NBM Dive Site Resource
Prins Willem V
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Steel motor package freighter wreck east of Milwaukee, lying on its starboard side with substantial structure and machinery visible.
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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 dolomieuPrins Willem V spans roughly 55 to 90 feet in Lake Michigan. NOAA reports that smallmouth bass use warmer nearshore Great Lakes wreck and reef habitat in summer; sightings still depend on 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 intact hull, openings, and clay wall at Prins Willem V.
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 the lower hull and adjoining 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.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.Moderate-confidence match — The wreck is approximately 5.4 miles from the Atwater station. Its 55–90 ft range includes the 59 ft reference depth, but deeper portions may be colder.
| 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
Intact freighter structure, machinery, cargo holds, mast, pilothouse and stern lettering.
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
- Steel motor freighter
- Year built
- Construction began in 1939; completed after World War II
- Year sunk
- 1954
- Vessel length
- 258 ft
- Cause of loss
- Collision with a barge tow cable, October 14, 1954
- Wreck orientation
- Starboard side
- Present condition
- Hull, pilothouse, mast and cargo spaces survive.
- 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
Ordered before World War II, the unfinished hull was sunk during the war and later raised and completed. The ship carried freight between Europe and the Great Lakes. All 30 crew survived the Milwaukee sinking. Diver Max Gene Nohl later acquired the wreck during an obstruction-removal contract, but attempts to raise the vessel did not succeed.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Shipwreck 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 →AJ Dive Charters dock, Milwaukee RiverSarah Jane — Milwaukee-area Lake Michigan Dive CharterAJ Dive ChartersPublished in the operator's current Milwaukee-area wreck catalog; confirm the 2026 schedule.
Open boat profile →318 S. Water Street, MilwaukeeLen-Der — Milwaukee and southeast Wisconsin Dive CharterLen-Der Charters / Pirates Cove DivingPublished on the Len-Der Milwaukee wreck map and current charter page; confirm the scheduled date.
Open boat profile →Before you arrive
Access notes
Approximately 4.6 miles east of Milwaukee; confirm current charter schedule and mooring status.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Cold water, variable visibility, boat traffic, entanglement and overhead/penetration hazards; depth-appropriate training required.
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.