A Memorial Beneath the Waves

Not all memorials may be visited on foot—some require a dive beneath the waves. On August 12, 1962, an 11-foot Italian white marble crucifix was gently lowered 65 feet into the chilly waters of Little Traverse Bay near Petoskey. Created to honor all who have lost their lives in the often unforgiving waters of the Great Lakes.

The story of the Petoskey Crucifix is as winding as Michigan’s shoreline. Originally, the marble cross was commissioned by grieving parents from Rapson, in Michigan’s Thumb region. Their 15-year-old son, Gerald Schipinski, was tragically killed in a farm accident in 1956. Sculpted in Italy, the crucifix arrived in Michigan cracked and damaged. The family refused the broken statue, and it spent a lonely winter behind a church in Bad Axe.

Damaged Memorial

Fate stepped in when the Wyandotte-based Superior Marine Divers Club purchased the damaged cross for just $50 at an insurance sale. After spending $900 to repair it, the group decided to use the crucifix as a memorial for all who perished in the waters of the Great Lakes. On that summer day in 1962, around 1,200 people gathered as the U.S. Coast Guard and the icebreaker Sundew helped lower the crucifix into its underwater home.

The monument is about 1,200 feet off Petoskey’s Bayfront Park. It stands 11 feet tall with a 5-foot-5-inch figure of Christ. It quietly rests 21 feet below the water’s surface. Hollywood actor Lloyd Bridges, famous for his underwater TV show Sea Hunt, declined his invitation due to filming obligations. His telegram remains part of the event’s cherished memorabilia.

Raising the Crucifix

Time and Lake Michigan’s unpredictable nature weren’t always kind to the monument. Within two decades, the cross became buried under the bay floor. In 1985, divers from the Michigan Skindiving Council raised the crucifix, repaired it, and gave it a new, more stable base. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Department even lent a hand (and a boat) for the relocation.

Both the original dedication and the relocation were not without mishaps. During the first dive in 1962, the crucifix’s right arm was accidentally broken off. It was kept as a souvenir before being reattached. In 1985, divers accidentally cracked the left arm while relocating it. Yet through these trials, the monument endures.

One of the most beloved traditions to grow from this story is the winter viewing of the crucifix. Starting in 1986, the Little Traverse Bay Dive Club cuts a hole into the ice when conditions allow. Underwater lights illuminate the marble figure below. Visitors can peer through the icy window to view the underwater shrine. It is an experience that has since become a cherished winter tradition in Petoskey.

Today, the underwater crucifix remains the only known freshwater memorial of its kind in the United States. It quietly pays tribute to lives lost and reminding us of the depth of human connection, even beneath the waves.

If You Go:

  • Location: About 800 feet offshore from Bayfront Park, Petoskey.
  • Winter Viewing: Free to the public when ice and weather conditions permit (late February–early March).

From its unlikely beginnings in a small Thumb-area churchyard to its resting place beneath the waters of Little Traverse Bay, the Petoskey Underwater Crucifix tells a story of loss, remembrance, and resilience. Whether you view it through the ice or dive to visit, this one-of-a-kind memorial continues to inspire generations along the Great Lakes.