NBM Dive Site Resource
Niagara
Port Washington, Wisconsin, United States
Sidewheel steamer wreck near Port Washington within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
Save this dive site to your free member profile.
Historic Photograph
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 using warmer nearshore Great Lakes wreck and reef habitat in summer. Niagara lies in approximately 55 to 60 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 using warmer nearshore Great Lakes wreck and reef habitat in summer. Divers may find them around the broken wooden hull, machinery, and boilers.
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 wreckage and the adjacent 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. 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
Early sidewheel-steamer remains and Great Lakes passenger 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 sidewheel passenger steamer
- Year built
- 1845–1846 (construction and launch)
- Year sunk
- 1856
- Cause of loss
- Fire, September 24, 1856
- Wreck orientation
- Broken hull on the lakebed
- Present condition
- Aft hull, engine, walking beam, boilers and paddlewheel parts remain.
- 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
Niagara served passenger and freight routes linking Great Lakes ports, including Buffalo and Chicago. Fire offshore of Wisconsin forced an evacuation and caused substantial loss of life. The initiating cause remains uncertain. The surviving machinery records early large paddle-steamer engineering.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Aquatic Adventures identifies Len-Der for Port Washington trips to this wreck; confirm the current date.
Open boat profile →Port WashingtonMolly 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 →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, variable visibility, fragile wreckage, 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.