Shipwreck Name: Schooner Northerner
Location: Lake Michigan, Port Washington, WI
Shipwreck Photos
Vessel Type: Schooner, Two-Masted
Location: Port Washington, WI
Vessel Build Info: 1850, Clayton [Wells Island], NY
Shipwreck Specs: 79x18x7, 92 t., 77n
Official Number: 18176
Names Other: none
Loss Date: 11/30/1868
Loss Place: of off Port Washington, WI
Loss Life: none
Loss Reason: Storm/hull failure
Vessel Cargo: Light
Present-Day Wreck Overview
Dive Type: Recreational
Depth Deck(ft): 120 ft
Depth Bottom(ft): 130 ft
Depth Deck(m): 36 m
Depth Bottom(m): 39 m
Dive into History: The Northerner Shipwreck
Resting upright and impressively intact in 110 to 130 feet of Lake Michigan’s cold, clear water, the schooner Northerner offers a breathtaking dive for advanced explorers. As you descend, you’ll be greeted by the sight of the main mast lying gracefully across the starboard deck—suspended like a frozen moment in time. The stern mast has been removed for preservation, but much of the vessel’s original structure remains.
Peer into the open hold and you’ll find her final cargo still in place: stacks of cordwood logs, neatly piled as they were in 1868, waiting for delivery that never came. Her topside wood cargo was offloaded in Port Washington before her ill-fated journey, giving divers a clear view of her inner workings.
The bow is a treasure trove of maritime history. The windlass, anchor chain, and centerboard winch remain where the crew left them. Even the bowsprit and figurehead survive—a rare and picturesque carving that makes the Northerner one of the most visually captivating wrecks in the region. Figureheads during that era were often symbolic—female forms could represent virtues like liberty, hope, or protection, and were meant to bring good luck to the vessel. Some were modeled after goddesses, muses, or even real women admired by the shipbuilder or owner. Since the Northerner was built in 1850 in New York, it’s possible her figurehead followed this tradition, but without written records or more detailed carvings remaining, we can only speculate.
Whether you’re drawn by the history, the structure, or the serenity of a deep dive, the Northerner promises a memorable underwater adventure.
History & Final Voyage of the Northerner
Launched on March 12, 1850, from the John Oades shipyard in Clayton, New York, the Northerner was a proud wooden, two-masted schooner built for the booming commerce of the Great Lakes. John Oades, the oldest and one of the most respected shipbuilders on the lakes at the time, gave her a sturdy and reliable frame. Registered under number 18176, she quickly found her place in the busy world of 19th-century lake shipping.
By 1861, the Northerner was valued at $2,500 and carried a B1 rating from the Board of Lake Underwriters—a solid mark of her seaworthiness. Like many schooners of her era, she underwent a rebuild in 1859 at Wells Island, New York, a testament to her continued service and value. That same year, she weathered a fierce gale, losing part of her deck load of hoops to the storm and jettisoning more cargo to stay afloat. Still, she survived—proving her resilience time and again.
But her luck would not hold forever.
On November 29, 1868, during a routine loading of wood at the Amsterdam pier, she struck bottom and began taking on water. Hoping to save the vessel, her captain brought her to Port Washington and offloaded the deck cargo to lighten the ship. With assistance from the steamer Cuyahoga, the Northerner was taken under tow, bound for Milwaukee for repairs.
Tragically, she never made it. Off the coast of Port Ulao, the damage proved too severe. The lake claimed her—she filled with water, capsized, and had to be abandoned. Her crew was rescued and brought safely to port by the Cuyahoga, but the Northerner was lost to the depths.
Today, she lies preserved in the cold waters of Lake Michigan, offering divers a rare glimpse into the past—a final resting place filled with history, character, and stories waiting to be discovered.
References: Wisconsin Historical Society