Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Nora
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1869
- Builder: Unknown
- Dimensions: Not recorded (likely under 100 ft / 30 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Not recorded
- Depth at Wreck Site: 91 m / 300 ft
- Location: ~16 miles southeast of Sheboygan, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: Not recorded
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Original Owners: Not recorded
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Nora was a small wooden schooner launched in 1869 and enrolled at Milwaukee that July.
She was typical of numerous compact stone and lumber carriers of the late 1860s — shallow-drafted, efficient, and often measuring under 100 ft (30 m) in length.
Such vessels were workhorses in near-shore and cross-lake bulk trade.
Description
The Nora entered service in 1869, trading across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to Michigan ports.
On her maiden commercial voyage, she carried a cargo of stone from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Muskegon, Michigan.
History
On October 28, 1869, while in transit ~16 miles southeast of Sheboygan, Nora collided in fog or poor visibility with the much larger upbound schooner Sweepstakes.
The impact locked the vessels together long enough for the Nora’s crew to transfer themselves and their belongings aboard Sweepstakes.
Approximately 45 minutes after the collision, the Nora sank into 300 ft (91 m) of water.
Significant Incidents
- October 28, 1869: Collision with schooner Sweepstakes leading to sinking.
Final Disposition
Depth: Approx. 300 ft (91 m)
Status: Wreck not yet located or confirmed
Cause of Loss: Collision with schooner Sweepstakes
Salvage: None — vessel a total loss
The Nora has not been rediscovered by modern sonar or dive survey and remains unlocated in deep Lake Michigan waters.
If found, the wreck would represent an extremely well-preserved example due to its depth and cold freshwater environment.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Conditions: Deep cold freshwater; very limited access
Depth Range: ~300 ft (91 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Sector Lake Michigan / Wisconsin DNR
Permits: Required for archaeological work
Dive Support: Not applicable — wreck not yet located
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”nora-1869″ title=”References & Links”]
The Nora (built 1869, sank October 28, 1869) was a newly built schooner that was lost after colliding with the larger Sweepstakes southeast of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Her crew survived, transferring safely before the vessel foundered.
The wreck lies in ~300 ft of water and remains undiscovered.
Further archival research in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Racine newspapers of late October 1869, along with NOAA sonar data, may yield additional details and potentially the wreck site itself.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Identification & Site Information
Registry: United States
Official Number: Not recorded
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
Builder: Unknown
Year Built: 1869
Enrollment: Enrolled at Milwaukee, July 22, 1869
Dimensions: Not recorded (likely under 100 ft / 30 m typical for small schooners of the period)
Tonnage: Not recorded
Cargo on Final Voyage: Stone
Date of Loss: October 28, 1869
Location: ~16 miles southeast of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
Coordinates: Not recorded
Depth of Wreck: Approx. 300 ft (91 m)
Home Port: Milwaukee, Wisconsin (enrollment port)
Owners: Not recorded
Crew: Not specified (all survived)
Casualties: None
Vessel Type Description
The Nora was a small wooden schooner launched in 1869 and enrolled at Milwaukee that July.
She was typical of numerous compact stone and lumber carriers of the late 1860s — shallow-drafted, efficient, and often measuring under 100 ft (30 m) in length.
Such vessels were workhorses in near-shore and cross-lake bulk trade.
History
The Nora entered service in 1869, trading across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to Michigan ports.
On her maiden commercial voyage, she carried a cargo of stone from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Muskegon, Michigan.
Final Voyage and Loss
On October 28, 1869, while in transit ~16 miles southeast of Sheboygan, Nora collided in fog or poor visibility with the much larger upbound schooner Sweepstakes.
The impact locked the vessels together long enough for the Nora’s crew to transfer themselves and their belongings aboard Sweepstakes.
Approximately 45 minutes after the collision, the Nora sank into 300 ft (91 m) of water.
Final Disposition
Depth: Approx. 300 ft (91 m)
Status: Wreck not yet located or confirmed
Cause of Loss: Collision with schooner Sweepstakes
Salvage: None — vessel a total loss
The Nora has not been rediscovered by modern sonar or dive survey and remains unlocated in deep Lake Michigan waters.
If found, the wreck would represent an extremely well-preserved example due to its depth and cold freshwater environment.
Crew & Rescue
The Nora’s crew escaped without fatalities.
All hands and personal effects were transferred to the Sweepstakes, and later transported to Racine aboard the schooner N.C. Ford.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck of the Nora has not been located.
Its approximate position southeast of Sheboygan places it in >300 ft depths, requiring remote-operated vehicle (ROV) or sonar survey to confirm.
Notmars & Advisories
None currently issued.
The wreck lies beyond recreational diving limits, requiring advanced technical or ROV survey capability.
Dive Information
Conditions: Deep cold freshwater; very limited access
Depth Range: ~300 ft (91 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Sector Lake Michigan / Wisconsin DNR
Permits: Required for archaeological work
Dive Support: Not applicable — wreck not yet located
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks (WHS)
- David Swayze’s Great Lakes Shipwreck File
- BGSU Historical Collections of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America – 1869 Newspapers
Summary
The Nora (built 1869, sank October 28, 1869) was a newly built schooner that was lost after colliding with the larger Sweepstakes southeast of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Her crew survived, transferring safely before the vessel foundered.
The wreck lies in ~300 ft of water and remains undiscovered.
Further archival research in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Racine newspapers of late October 1869, along with NOAA sonar data, may yield additional details and potentially the wreck site itself.
NOAA Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: Not recorded
Coordinates: Approx. 16 mi SE of Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Depth: ~300 ft (91 m)
Location Description: Offshore, Lake Michigan
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: Unknown (likely under 100 ft)
Condition: Presumed intact in deep water; unlocated
Cause of Loss: Collision with schooner Sweepstakes
Discovery Date: Not discovered
Discovered By: Not applicable
Method: Historical record only
Legal Notes: Registry struck 1869; no salvage
Hazards: None at surface
Permits Required: Required for archaeological recovery