Captain Shawn Guillemet has worked as a captain for 40 years, running shipwreck tours at the sanctuary for three. Previously, Guillemet was a tugboat captain in Florida, and after he retired, he and his wife moved back to Alpena, where she is from.

“It’s great in the summertime,” Guillemet said, referring to Northeast Michigan weather. “We go back (to Florida) in the winter.”

Because Guillemet worked as a tugboat captain for 30 years in Florida, he enjoys the change of pace when it comes to taking passengers out to look at shipwrecks.

“I like meeting the people,” Guillemet said with a smile. “Honestly it’s fun. It’s fun to meet the people. It’s a change of pace … it’s nice to interchange with people.”

News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Thursday, Captain Shawn Guillemet and crew member Hunter Hitzleberger greet passengers and explain emergency procedures.

Guillemet said that the season’s gone well despite some questionable weather.

“Season’s been great, so far,” Guillet said. “The weather’s been pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty good.”

Guillemet also noted that the water has been clear for viewing.

“The water quality is normally a little better in the spring, before the allergy sets in and things like that,” Guillemet said, adding that later in the season the water is warmer.

Guillemet said that peak season for the tours is July, though passengers can hitch a ride out into the sanctuary with Alpena Shipwreck Tours starting from Memorial Day and until Labor Day.

“We do a lot of school trips in May … we love taking the kids out,” Guillemet said. “We do probably 20 school trips in May. Awesome. That’s a good time. Kids are always fun.”

The News took an early tour Thursday morning with passengers that included locals and visitors.

One passenger, Jesse Harvey, said he came all the way from Mississippi to visit family and to check out Michigan.

“Cool weather,” Harvey said. “It’s 117 (degrees) at home.”

Harvey said that Thursday’s tour was his first time on a glass-bottom boat in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and he enjoyed being out on the water.

“It is like being in the Gulf of America,” he said.

First Mate Bradley Kollen agreed with Guillemet that the glass-bottom boat tour season has gone well thus far.

“Obviously, it’s all weather dependent, but this year, we’ve had a lot of really nice weather, especially recently,” Kollen said. “And even after some of the more nastier storms that we get, the water settles down, the visibility is perfect out here.”

Bradley noted that the water was especially clear and calm on Thursday morning.

“I think this season has been a very good one, especially in the past few years that we’ve had,” Kollen added.

Overall, Kollen said that the glass-bottom boat tours bring in people from all over.

“We get a few locals every now and then,” Kollen said. “A lot of our guests that come aboard are either from downstate, have family up here … then during our Viking cruise ship tours we see plenty of different people from all over the world. Not necessarily just the United States.”

On Thursday, the tour included viewing the Haltiner Barge, the W.P. Rend, and the Shamrock. All three had their own unique history narrated by crew member Bryanna Partyka.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.