NBM Dive Site Resource
Lumberman
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Wooden schooner wreck off Milwaukee listed as an accessible recreational Lake Michigan dive.
Save this dive site to your free member profile.
Historic Picture Placeholder
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. Lumberman rests in 58 to 65 feet of water; sightings still vary with season and 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 Lumberman's open wooden structure.
Sam Stukel/USFWSOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Round Goby
Neogobius melanostomusNOAA identifies round goby among Lake Michigan bottom-habitat fishes and as common around Great Lakes hard structure. Look along low wreckage and the sandy 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
Wooden schooner remains and late-19th-century Great Lakes sailing history.
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
- 1862
- Year sunk
- 1893
- Vessel length
- 127 ft
- Cause of loss
- Capsized in a squall, April 1893
- Wreck orientation
- Upright
- Present condition
- Hull survives with open framing; masts were removed after sinking.
- 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 Blendon's Landing, Michigan, Lumberman transported timber products around Lake Michigan for over thirty years. A squall ended a voyage from Chicago toward Whitefish Bay. The crew took refuge in the exposed rigging and was rescued by Menominee. The spars were subsequently removed as navigation hazards. Divers relocated the wreck in 1983.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Published in the operator's current Milwaukee-area wreck catalog; confirm the 2026 schedule.
Open boat profile →MilwaukeeMolly V — Wisconsin Lake Michigan Dive CharterShipwreck Explorers LLCShipwreck Explorers publishes this wreck on Molly V's Wisconsin destination page and directs divers to its live schedule or charter-booking page.
Open boat profile →Before you arrive
Access notes
Boat-access site; verify current mooring and charter availability.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Cold water, variable visibility, fragile timbers, sharp edges, entanglement and boat traffic.
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.