Milwaukee & Port Washington · United States · Wreck · Freshwater
Lumberman
Largely intact three-masted schooner from 1893 at 16–21 m
The Lumberman is a three-masted wooden schooner built in 1862 that sank in a fast-moving storm in 1893. She lies largely intact in 16–21 m (53–70 ft) of water off Oak Creek, and that moderate depth makes her a wreck for a diver’s first time in Lake Michigan while still holding the interest of experienced wreck divers.
Where it is and how deep
42.8695° N, 87.7570° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The schooner rests largely intact in 16–21 m (53–70 ft) of water, so the descent arrives on a whole wooden sailing ship rather than scattered timbers. The depth keeps the Lumberman within reach of divers on their first Lake Michigan wreck dive, and the wreck also suits experienced divers and draws archaeologists.
Much of her equipment and the crew’s belongings were salvaged long ago, but the hull remains. She carried two centerboards, a fit whose purpose in some lake schooners has been lost, which makes her of particular interest to marine archaeologists. Bottom water here stays at about 4 °C (40 °F) through the year, and a drysuit is recommended for most dives.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Lumberman
- Type
- Three-masted wooden schooner
- Length
- 39 m (128 ft)
- Built
- 1862
- Sunk
- 1893
- Cause
- Sank in a fast-moving storm while bound from Chicago to Whitefish Bay
- Lies
- Largely intact in 16–21 m (53–70 ft), about 16 km north of Wind Point
The Lumberman was built in 1862 at Blendon’s Landing, Michigan, a three-masted schooner with a wooden hull 39 m (126.5 ft) long. For thirty years she carried lumber, bark and shingles from logging outposts on Lake Michigan to markets such as Chicago. On 6 April 1893, heading from Chicago to Whitefish Bay to pick up a load of ties, she sank in a fast-moving storm. The wreck was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
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.
Know before you go
- Bottom water stays at about 4 °C (40 °F) all year; a drysuit is recommended for most dives.
Dive videos
Lumberman Shipwreck - Milwaukee WI · A J Dive Charters on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Lumberman wreck?+
The three-masted schooner Lumberman lies largely intact in 16–21 m (53–70 ft) of water, a depth that suits a first Lake Michigan wreck dive.
Sources
- Lumberman Shipwreck — AJ Dive Charters
- Lumberman (shipwreck) — Wikipedia
- AJ Dive Charters — AJ Dive Charters
- Shipwreck Explorers FAQ — Shipwreck Explorers
Photo credits
- Black-and-white underwater view of mussel-encrusted timbers and fittings on a wooden wreck by Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Similar dives elsewhere
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Blown apart by lightning in 1930, at 24 m off Cockburn Island
An upturned schooner on the bank, then a drift along the island wall
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