river has good visibility and clear water on calm days and a quick call to the local water department can tell if the conditions are right.
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Artifacts found in St. Clair River.
“I also like the fact that the river was a dumping ground for a couple of centuries and historic trash equal today’s historical artifacts,” Tomko says.
One of Tomko’s more challenging dives was near Marine City during the night. He forgot his corrective dive mask for his nearsightedness but dove anyway. When the light on his flashlight went out, he was plunged into darkness. He found his way back using the faint glow of the city’s streetlights.
There are a multitude of shipwrecks under the river including the 63-foot steam-powered tugboat called the Monarch, just 200 feet south of the Blue Water Bridge, and the John S. Martin, a 22-foot schooner carrying iron ore, on the north side of the bridge.
One of Tomko’s favorites is the M.E. Tremble, a three-mast schooner near the front of the Thomas Edison Inn. The Tremble is under 65 feet of water, in an area with a very strong current, and in the shipping lane. Tomko will enter 50-75 yards upstream of the shipwreck and get blown to it while pretending to swim.
“I have to hang onto the wreck at all times because the current will drag you off. It’s a bit like being in a very strong wind. Most divers who have experienced this dive agree that it is an advanced or “aggressive” dive,” Tomko says.
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.32 caliber pistol found in the St. Clair River.
Over the years, Tomko has found many interesting artifacts including a .32 caliber pistol with a magazine with 3 rounds of ammunition wrapped in a purse near Algonac. “The pistol hadn’t been down there long and was in good working condition. It is now registered in my name with the police.” Another is a 12-inch-tall ceramic pitcher with a caramel “Rockingham” glaze from the 1860s, buried under 3 feet of silt. It is in good condition.
“So why was it dropped in the river? It’s a mystery and we will never know the answer, but it probably held some cool water for some ship-building workers and got bumped over the side,” Tomko says. He has also recovered clay smoking pipes, coins, and logging tools from the 1500s.
When Tomko dives with his partner, they are greeted by smallmouth bass. The bass eats crayfish and has learned that the divers will stir them up while digging for artifacts. The divers will also hand-feed the fish. A few are very large with distinctive markings and have earned names.
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Small Mouth Bass.
“The bass are a great source of delight to divers because they hang around like puppy dogs,” he says.
The divers also see Walleyes which are much more skittish, only appearing in the shadows, and are nicknamed the “ghost fish,” Tomko says.
This summer he turns 76 and is evaluating if he will continue diving. In the meantime, he dives the St. Clair River exclusively and waits till its waters are 70-72 degrees, which usually occurs around mid-June to July.
“The warmer water temps make the diving easier and safer for an old fellow like me,” Tomko says.
To learn more about the history of the St. Clair River and see an underwater live camera feed of its depth, head to the Huron Lightship Museum next to the St. Clair River in Pine Grove Park in Port Huron. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the ship has an extensive collection of artifacts and includes many model ships.