Best Lake Michigan Shipwrecks to Dive Near Kenosha
Brian Vaccaro Sep 21, 2026
You don't have to drive to Sheboygan or fly to the Caribbean to find real wreck diving. There's a steel steamer with cars still in its cargo hold sitting less than seven miles off our own coastline. Here's what's actually out there, close to home and a bit further up the shore.
Right off our coast: the SS Wisconsin
SS Wisconsin
This is the closest major wreck to home, and it's a genuinely remarkable one. The Wisconsin sailed under several names over her career, including Naomi, E.G. Crosby, and General Robert O'Reilly, before being restored to her original name. On the night of October 29, 1929, she was carrying cargo from Chicago to Milwaukee when a severe northeasterly gale caught her off Kenosha. She went down that morning, and nine crew members were lost.
What makes this wreck stand out for divers: her cargo hold still holds preserved automobiles, including Packard and Auburn-Cord models. Sitting in 100 to 130 feet of water, it's a dive for divers comfortable at depth, ideally with Deep Diver or Advanced certification behind them.
Worth the drive: the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Further up the coast, roughly between Sheboygan and Two Rivers, sits one of the newest and most significant additions to America's National Marine Sanctuary system. Designated in 2021 by NOAA and the state of Wisconsin, the sanctuary protects 962 square miles of Lake Michigan and at least 36 documented historic shipwrecks dating from the 1830s to the 1930s. Researchers believe roughly 60 more may still be undiscovered in the area.
A few of the notable wrecks inside the sanctuary:
Rouse Simmons
Known as the "Christmas Tree Ship," a three-masted schooner that went down in a November storm while hauling Christmas trees to Chicago. One of the most storied wrecks on the Great Lakes.
Niagara
An early Great Lakes passenger steamer that burned to the waterline and went down northeast of Port Washington.
Senator
A deep technical wreck, well beyond recreational limits, for experienced technical divers only.
Advance
A two-masted schooner sitting at a depth accessible to divers with solid deep diving fundamentals.
It's roughly a two-hour drive from Kenosha up to the Sheboygan area, so this isn't a spur-of-the-moment Tuesday dive. But for a weekend wreck diving trip, it's hard to beat having a nationally protected shipwreck sanctuary in-state.
What you need before diving any of these
- Drysuit certification. Lake Michigan is cold at depth even in summer. Starting at $175.
- Deep Diver specialty for anything past standard recreational limits, which covers most of the wrecks above. Starting at $175.
- Wreck Diver specialty, offered as non-penetration or limited-penetration training, for proper technique around wreck structures. Starting at $225.
- For the deeper technical wrecks like the Senator, technical training well beyond recreational certification, and a conversation with an experienced technical instructor first.
Frequently asked questions
Can beginners dive the SS Wisconsin?
At 100-130 feet, this wreck is best suited to divers with Advanced or Deep Diver certification and solid buoyancy control, not a first wreck dive.
How far is the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast Sanctuary from Kenosha?
The sanctuary spans roughly from Sheboygan to Two Rivers, which is about a two-hour drive north of Kenosha. It's a weekend trip destination rather than a local dive.
Do I need special certification to dive shipwrecks?
Recreational wreck diving typically calls for Wreck Diver and Deep Diver specialties depending on the site's depth, plus comfort diving in cold water with a drysuit. Some of the deepest wrecks require technical certification altogether.
Interested in building toward wreck diving? Check out our Wreck Diver specialty or contact Diver Dan's in Kenosha, WI to plan your training path.
