NBM Dive Site Resource
Northerner
Port Washington, Wisconsin, United States
Intact wooden schooner wreck near Port Washington, noted for its surviving bow figurehead.
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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.
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycushNortherner rests in roughly 110 to 130 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.
Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Burbot
Lota lotaNOAA reports that burbot often appear at deeper Great Lakes shipwrecks. Divers may encounter one close to Northerner's hull or bottom, but sightings are never guaranteed.
USFWS Mountain-PrairieOpen Aquatic Life Profile →
Round Goby
Neogobius melanostomusNOAA identifies round goby among Lake Michigan bottom-habitat fishes. Look along the lower hull, cordwood cargo, and adjoining lakebed while accounting for depth and visibility.
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
Intact schooner structure and distinctive bow figurehead.
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 two-masted schooner
- Year built
- 1850
- Year sunk
- 1868
- Vessel length
- 79 ft
- Cause of loss
- Hull damage and flooding while under tow, November 1868
- Wreck orientation
- Upright
- Present condition
- Hull, bowsprit and deck features survive; a mast lies across the deck.
- 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 Clayton, New York, Northerner worked as a small Great Lakes sailing vessel. It struck bottom while loading wood at Amsterdam, Wisconsin. After unloading part of the cargo at Port Washington, it was taken toward Milwaukee for repairs, but flooded and sank. The towing steamer Cuyahoga rescued the crew.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Aquatic Adventures identifies Len-Der for Port Washington trips to this wreck; advanced qualifications may apply.
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, depth, possible decompression obligation, fragile structure and entanglement hazards.
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.