Escape Reefs - Alaska
The Pascal P. Pratt, affectionately known as the ‘Wrack’ to local divers, is one of those Great Lakes wrecks we keep coming back to. While a lot of Ontario’s historical ships lie in pieces, the Pratt offers a surprisingly intact experience for its age. We love dropping down and seeing that distinct bow loom out of the green gloom, often with a curious Lake Sturgeon patrolling nearby, its ancient eyes watching you. The wreck sits in roughly 20-25 metres, and it's remarkably open. You can swim through the cargo holds, imagining the lumber it once carried, feeling the cool water swirl around you as you pass through what used to be her deck. The visibility can be a bit of a lottery, sometimes a solid 15 metres, sometimes a silty 5. Our advice? Go in early summer before the lake really warms up and the particulate matter increases. Keep an eye out for Mottled Sculpins tucked into crevices, masters of camouflage against the ship’s timbers. This is a classic Great Lakes dive, perfect for those who appreciate maritime history and don't mind a bit of a chill.
- Location
- Alaska, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 54.465830, -130.474720
- Type
- wreck
Nearby Dive Sites in Alaska
- Alarm Rocks (wreck)
- Alert Rock
- Amethyst Rock
- Bar Rocks
- Benson Rock
- Bligh Reef (reef)
- Blow Reef (wreck)
- Bonson Rock (wreck)
- Boussole Rock
- Breaker Reef (reef)
- Carlo Rock (wreck)
- Celestial Reef (reef)
- Chanal Reef (reef)
- Client Reefs (wreck)
- Cluster Reefs
Marine Life in Alaska
Home to 64 recorded species including 27 reef fish, 8 whales & dolphins, 7 crabs & lobsters, 5 sharks & rays, 3 other, 2 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei)
- Shortspine thornyhead (Sebastolobus alascanus) - Reef Fish
- Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) - Sharks & Rays
- Calico salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) - Reef Fish
- Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) - Reef Fish
- Whiting (Merluccius productus) - Reef Fish
- coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) - Reef Fish
- Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) - Reef Fish
- Pacific Geoduck (Panopea generosa) - Clams & Mussels
- Slender Sole (Lyopsetta exilis) - Reef Fish
- red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) - Reef Fish
- Red Rock Crab (Cancer productus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- California Spot Prawn (Pandalus platyceros) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Shiner Perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) - Reef Fish
- Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus magister) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Spawn (Gasterosteus aculeatus) - Reef Fish
- Sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) - Starfish
- Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) - Reef Fish