NBM Dive Site Resource
Kyle Spangler
Offshore Lake Huron, Michigan, United States
TECHNICAL DIVE ONLY — Kyle Spangler 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.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
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 two-masted schooner; 130 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 two-masted schooner
- Vessel length
- 130 feet
History and significance
Kyle Spangler is one of the most intact canal schooners preserved in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It is a stunning shipwreck site to visit. With masts still upright, anchors hanging from the bow, bilge pumps, aft cabin, ship’s wheel, and name plate all still in place, the shipwreck is an amazing example of a mid-19th-century Great Lakes sailing schooner. The only damage on the wreck is the broken bow, a result of the collision that sank the vessel. Kyle Spangler was also one of many Great Lakes vessels that periodically worked on the ocean. In 1859, it left the lakes by way of Buffalo, New York. First arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, the schooner made New York City on September 30. Once back on the lakes, Kyle Spangler resumed carrying bulk cargo with loads of lumber and corn. Less than a year after returning to the lakes, on November 7, 1860, the schooner collided with the schooner Racine off Presque Isle. In less than 10 minutes, Kyle Spangler sank with its cargo of 15,000 bushels of wheat. It was not seen again until its discovery in 2003. The Kyle Spangler is listed on the National Register of Historic Places .
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.