Discover Milwaukee Diving:
Lake Michigan Wreck Dives
Here is a brief list of our favorite local wreck dives near Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
Contents
See our Lake Michigan Dive Charter
Schedule for a list of upcoming dives.
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Photo courtesy of
Cal
Kathrode |
The SS Appomattox was one of the largest wooden ships ever built for
the Great Lakes. Constructed in 1896 by James Davidson of West Bay City,
Michigan, the Appomattox was 319 feet long with a 42 foot beam.
Appomattox generally cared iron ore on her eastward voyages and coal on her
westward voyages. She could care as much as 3000 tons of cargo. In 1905,
Appomattox ran aground off of Shorewood, Wisconsin. Despite two weeks of
effort, she eventually broke up and the crew was forced to abandon her.
Divers can expect to see lake perch, large mouth bass, brown trout, and even
the occasional lake sturgeon on the wreck. The wreck itself is spread over a
large area. Divers can locate the wreck by taking a straight easterly heading
from the north side of the northern most jetty off the park.
Visibility can range from 0 to 30+ feet. Wave action of any kind can drop
visibility quickly, and it is difficult to judge visibility from the surface as
visibility on the bottom can vary considerably from that on the surface.
Maximum depth: 30 feet
Average depth: 15 feet
Moorings: None.
Special considerations: Divers can access the Appomattox from a
boat or from shore off from Atwater Beach in Shorewood. Shore entries are
definitely reserved for divers who are in excellent shape, as the five story
trek up and down the stairway from the park to the beach is extremely physically
demanding. In addition, the wreck lies approximately 300 yards from shore,
making the swim to the wreck challenging as well.
The Prins Willem V, sometimes called
"The Willey," is a 258 foot Dutch freighter that sank on October 13,
1954, when it ran into the tow cable of a tug boat pulling a barge. The
cable left a laceration in the hull that caused the ship to sink. Today
the Willey sits on the bottom about 3 miles off of Milwaukee in 60 feet
of water. Due to the muddy bottom, the ship continues to sink slowly
into the bottom and is now partially hidden. When the Prins Willem
sank, the ship rolled toward her starboard side and sits at a 45-degree
angle to the bottom. Given her depth and the fact that she is still
intact, the Prins Willem V is one of the most popular wreck dives
in all of Lake Michigan.
Maximum depth: 90-95 feet
Distance to deck: 45-50 feet
Moorings: Wheelhouse. Because the wreck is in the shipping lanes, mooring
are often cut off by cargo ships.
Special considerations: At least five divers have lost their
lives diving the Prins Willem. Proper technical training and
equipment are required to safely penetrate this wreck. Recreational
divers can safely explore the outer portion of the wreck, but are
strongly advised against making penetrations beyond the light zone.
The Dredge is a large crane barge that capsized
during heavy winds on May 23, 1956. Nine members of her crew drowned in
the accident, and some of the bodies are rumored to still be aboard. The
Dredge now sits upside-down with equipment and debris scattered around her.
Depth is 30 feet to the top and 75 feet to bottom of the wreck, making
this a suitable dive for intermediate level divers.
Maximum depth: 75 feet
Distance from surface: 30 feet
Moorings: One mooring buoy attached just off the wreck
The Lumberman was an old wooden schooner used to haul lumber
between Southern Wisconsin and Chicago. On April 7, 1893, while on its
way north from Chicago, a gale force wind capsized the Lumberman
off from Oak Creek and sent her slowly to the bottom. As she sank, the
Lumberman
righted itself and the masts were left protruding out of the water.
Because of the hazard they presented to navigation, the masts were
removed. The
Lumberman was rediscovered in 1983. Due to its distance from
Milwaukee, the wreck is rarely visited and many of its artifacts remain
undisturbed.
Maximum Depth: 70 feet
Distance to deck: 55 feet
The Milwaukee Car Ferry is a 325 foot car ferry that sank off from
Whitefish Bay on October 22, 1929. Gale force winds rocked the ship,
causing the railroad cars she was carrying to leave their tracks and
roll into the seagate. The seagate was bent, which allowed water to
enter the vessel and sink her. All 52 crew members lost their lives in
the accident. The
Milwaukee is the second largest ship ever lost on Lake Michigan.
The railroad cars she was carrying are still aboard, and a small hole
cut by divers permits penetration of her engine room. However, deep silt
and poor visibility make penetration extremely dangerous. This dive
should be attempted only by experienced technical divers equipped with
wreck reels and redundant air supplies.
Maximum Depth: 130 feet
Distance to deck: 90 feet
The Niagara is a 245 foot luxury, wooden steamer that sank on
September 24,1856, following a fire that engulfed the center portion of
the ship. More than 60 people lost their lives in this disaster, making
the sinking of the Niagara one of the worst transportation
accidents in Wisconsin state history. Today the Niagara lies in
about 50 feet of water 8 miles north northeast of Port Washington, and
almost directly east of Harrington Beach State Park. A mooring buoy
installed by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin marks the
location of the wreck.
For divers, the 90 foot section of the ship's hull, along with the
boilers, are keep points of interest.
Maximum Depth: 52 feet
Distance to deck: 40 feet
The Northerner is a small two-masked wooden schooner with a
wooden figurehead. On November 29, 1868 the Northerner sprung a
leak from damage believed to have been caused while the ship was being
loaded. While in tow to Milwaukee, she capsized off the shore of Port
Washington. The ship now lies in about 140 feet of water and has
remained incredibly well-preserved. Due to its depth, the Norherner
is considered an advanced dive.
Maximum Depth: 140 feet
Distance to deck: 125 feet
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