Milwaukee & Port Washington · United States · Wreck · Freshwater
Milwaukee Car Ferry
A 103 m train ferry that sank in 1929 with railroad cars aboard
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
The SS Milwaukee was a train ferry that served on Lake Michigan until she foundered in a storm in 1929 and was lost with all hands, carrying railroad cars, bath tubs, automobiles and lumber. The 103-metre (338 ft) wreck lies at 27–40 m (90–130 ft), which puts even the highest parts of the ship in deep-diving territory.
Also known as SS Milwaukee.
Where it is and how deep
43.1363° N, 87.8323° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The ferry lies between 27 m (90 ft) at her shallowest and 40 m (130 ft) at the bottom, so even the highest parts of the wreck make for a deep dive, and the whole dive is spent in cold bottom water.
The wreck is 103 m (338 ft) long. When she went down in 1929 she was carrying railroad cars, bath tubs, automobiles and lumber. With the shallowest parts of the ship at 27 m, the dive is planned around depth and gas, and a drysuit is recommended for the cold water.
The wreck
- Vessel
- SS Milwaukee
- Type
- Train ferry
- Length
- 103 m (338 ft)
- Built
- 1902
- Sunk
- 1929
- Cause
- Foundered in a Lake Michigan storm and was lost with all hands; 52 men died
- Lies
- On the lakebed at 27–40 m (90–130 ft)
SS Milwaukee was a train ferry that served on Lake Michigan, launched in 1902. On 22 October 1929 she sailed for Grand Haven into a Lake Michigan storm and was lost with all hands; 52 men went down with her. She was 103 m (338 ft) long and was carrying railroad cars, bath tubs, automobiles and lumber. The wreck now lies at 27–40 m (90–130 ft), a dive that calls for advanced certification and a deep diver specialty.
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
- The shallowest part of the wreck is at 27 m (90 ft); dives here need deep training and careful gas planning.
- Bottom water stays at about 4 °C (40 °F) all year; a drysuit is recommended for most dives.
Photos from Milwaukee Car Ferry
Sulfur at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Dive videos
Milwaukee Car Ferry Shipwreck · A J Dive Charters on YouTube
Diving Inside the Milwaukee Car Ferry. · Family Scuba on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Milwaukee Car Ferry wreck?+
The wreck lies at 27–40 m (90–130 ft). Advanced certification and a deep diver specialty are required.
Sources
- Milwaukee Car Ferry Shipwreck — AJ Dive Charters
- SS Milwaukee (1902) — Wikipedia
- AJ Dive Charters — AJ Dive Charters
- Shipwreck Explorers FAQ — Shipwreck Explorers
Photo credits
- White wooden lifeboat with green trim on display beside a white clapboard building by Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Large iron ship anchor and chain displayed on a concrete pad by the Milwaukee waterfront by Sulfur at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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