NBM Dive Site Resource
Cody's Barge #135
Chicago–Indiana offshore waters, Illinois, United States
An unidentified riveted-steel barge discovered in 2023 and now offered as a deep southern Lake Michigan wreck dive from Hammond Marina.
Save this dive site to your free member profile.
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 namaycushCody's Barge sits upright in 115 feet of southern Lake Michigan water. Michigan DNR monitors lake trout in deep and nearshore lakewide surveys, so a passing fish around this cold wreck is plausible.
Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Lake Whitefish
Coregonus clupeaformisLake whitefish are a focus of Lake Michigan adult-fish monitoring and use cool bottom habitat. Divers may see one crossing the wreck or adjacent lakebed.
Seb951Open Aquatic Life Profile →
Burbot
Lota lotaBurbot are included in Michigan DNR's Lake Michigan adult-fish survey focus. At 115 feet, look near shaded beams and the bottom without disturbing the wreck.
USFWS Mountain-PrairieOpen 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
Upright 115-foot barge, heavy interior framing, two large drums and the visible number 135.
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
- Unidentified riveted-steel box barge
- Vessel length
- 115 ft
- Wreck orientation
- Upright
- Present condition
- Gutted steel box with heavy crossbeams, columns and two large drums
- Penetration guidance
- Depth and interior structure require conservative planning; any entry is an overhead dive requiring appropriate training
History and significance
Cody Padlo found the wreck as a sonar target while returning from the Thomas Hume.
Before you arrive
Access notes
The exact site position is not publicly listed. Book through the operator and confirm certification, recent cold-water experience, gas plan, conditions and departure details.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Technical depth, cold water, changing visibility, boat traffic, entanglement and unstable or unidentified wreck structure.
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.