NBM Dive Site Resource
Messenger
Offshore Lake Huron, Michigan, United States
TECHNICAL DIVE ONLY — Messenger is a Lake Huron shipwreck documented by NOAA at 194 ft / 59 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: Motor: steam barge; 136 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
- Motor: steam barge
- Vessel length
- 136 feet
History and significance
“Fire! Fire! Cut the Messenger free!” This was the cry heard when the propeller-driven steam barge Messenger met its end on November 10, 1890. Docked in Rogers City, the 24-year-old steamer awaited departure as the crew finished dinner. Suddenly a massive fire erupted from the smokestack. An inferno, fueled by the cedar posts that filled the steamer’s holds, quickly engulfed the ship as the crew fled to safety. The crew cut Messenger’s lines from the pier to prevent the flames from spreading to the dock and nearby piles of lumber. Safe on shore, they watched Messenger relentlessly burn as it drifted miles out into Lake Huron.The vessel came to rest in 194 feet of water, four miles from the harbor. Not surprisingly, most of the steamer’s upper hull and deck cabins are gone, having burned all the way to the waterline. The lower hull is intact, and divers can easily see signs of the damage caused by the fire. Preserved by Lake Huron’s cold, fresh water, Messenger ’s engine, boilers, anchor, and rudder are highlights for visitors to this shipwreck.
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.