Reefwander

Milwaukee & Port Washington · United States · Wreck · Freshwater

Transfer

Schooner barge scuttled in 1923, lying in 37 m of water

The Transfer was a 61-metre (200 ft) schooner barge with a carrying capacity of 732.94 tons. She was scuttled in 1923 and now lies in 37 m (120 ft) of water, a deep dive that needs an advanced certification and a deep diver specialty.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Transfer: typical dive to 37 m (to 121 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit37 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

43.0182° N, 87.7642° WPublished position for this site.

The dive

The Transfer lies at 37 m (120 ft), so the whole dive is a deep one and bottom time at this depth is short. The barge is 61 m (200 ft) long, 10.3 m (33.9 ft) in beam and 4.2 m (13.7 ft) in draft, and she could carry 732.94 tons. She worked Milwaukee’s rivers carrying coal between coal yards and powerhouses, and in 1923 she was scuttled outside Milwaukee by ramming.

The wreck

Vessel
Transfer
Type
Schooner barge
Length
61 m (200 ft)
Built
1872
Sunk
1923
Cause
Scuttled outside Milwaukee by ramming
Lies
On the lakebed in 37 m (120 ft) of water

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Transfer
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairFairGoodGoodGoodFairFairFairFair

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 wreck lies at 37 m (120 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.

Questions divers ask

How deep is the Transfer wreck?+

The Transfer lies in 37 m (120 ft) of water. Advanced certification and a deep diver specialty are required.

Sources

  1. Transfer Shipwreck — AJ Dive Charters
  2. List of shipwrecks in Lake Michigan — Wikipedia
  3. AJ Dive Charters — AJ Dive Charters
  4. Shipwreck Explorers FAQ — Shipwreck Explorers

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