Milwaukee & Port Washington · United States · Wreck · Freshwater
Appomattox
Remains of the largest wooden steamer on the Great Lakes, in 5 m
The SS Appomattox was a 97-metre (319 ft) wooden freighter and the largest wooden steamer on the Great Lakes. Built in 1896, she ran aground in fog off Atwater Beach in Shorewood in 1905, and her remnants lie in 5 m (17 ft) of water, shallow enough for beginning divers and snorkellers alike. The wreck has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005.
Also known as SS Appomattox.
Where it is and how deep
43.0936° N, 87.8662° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The Appomattox lies in 5 m (17 ft) of water, the shallowest of the wrecks dived from Milwaukee, so the whole dive is spent within a few metres of the surface. That depth makes her a wreck for beginning divers and for snorkellers, and a gentle first look at a Lake Michigan shipwreck.
What remains on the bottom are the remnants of a 97-metre (319 ft) wooden hull, the largest wooden steamer on the Great Lakes in her day, which went aground in fog with a cargo of coal.
The wreck
- Vessel
- SS Appomattox
- Type
- Wooden steamer
- Length
- 97 m (318 ft)
- Built
- 1896
- Sunk
- 1905
- Cause
- Ran aground in thick fog off Atwater Beach, Shorewood, while carrying coal
- Lies
- Remnants in 5 m (17 ft) of water
The Appomattox was built in 1896 in West Bay City, Michigan, and at 97 m (319 ft) she was the largest wooden steamer on the Great Lakes, carrying iron ore east and coal west. On 2 November 1905, bound south with a load of coal alongside the barge Santiago, she ran into a thick bank of fog, came too close to the shore and ran aground off Atwater Beach in Shorewood. On 20 January 2005 her remnants were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Milwaukee & Port Washington: Surface water warms from mid-June and reaches about 24 °C in midsummer; the bottom stays near 4 °C all year.
Dive videos
Appomattox Shipwreck - Milwaukee WI - A & J Dive Charters · A J Dive Charters on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Appomattox wreck?+
The Appomattox lies in 5 m (17 ft) of water, shallow enough for beginning divers and snorkellers.
Sources
- Appomattox Shipwreck — AJ Dive Charters
- SS Appomattox — Wikipedia
- AJ Dive Charters — AJ Dive Charters
- Shipwreck Explorers FAQ — Shipwreck Explorers
Photo credits
- Historic black-and-white photo of a long wooden steamer with three tall masts on calm water by Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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