Georgann and Mike Wachter have been diving around the world since the mid 1970’s. Though sites in the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific have fascinated them, wreck research and diving the Great Lakes is their passion. This has resulted in three books, Erie Wrecks, Erie Wrecks East and Erie Wrecks West and articles in Advanced Diver Magazine, Quantum, Inland Seas and several other magazines and newspapers. They have been cited in Skin Diver, February 2002 and August 2002 and in Country Living Magazine.
Georgann and Mike have held a variety of offices in Ohio’s largest dive club the Aqua Masters of Lakewood, including Georgann as president and Mike as trustee. They have served as divemasters in the Lake Erie Wreck Divers club of Lorain, Ohio.
Both have been assistant scuba instructors, members of Great Lakes Historical Society, Committee members of the Lake Erie Shipwreck Center (LESRC) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and committee members of the Maritime Archaeological Survey Team (MAST).
The Wachters have presented programs to many groups including the Great Lakes Historical Society in Vermilion, OH, the Erie Maritime Museum, Oswego Sea Grant Festival, Goderich Marine Heritage Festival and Ghost Ships Festival in Milwaukee.
Mike is a management consultant who has authored the book “8 Lies of Teamwork”, many training programs, and journal articles.
Georgann is the researcher and illustrator behind the Erie Wrecks books. Her marine art has been displayed in several shows and museums. She is currently working on the first in a series of books of Great Lakes stories.
Wreck of the C.B.Benson
Credited with opening direct trade from the Great Lakes to Europe, the C.B.Benson made two successful crossings of the Atlantic Ocean before succumbing to the waves of Lake Erie. Today she is one of the most intact sport diver shipwreck sites in the Great Lakes.
Descendants of the ship’s captain and builder have provided artifacts, log books, letters and postcards mailed the day the ship was lost. The presentation traces her much heralded history and examines the wreck as a dive attraction and archaeological site.
They will also reveal correspondence from the captain revealing his premonition of the ship’s loss.
