NBM Dive Site Resource
Helvetia
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States
TECHNICAL DIVE ONLY — Wooden schooner wreck near Sheboygan at technical-diving depth.
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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 namaycushThis wreck lies in 155 to 165 feet of Lake Michigan water. NOAA identifies lake trout in Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast waters and notes that wreck structures provide foraging habitat for predatory fish. Sightings remain season- and condition-dependent.
Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Burbot
Lota lotaNOAA reports that burbot often appear at deeper Great Lakes shipwrecks. Divers should treat this as a possible rather than assured encounter at the 165-foot Helvetia site.
USFWS Mountain-PrairieOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Round Goby
Neogobius melanostomusNOAA identifies round goby among Lake Michigan bottom-habitat fishes. Look low on the wreck and adjoining lakebed, while recognizing that depth and conditions affect visibility.
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 | 24.0°F / -4.4°C | 35.2°F / 1.8°C | No reliable record | — |
| Feb | 27.1°F / -2.7°C | 36.6°F / 2.6°C | No reliable record | — |
| Mar | 36.4°F / 2.4°C | 37.8°F / 3.2°C | No reliable record | — |
| Apr | 46.3°F / 7.9°C | 38.3°F / 3.5°C | No reliable record | — |
| May | 57.1°F / 13.9°C | 42.5°F / 5.8°C | No reliable record | — |
| Jun | 67.6°F / 19.8°C | 53.7°F / 12.1°C | No reliable record | — |
| Jul | 73.3°F / 22.9°C | 68.2°F / 20.1°C | No reliable record | — |
| Aug | 72.3°F / 22.4°C | 72.2°F / 22.3°C | No reliable record | — |
| Sep | 65.0°F / 18.3°C | 68.4°F / 20.2°C | No reliable record | — |
| Oct | 53.0°F / 11.7°C | 58.5°F / 14.7°C | No reliable record | — |
| Nov | 40.4°F / 4.7°C | 49.0°F / 9.4°C | No reliable record | — |
| Dec | 29.5°F / -1.4°C | 43.7°F / 6.5°C | No reliable record | — |
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 ↗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
Preserved schooner remains within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast sanctuary.
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 three-masted schooner
- Year built
- 1873
- Year sunk
- 1921
- Vessel length
- 204 ft
- Cause of loss
- Abandoned and burned, September 10, 1921
- Present condition
- Wooden sailing-vessel remains at technical depth.
- 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 by F. N. Jones at Tonawanda, New York, Helvetia was a large Great Lakes sailing vessel. After retirement, it was deliberately burned and sank northeast of Sheboygan. The operator's account reports no fatalities or cargo aboard at disposal.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Regional context
Located within
Before you arrive
Access notes
Boat-access sanctuary site; verify current mooring and charter availability.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Cold water, technical depth, decompression obligation, fragile structure and entanglement 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.