NBM Dive Site Resource
Apostle Islands Dive Area
Bayfield, Wisconsin, United States
A Lake Superior archipelago and national lakeshore with shipwrecks, sea caves, walls, ledges and island destinations. This area card does not identify one exact dive site.
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Historic Picture Placeholder
Aquatic life at this dive site
What divers may encounter
Three reviewed connections are featured here. Sightings vary by season, conditions, and chance, so they are never guaranteed.
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycushThe National Park Service identifies lake trout among the Apostle Islands fish community and notes that they are the most commonly targeted deep-water fish in summer. Divers may see them around rocky formations or wreck habitat, although sightings vary with depth and season.
Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Lake Whitefish
Coregonus clupeaformisThe National Park Service documents lake whitefish within and around Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Divers may encounter them close to the bottom, rocky structure, or wreck sites, but movement and visibility make every sighting conditional.
Seb951Open Aquatic Life Profile →
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieuThe National Park Service lists smallmouth bass in the Apostle Islands fish community. They are more plausible around warmer, shallower rocky habitat than on the coldest deep wrecks, and encounters depend strongly on site and season.
Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Site media
Photographs
Three views rotate from the published gallery on each visit.
Contributor media
Dive videos
Three featured video positions are reserved on every profile.Recent field observations
Diver-reported temperatures
Automatically checked observations from dives during the past 14 days. Three reports are visible at a time; scroll for more.A report that passes the automatic checks will appear here with the dive date, diver’s display name, and temperatures at each depth.
Reports are automatically checked for plausible dates, depths, and temperatures. They are observations, not forecasts; confirm conditions before diving.
Why divers know this place
Highlights
The National Park Service describes a 21-island Lake Superior archipelago; Sol Mates publishes Apostle Islands dive itineraries including wreck and non-wreck possibilities.
Dive-area module
Area coverage
This profile represents a preserve, sanctuary, park, or regional dive area rather than one underwater site. The sourced inventory below links to the named sites documented within its boundaries.
Official inventory
Dive sites within this area
These named sites come from an authoritative preserve, sanctuary, park, or historical inventory. Their inclusion does not mean every connected boat visits them.
Devils Island Sea Caves is a documented Apostle Islands dive site listed by the National Park Service, with published depth information of 10–25 ft.
Open dive-site profile →Cave & CavernSand Island Sea CavesBayfield, Wisconsin · 10–25 ftSand Island Sea Caves is a documented Apostle Islands dive site listed by the National Park Service, with published depth information of 10–25 ft.
Open dive-site profile →Cave & CavernStockton Island Sea CavesBayfield, Wisconsin · 10–25 ftStockton Island Sea Caves is a documented Apostle Islands dive site listed by the National Park Service, with published depth information of 10–25 ft.
Open dive-site profile →ReefThe Wall — Stockton IslandBayfield, Wisconsin · 100+ ftThe Wall — Stockton Island is a documented Apostle Islands dive site listed by the National Park Service, with published depth information of 100+ ft.
Open dive-site profile →Underwater StructureBasswood Island Historic DockBayfield, Wisconsin · 4–25 ftBasswood Island Historic Dock is a documented Apostle Islands dive site listed by the National Park Service, with published depth information of 4–25 ft.
Open dive-site profile →Underwater StructureStockton Island Historic DockBayfield, Wisconsin · 4–25 ftStockton Island Historic Dock is a documented Apostle Islands dive site listed by the National Park Service, with published depth information of 4–25 ft.
Open dive-site profile →Plan the trip
Dive boats that serve this area
Before you arrive
Access notes
Use the area card to identify operators publishing Apostle Islands dive service, then confirm each planned stop.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Cold water, fog, sudden squalls, rough seas, remote response and site-specific overhead or depth hazards require conservative planning.
Independent resource notice
This record is a starting point for independent verification. Access, closures, moorings, weather, currents, depth, visibility, operator availability, and site conditions can change without notice. Confirm current information with the responsible operator, property owner, managing authority, or another qualified local source before planning or attempting a dive.