Another unique area, the John Butler Johnson II Claybanks, features a series of high ridges and deep valleys that were once thought to be debris from a shipwreck. Variety is an attraction, but the Southwest Preserve is also unique, said van Heest, because it is associated with several communities. Its boundaries encompass New Buffalo, St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, South Haven, Douglas, Saugatauk and Holland. Numerous launch points provide easy access for divers. For more information about the preserve and its dive sites, visit the SMUP and the Michigan Maritime Museum online.
Dives range from beginner to advanced, and some sites can be accessed from shore.
The Preserve Committee, made up of 50 volunteers, marks some of the dive sites with buoys during the summer.