NBM Dive Site Resource
L.R. Doty
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
EXTREME TECHNICAL DIVE ONLY — Large wooden steamer wreck off Milwaukee at expedition-level depth.
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Historic Photograph
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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 namaycushThe L.R. Doty lies in 300 to 320 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. The 320-foot depth makes this a plausible cold-water encounter, never a guaranteed one.
USFWS Mountain-PrairieOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Round Goby
Neogobius melanostomusNOAA identifies round goby among Lake Michigan bottom-habitat fishes. Divers may encounter them on hard structure or the lakebed, although the L.R. Doty depth makes direct sightings condition-dependent.
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
Large deep-water wooden steamer preserved below wave action.
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 bulk-freight steamer
- Year built
- 1893
- Year sunk
- 1898
- Vessel length
- 291 ft
- Cause of loss
- Storm, October 25, 1898
- Present condition
- Deep-water preserved wooden freighter.
- 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. W. Wheeler at West Bay City, Michigan, L.R. Doty was carrying corn when a Lake Michigan storm claimed the vessel off the Milwaukee area. Seventeen people were lost. Its very deep location makes it an expedition for appropriately equipped technical divers.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Before you arrive
Access notes
Special expedition access only; confirm logistics, permits if applicable and current site conditions.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Extreme depth, hypothermia, major decompression obligation, gas-planning, entanglement and overhead hazards. Depth creates decompression obligations; cold water, darkness or limited visibility, entanglement and overhead wreckage require site-specific technical 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.