NBM Dive Site Resource
Fireboat No. 23
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Historic fireboat wreck off Milwaukee listed as a recreational Lake Michigan dive site.
Save this dive site to your free member profile.
Original NBM Artwork
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.
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieuNOAA reports smallmouth bass as a dominant fish using warmer nearshore Great Lakes wreck and reef habitat in summer. Sightings vary with season and water conditions.
Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Rock Bass
Ambloplites rupestrisNOAA reports rock bass as a dominant fish using warmer nearshore Great Lakes wreck and reef habitat in summer. Divers may find them close to protected sections of the wreck.
Sam Stukel/USFWSOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Round Goby
Neogobius melanostomusNOAA documents round goby as a benthic, structure-oriented fish that can nest among rocks, shipwrecks, and other underwater structure. Look along the lower wreck and lakebed.
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 and recreational depth. Air and surface values are regional planning averages; bottom values use the nearby 59.1 ft Atwater sensor and are not wreck measurements.
| Month | Average air | Surface water | Bottom water | Bottom measurement depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24.0°F / -4.4°C | 35.2°F / 1.8°C | No reliable record | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Feb | 27.1°F / -2.7°C | 36.6°F / 2.6°C | No reliable record | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Mar | 36.4°F / 2.4°C | 37.8°F / 3.2°C | No reliable record | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Apr | 46.3°F / 7.9°C | 38.3°F / 3.5°C | 41.8°F / 5.4°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| May | 57.1°F / 13.9°C | 42.5°F / 5.8°C | 45.8°F / 7.7°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Jun | 67.6°F / 19.8°C | 53.7°F / 12.1°C | 46.8°F / 8.2°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Jul | 73.3°F / 22.9°C | 68.2°F / 20.1°C | 50.3°F / 10.2°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Aug | 72.3°F / 22.4°C | 72.2°F / 22.3°C | 56.6°F / 13.7°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Sep | 65.0°F / 18.3°C | 68.4°F / 20.2°C | 56.5°F / 13.6°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Oct | 53.0°F / 11.7°C | 58.5°F / 14.7°C | 55.6°F / 13.1°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Nov | 40.4°F / 4.7°C | 49.0°F / 9.4°C | 46.7°F / 8.2°C | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
| Dec | 29.5°F / -1.4°C | 43.7°F / 6.5°C | No reliable record | 59.1 ft / 18.0 m |
Wisconsin State Climatology Office — Milwaukee Climate Data
1991–2020 climate normalsReview source ↗NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide — Station 45007
Historical monthly station averagesReview source ↗GLOS / UWM Atwater 20-meter buoy — 18 m sensor
2022–2025 available observations59.1 ft / 18.0 m measurement depthReview 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
Historic working fireboat and Great Lakes maritime heritage.
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
- Wooden municipal fireboat
- Year built
- 1896
- Year sunk
- 1923
- Vessel length
- 110.5 ft
- Cause of loss
- Retired, stripped, burned and deliberately sunk
- Wreck orientation
- Upright hull remains
- Present condition
- Collapsed sides and stern expose the boiler, shaft and propeller.
- Penetration guidance
- Interior spaces are overhead environments. Entry requires appropriate wreck training, equipment and a planned exit; depth alone does not establish suitability.
History and significance
Built at Sturgeon Bay as August F. Janssen, this Milwaukee fireboat entered service in 1897 and became M.F.D. 23 in 1901. Replacement by Torrent led to stripping in 1922 and disposal offshore the following year. Divers discovered the remains in 2005.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Before you arrive
Access notes
Boat-access site; verify coordinates, current mooring and charter availability before diving.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Cold water, variable visibility, boat traffic, entanglement and overhead/penetration hazards.
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.