Michigan

Michigan gets its name from an Ojibwa (Chippewa) Native American word that means large lake. The Mackinac Bridge connects the two peninsulas that make up Michigan, and is one of the worlds longest suspension bridges. In the Lower Peninsula is Michigan's largest city, Detroit, known worldwide as the center of America's auto industry.

LOCATION :

Michigan consists of two peninsulas bordered by Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Lake Erie, Indiana and Ohio.

LANGUAGE :

English and various other languages, mostly Spanish

CURRENCY :

US dollar

TIPPING :

15-20% is customary in restaurants, although you never tip in fast food or self-service establishments. Taxi drivers and hairdressers depend on similar-sized gratuities.

ELECTRICITY :

110V, 60Hz

WEBSITE :

www.michigan.org

CAPITAL :

Lansing

AREA SIZE :

490 miles long and 240 miles wide

TAXES :

Sales taxes vary from state to state, but are typically 5-8%. Departure taxes are included in the price of an airplane ticket, though the local departure tax may not have been included if your ticket was purchased outside the U.S.

AREA CODE :

US callers must dial 011 for international calls. To find the area code for a particular Michigan city, visit www.allareacodes.com/michigan_area_codes.htm.

TIME :

Most of the state is in the Eastern time zone, although some upper peninsula counties bordering Wisconsin are in the Central time zone.

DOCUMENTS :

Most visitors to the US require a visa. However, Canadians need only proof of citizenship. A reciprocal visa-waiver program allows citizens of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland to stay up to 90 days without a visa if they have an onward ticket.

POPULATION :

10,120,860

AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE :

40 to 50 f

AVERAGE VISIBILITY :

10¿80 feet

TYPES OF DIVING :

Boat, wreck and shore

BEST TIME TO DIVE :

Year-round, although the summer months offer the warmest conditions

WHAT TO WEAR :

7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves. A dry suit is also recommended

DIVES NOT TO MISS :

St. Clair River is a 40-mile-long river connecting Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair. Advanced divers who are comfortable with the river¿s strong current can experience numerous shipwrecks which have only minimal corrosion due to the freshwater conditions.
The Selvick is a diver friendly tug purposely sunk with minimal damage in 70 feet of water. Its pilot house starts in 40 feet and is totally penetrable. Lights are a must.
Thunder Bay in Alpena is also known as Shipwreck Alley because of its unpredictable fog and sudden gales. Numerous vessels rest well-preserved in depths ranging from 12 feet to 180 feet.