Wisconsin Dive Sites
Lake Michigan shipwrecks in Wisconsin offers some of the most accessible and well-preserved wreck sites in the Great Lakes. From Milwaukee to Two Rivers, divers can explore historic schooners, steamers, freighters, and working vessels preserved in cold freshwater conditions.
Milwaukee Area Shipwrecks
Milwaukee offers one of the most accessible and wreck-dense diving areas in southern Lake Michigan, with well-preserved shipwrecks spanning beginner recreational to advanced technical depths. Located close to a major metro area, these sites provide efficient access to historic schooners, wooden steamships, freighters, fireboats, and working vessels preserved in cold freshwater conditions. Compared to wrecks in the shallower, higher-energy waters farther south, many Milwaukee-area wrecks remain notably intact, making the region especially rewarding for exploration and documentation.
Beginner Recreational
- Prins Willem V – freighter 55 to 90ft (16.7 to 27.4m)
- Dredge No. 6 – dredge 30 to 70ft (9.1 to 21.3 m)
- Norlond – steamship 58 to 60ft (17.7 to 18.3m)
- Edward E. Gillen – tug 60 to 70ft (18.3 to 21.3m)
- Fireboat No. 23 – fireboat ↗ 72ft (22m)
- Lumberman – schooner 58 to 65ft (17.7 to 19.8m)
Advanced Recreational
- Milwaukee Car Ferry – freighter 90 to 125ft (27.4 to 38.1m)
- Fireboat No. 17 – fireboat 120ft to 135ft (36.6 to 41.2m)
- Caisson – industrial structure 100ft to 150ft (30.1 to 45.7m)
Technical
- St. Albans – steamship 150 to 165ft (45.7 to 50.3m)
- E.M.B.A – schooner-barge 156 to 170ft (47.5 to 51.8m)
- Grace Channon – schooner 165 to 180ft (50.3 to 54.9m)
Expedition
- L.R. Doty – wooden steamer 300 to 320ft (91 to 98m)
- Alice E. Wilds – wooden steamer 290 to 305ft (88 to 93m)
Kenosha Area Shipwrecks
Kenosha offers a small but notable collection of shipwrecks in southern Lake Michigan, with sites suited primarily for advanced recreational and technical divers. Located near the Wisconsin–Illinois border, these wrecks include the well-known SS Wisconsin, a steel freighter resting upright in deep water with historic cargo that includes early automobiles still visible within its holds. The nearby Rosinco yacht provides an additional technical dive opportunity for experienced divers. Though fewer in number than the wrecks off Milwaukee, Kenosha-area sites offer distinctive dives that reflect the commercial vessels and private yachts once operating along this stretch of the Great Lakes.
Advanced Recreational
- S.S. Wisconsin – steamer 100 to 130ft (30.5 to 39.6m)
Technical
- Rosinco – private yacht 170 to 180ft (51 to 54m)
Port Washington Area Shipwrecks
Port Washington offers several well-known shipwreck dives north of Milwaukee, ranging from beginner recreational sites to deeper advanced dives. Among the most popular is the schooner Northerner, resting intact in deeper water with its distinctive figurehead still visible on the bow. Shallower wrecks in the area include the brig Mahoning and the sidewheel steamer Niagara, both of which provide accessible recreational dives. Together these sites represent a mix of wooden schooners and early steam vessels that once operated along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline. These wrecks lie within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, established by NOAA in 2021.
Sheboygan Area Shipwrecks
Sheboygan offers a concentration of historic shipwrecks preserved in deeper waters. Many of these sites are wooden schooners resting at technical diving depths, reflecting the heavy commercial shipping traffic that once passed through the region. A few wrecks in the area are accessible to advanced recreational divers, while deeper sites—including the tugboat steamer Robert C. Pringle—draw expedition-level exploration. These wrecks lie within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, established by NOAA in 2021.
Advanced Recreational
- Algoma (McMullen and Pitz Dredge) – dredge 65 to 85ft (20 to 26m)
- Selah Chamberlain – dredge ↗ 90ft (27m)
- Hetty Taylor – schooner ↗ 105ft (32m)
Technical
- Walter B. Allen – schooner 148 to 160ft (45 to 48m)
- Silver Lake – schooner 190 to 200ft (57 to 60m)
- Gallinipper – schooner 200 to 215ft (61 to 66m)
- Home – schooner 150 to 165ft (46 to 50m)
- Floretta – schooner 179 to 180ft (52 to 55m)
- Helvetia – schooner 155 to 165ft (47 to 50m)
Expedition
- Robert C. Pringle – tugboat steamer 270 to 290ft (82 to 88m)
Manitowoc/Two Rivers Area Shipwrecks
The Manitowoc and Two Rivers area hosts a small number of notable deep-water shipwrecks that attract experienced divers and maritime historians alike. Among the most famous is the schooner Rouse Simmons, widely known as the “Christmas Tree Ship,” whose story has become part of Great Lakes folklore. Nearby rests the Vernon, a wooden package freighter with a dramatic and well-documented sinking. These wrecks lie within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, established by NOAA in 2021.
Technical
- Rouse Simmons “Christmas Tree Ship” – schooner 157 to 165ft (47 to 50m)
- Vernon – steamer 175 to 205ft (53 to 62m)
General Information
For general information about Lake Michigan diving conditions, equipment, and seasonal considerations, see the FAQ.
How to join us
Trips to these shipwrecks are posted on our live calendar. For private, extended multi-day trips, and group trips please visit the page Charter Booking Information.