LAKE MICHIGAN UNDERWATER EXPLORATION
Great Lakes Shipwrecks.
Quietly Waiting.
Why the great lakes
“ The Great Lakes are a natural preservation vault — history held in cold, quiet water.”
LAKE MICHIGAN, PRESERVING MARITIME HERITAGE SINCE THE 1800S
The Great Lakes offer one of the most unique shipwreck diving environments in the world.
Cold freshwater slows decay, preserves wood, and protects structure in ways warm oceans cannot. Where saltwater shipwrecks are often broken, buried, or consumed by marine life, Great Lakes wrecks remain astonishingly intact.
From elegant wooden schooners with masts still standing, to massive steamers resting as they settled more than a century ago, these wrecks feel less like ruins and more like moments paused in time.
Exploring here is not just diving — it is moving through history, preserved by cold water, time, and respect.
Why dive with us
Shipwreck Explorers offers focused, experience-driven Great Lakes diving — led by expertise, shaped by respect for history, and designed for those who want more than just a ride to a wreck.
USCG Licensed Expertise
100-Ton Captains
Built by Divers
Run by Mariners
Purpose-Built Platform
Molly V Boat
Designed for Diving & Research
Intentional Small Groups
More Time
More Focus
Better Dives
Preserving Maritime History
Explore with Care
Honor History &
Take Only Photos
Featured Wreck
Steamship
St. Albans
The St. Albans rests intact in Lake Michigan, offering divers a rare look at a well-preserved 19th-century steamship in cold, clear water.
Explore the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes form the largest freshwater system in the world, stretching across the U.S. and Canada. Explore their locations and discover the shipwrecks beneath the surface.
Get a glimpse of where you can dive
Explore some of the best shipwreck diving the Great Lakes have to offer — all within reach of our home port in Milwaukee. From shallow recreational sites to deeper technical wrecks, each location offers its own unique history, structure, and underwater experience.
We run trips along the Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Michigan, giving divers access to well-preserved wrecks, diverse dive profiles, and unforgettable underwater moments.
Recreational diving for all experience levels
Whether you’re new to diving, new to Lake Michigan, or returning after time away, you’re welcome aboard. Many of the shipwrecks we visit are accessible to recreational divers, offering the chance to explore real history in a safe and supportive environment.
From your first Great Lakes dive to building confidence on local wrecks, each trip is an opportunity to learn, connect with other divers, and enjoy time on the water. Take it one dive at a time — there’s always something new to discover.
For those ready to go deeper
Technical diving in the Great Lakes offers access to some of the most well-preserved and intact shipwrecks in the world. Resting beyond the reach of wave action and heavy water movement, these deeper sites remain remarkably untouched, revealing details rarely seen on shallower wrecks.
Diving these sites requires advanced training, planning, and the ability to handle cold-water conditions — but for those who embrace the challenge, the reward is unmatched. Longer bottom times, clearer structure, and a true sense of exploration make each dive an unforgettable experience.
What divers
are saying
Real experiences from divers who have explored Lake Michigan shipwrecks with us.