NBM Dive Site Resource
Cornelia B. Windiate
Offshore Lake Huron, Michigan, United States
TECHNICAL DIVE ONLY — Cornelia B. Windiate is a Lake Huron shipwreck documented by NOAA at 180 ft / 55 m. This depth exceeds recreational limits and requires appropriate technical and decompression training.
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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 namaycushNOAA places the intact Cornelia B. Windiate in about 180 feet of cold Lake Huron water and identifies lake trout as part of the sanctuary fish community. A passing fish may circle above or beside the wreck.
Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Lake Whitefish
Coregonus clupeaformisLake whitefish are documented in Lake Huron by NOAA and favor cool, bottom-oriented habitat. Divers may see one moving across the wreck or adjacent lakebed.
Seb951Open Aquatic Life Profile →
Burbot
Lota lotaNOAA notes that burbot often appear at deeper Lake Huron shipwrecks. Look near shaded lower structure and the bottom without entering or 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.Published reference location
Location map
The marker shows the public coordinates associated with this profile. Confirm current access, moorings, and departure details before the dive.Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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
NOAA-documented Great Lakes wreck: Sail: wooden three-masted schooner; 138 Feet.
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
- Sail: wooden three-masted schooner
- Vessel length
- 138 Feet
History and significance
In late November 1875, the 139-foot Cornelia B. Windiate , designed to carry 16,000 bushels of wheat, left Milwaukee, Wisconsin with 21,000 bushels. The crew of nine battled extreme cold and high winds as they sailed toward Buffalo, New York. The Cornelia B. Windiate ’s final moments are a mystery. Spray from huge waves may have coated it with layers of ice, adding a crushing weight to the overloaded ship. Handling the vessel likely became difficult and then impossible. The ship and crew vanished off Presque Isle. Until divers found the wreck in 1986, few believed the Cornelia B. Windiate ever made it to Lake Huron. Sitting upright in 185 feet of water, the ship is frozen in time by cold, fresh water. With its masts still standing and the crew’s lifeboat resting silently nearby, the Cornelia B. Windiate is a dramatic reminder of the dangers of late season travel on the Great Lakes.
Before you arrive
Access notes
Technical dive only. Confirm current conditions, mooring status, gas plan, decompression plan and operator requirements before departure. NOAA coordinates are reference points, not navigation instructions.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Depth beyond recreational limits, decompression obligations, cold water, limited light, changing visibility, entanglement and possible wreck overheads. Penetration requires separate wreck-penetration training and 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.