Halcyon

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Halcyon
• Type: Twin-hulled ("SWATH") Steel Limnological Research Vessel
• Year Built: 1986
• Builder: RMI, Inc. (Location Unknown)
• Dimensions: 60 ft (18.3 m); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage:
• Location: Muskegon Lake, Michigan
• Official Number: None
• Original Owners: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Halcyon was a specialized limnological research vessel, designed with twin hulls in a SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin-Hull) configuration. This design allowed for increased stability in rough waters, making it ideal for aquatic research and environmental monitoring on the Great Lakes.

As a NOAA-operated research vessel, the Halcyon was equipped with advanced scientific instruments for studying freshwater ecosystems, water quality, and biological data within the Great Lakes basin.

Description

Launched in 1986, the Halcyon was a state-of-the-art vessel built to support NOAA’s research initiatives in the Great Lakes. The SWATH design was uncommon at the time, giving the vessel unique stability advantages over traditional monohull vessels—an essential trait for conducting precise scientific measurements in varied lake conditions.

She was primarily stationed in Muskegon Lake, where she served as a platform for limnological and environmental research under the command of Capt. Bill Burns.

History

On December 2, 1996, while moored at her regular dock in Muskegon harbor, the Halcyon unexpectedly sprang a leak and sank. The cause was later determined to be compromised watertight integrity due to faulty internal hull modifications.

Despite being lifted by a crane and refloated, the vessel was declared a total loss. The damage was too extensive for repair, and she was laid up on dry land at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in May 1998.

In July 1999, NOAA declared the Halcyon surplus, officially ending her short-lived career in scientific research.

Significant Incidents

• The Halcyon sank on December 2, 1996, due to hull failure while moored.
• No loss of life occurred during the incident.
• After sinking, the vessel was lifted and refloated but was deemed a total loss.

Final Disposition

The Halcyon was raised shortly after her sinking but was not returned to service. No underwater remains of the wreck exist today.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no navigational warnings related to the wreck of the Halcyon, as she was removed from Muskegon Lake.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”halcyon” title=”References & Links”]

The Halcyon was an innovative research vessel that represented a cutting-edge approach to limnological studies on the Great Lakes. Despite her short career, she contributed to NOAA’s mission of environmental research and aquatic science before her untimely loss in 1996.

Her sinking serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of modifying specialized vessels, as the compromised hull integrity ultimately led to her demise. Though her research mission ended, the Halcyon’s legacy remains a part of NOAA’s ongoing work in Great Lakes science.