Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary
Designated in 2024, Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary is a historically rich area where the long interactions between human activity and the maritime environment has fostered a deep sense of meaning and place. The lake shores and bottomlands of Lake Ontario offer an intriguing window into the history of this special area. The first regional inhabitants, the ancestors of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, populated the area thousands of years ago. As the gateway between the Great Lakes and the ocean, the maritime landscape of this area represents connections between diverse cultures, between a nascent nation and the frontier, and of commerce, opportunity, and ingenuity. The cultural legacy of people who lived along its shores and journeyed across its waters is showcased by the remains left behind and the stories passed down. Forgotten shipwrecks and archaeological resources, hidden in these cold fresh waters, are among the best preserved in the world, offering a chance to learn, share, and connect to the past.
The images and videos below can be downloaded in high resolution and may be freely used for press purposes.
Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary Information Sheet
Credit: NOAA
Map of eastern Lake Ontario showing Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary's boundaries, which encompasses 1,722 square miles
Map: NOAA
Underwater video of the St. Peter shipwreck.
Credit: Nick Zachar/NOAA
Underwater video of the David W Mills shipwreck.
Credit: Nick Zachar/NOAA
The wreck of the St. Peter
Credit: NOAA
The wreck of the St. Peter
Credit: NOAA
The wreck of the St. Peter
Credit: NOAA
The wreck of the St. Peter
Credit: NOAA
The wreck of the St. Peter
Credit: NOAA
A diver swims along the wreck of the St. Peter
Credit: NOAA
Two divers using an underwater camera
Credit: NOAA
The wreck of the steamer David W. Mills, a typical 19th century cargo vessel, lies within the proposed sanctuary.
Photo courtesy of the Collection of Bowling Green State University
A diver inspects the bow of the suspected steamer Homer Warren.
Photo courtesy of Jill Heinerth
An engraving by William Steele of the British attack on Fort Oswego in 1814.
Image: William Steele, courtesy of the Collection of Paul Lear
A diver inspects the bow of Queen of the Lakes where the anchor remains in place.
Photo courtesy of Jill Heinerth
A diver explores the stern of Queen of the Lakes, which remains upright and intact with all three masts still standing after sinking with a cargo of coal in 1906.
Photo courtesy of Jill Heinerth
An aerial view of historic Tibbetts Point Lighthouse in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York. The lighthouse marks the point where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River and overlooks the eastern boundary of Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary.
Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA
Tibett's Point Lighthouse is one of nine lighthouses within the proposed sanctuary area.
Photo courtesy of Ted Van Pelt
Two divers investigate the wreck of the St. Peter.
Credit: NOAA
