NBM Dive Site Resource
Norlond
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Wooden package-freighter steamship wreck south of Milwaukee, now an open skeletal site with machinery and cargo remnants.
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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. Norlond rests in 58 to 60 feet of water; sightings remain season- and condition-dependent.
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 near the exposed framing, boiler, and other protected 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 Norlond's low wreckage and sand-and-mud bottom.
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.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.
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.High-confidence match — The wreck is approximately 9 miles from the Atwater station and its 58–60 ft depth nearly matches the 59 ft reference sensor.
| 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 2026-08-25.
Why divers know this place
Highlights
Exposed keel and frames, boiler, propeller, driveshaft and scattered cargo.
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 package-freight steamer
- Year built
- 1890
- Year sunk
- 1922
- Vessel length
- 153 ft after lengthening
- Cause of loss
- Uncontrolled hull flooding, November 13, 1922
- Wreck orientation
- Upright, collapsed hull
- Present condition
- Exposed framing, boiler, propeller and shaft 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
Built at Manitowoc as Eugene C. Hart, this freight steamer was lengthened in 1893 and renamed Norlond in 1919. Hull leaks worsened on a Chicago-to-Milwaukee voyage after sheltering at Racine. The crew escaped in lifeboats. Salvage removed the engine and much of the cargo; John Steele relocated the wreck in 1959.
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
Approximately 5.8 miles south-southeast of Milwaukee; confirm current charter schedule and mooring status.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Cold water, variable visibility, fragile wreckage, 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.