NBM Dive Site Resource
Atlas
Lake Ontario, New York, United States
EXTREME TECHNICAL DIVE / POSSIBLY OUTSIDE PRACTICAL DIVER LIMITS — Atlas rests in more than 300 ft / 91 m of Lake Ontario water. NOAA classifies access at the extreme technical boundary or outside diver limits.
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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 namaycushAtlas rests within the Lake Ontario sanctuary region, where NOAA and New York monitoring document lake trout. A passing fish is most plausible near deeper wreckage and the adjoining water column, but is never guaranteed.
Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Lake Whitefish
Coregonus clupeaformisLake whitefish are documented in Lake Ontario and feed close to bottom habitat. Divers may encounter one along the lakebed or near Atlas's structure, with seasonal movements and visibility affecting the chance of a sighting.
Seb951Open Aquatic Life Profile →
Round Goby
Neogobius melanostomusNOAA and New York DEC document round goby in Lake Ontario. These small fish use hard bottom and are likely to occur near the wreck's lower structure, although individual visibility varies with light and water clarity.
Peter van der SluijsOpen 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.
Seasonal planning reference
Typical monthly conditions
Long-term averages, not a forecast. Actual air and water conditions can change quickly and may vary across the site.Moderate-confidence match — Matched by documented Great Lakes port/area. Air and surface-water values are regional planning averages. No bottom-water line is published because a comparable depth-specific record has not yet been verified.
| Month | Average air | Surface water | Bottom water | Bottom measurement depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26.2°F / -3.2°C | 34.9°F / 1.6°C | No reliable record | — |
| Feb | 27.4°F / -2.6°C | 34.0°F / 1.1°C | No reliable record | — |
| Mar | 35.2°F / 1.8°C | 43.6°F / 6.4°C | No reliable record | — |
| Apr | 46.8°F / 8.2°C | 39.0°F / 3.9°C | No reliable record | — |
| May | 58.8°F / 14.9°C | 44.0°F / 6.7°C | No reliable record | — |
| Jun | 67.6°F / 19.8°C | 56.0°F / 13.3°C | No reliable record | — |
| Jul | 72.3°F / 22.4°C | 69.8°F / 21.0°C | No reliable record | — |
| Aug | 70.7°F / 21.5°C | 72.6°F / 22.6°C | No reliable record | — |
| Sep | 63.6°F / 17.6°C | 68.4°F / 20.2°C | No reliable record | — |
| Oct | 52.2°F / 11.2°C | 59.0°F / 15.0°C | No reliable record | — |
| Nov | 41.5°F / 5.3°C | 50.3°F / 10.2°C | No reliable record | — |
| Dec | 32.0°F / 0.0°C | 44.5°F / 6.9°C | No reliable record | — |
NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — Rochester, NY
1991–2020 climate normalsReview source ↗NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide — East Lake Ontario
Historical monthly station averagesReview source ↗Bottom temperature is never inferred from surface temperature. A blank month means no reliable depth-specific average is available. Data reviewed 2026-08-26.
Why divers know this place
Highlights
Early schooner lost in 1839; deep-water ROV documentation shows a substantially collapsed but historically important wreck.
Shipwreck-only module
The wreck
This section appears only on shipwreck records and brings the vessel, its loss, present condition, access, and responsible wreck-diving considerations into one place.
- Vessel type
- Schooner
Regional context
Located within
Before you arrive
Access notes
Do not treat this as an ordinary dive destination. NOAA places Atlas at the boundary of extreme technical access and outside-diver limits. Expedition planning, legal access and a qualified local team are essential; ROV observation may be the appropriate access method.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Extreme depth, very large decompression obligation, hypoxic trimix requirements, cold, total darkness, limited visibility, entanglement, fragile structure and limited emergency options. This site may be outside safe practical diver limits.
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.