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ShipwreckFreshwaterTechnical DiveSource Checked

NBM Dive Site Resource

Bud's Steamer

Chicago–Indiana offshore waters, Illinois, United States

TECHNICAL DIVE ONLY — Bud's Steamer is an unidentified southern Lake Michigan wreck resting in approximately 163 ft / 50 m. Its depth exceeds standard recreational limits and requires technical and decompression training.

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Historic Picture Placeholder

Old-fashioned maritime line drawing reserved for a future historic photograph
Historic Picture PlaceholderHistoric photograph pending research and rights review
WaterFreshwater
AccessAccess details pending
ExperienceTechnical dive only — decompression and cold-water wreck training required
Maximum depthApproximately 163 ft / 50 m
Best seasonSeasonal details pending
VisibilityVisibility varies

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 namaycush) — photograph
Likely deep cold-water encounter

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

Bud's Steamer lies in about 163 feet of southern Lake Michigan water. Lake trout use the lake's deep, cold habitat and may pass the wreck or adjacent bottom.

Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) — photograph
Possible deep-water encounter

Lake Whitefish

Coregonus clupeaformis

Lake whitefish are established in Lake Michigan and use cool offshore water. Divers may encounter one near the bottom around Bud's Steamer, with season and visibility affecting sightings.

Seb951

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Burbot (Lota lota) — photograph
Possible bottom-associated encounter

Burbot

Lota lota

Burbot favor cold, deep water and structure. Look close to the bottom and shaded wreck features while treating any encounter as condition-dependent.

USFWS Mountain-Prairie

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Site media

Photographs

Three views rotate from the published gallery on each visit.
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending

Contributor media

Dive videos

Three featured video positions are reserved on every profile.
Dive-site video pending
Dive-site video pending
Dive-site video pending

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.
Automatically checked
No recent diver reports from the past 14 days

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.

Diver field observation

Report temperatures

Reports publish automatically when the date, depths, and temperatures pass the checks. You must be signed in to submit.

Depth readings

Why divers know this place

Highlights

Unidentified steamer separated into bow and stern sections by roughly 30 ft of lakebed; exterior exploration only according to the current operator profile.

Before you arrive

Access notes

Offshore boat dive currently offered from the Hammond Marina area. Use an experienced technical operator and independently verify current access, site conditions, gas and decompression support. Coordinates are intentionally omitted.

Plan within your training

Conditions and hazards

Depth, decompression obligations, cold water, darkness or limited visibility, offshore exposure, entanglement, debris and heavily collapsed structure. The operator reports no penetrable features.

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.