Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Unidentified Tug (aka WHS Tug 3)

This site is an unidentified wooden steam tug, informally known as WHS Tug 3, located in Lake Michigan off the Milwaukee area, Wisconsin. The wreck was documented during a NOAA survey and later photogrammetrically recorded as part of a Wisconsin Historical Society and Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society collaboration.

1. IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

This site is an unidentified wooden steam tug, informally known as WHS Tug 3, located in Lake Michigan off the Milwaukee area, Wisconsin. The wreck was documented during a NOAA survey and later photogrammetrically recorded as part of a Wisconsin Historical Society and Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society collaboration.

The wreck lies in approximately 103 ft (31 m) of water. The site appears to represent a vessel that was sunk or deliberately scuttled, possibly after the end of its service life.

Approximate coordinates: 43° 03.542′ N, 087° 47.888′ W.
Access is limited to appropriately trained technical or advanced recreational divers due to depth.

2. CONSTRUCTION & OWNERSHIP

The vessel is interpreted as a harbor tug of wooden construction.

  • Vessel type: Tug
  • Hull material: Wood
  • Builder: Details not yet confirmed
  • Place of build: Details not yet confirmed
  • Year built: Details not yet confirmed

Measured length on site is approximately 76 ft (23 m). Beam and depth measurements are not yet documented. Ownership history is currently unknown.

3. POWER & MACHINERY

The wreck retains a largely intact steam propulsion system, consistent with late 19th–early 20th century harbor tugs.

  • Engine: Single-expansion steam engine
  • Boiler: Firebox boiler, extant on site
  • Propulsion: Propeller shaft and propeller present

The machinery remains in situ and represents one of the most diagnostic features of the site.

4. SERVICE HISTORY

No confirmed service records have yet been associated with this vessel.

Based on construction and machinery, the tug likely operated in harbor or nearshore service, possibly in support of commercial shipping or industrial operations in the Milwaukee area. Typical duties may have included towing, harbor assistance, or barge handling, but these roles remain unconfirmed.

5. LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES

  • Date of loss: Details not yet confirmed
  • Cause of loss: Likely scuttling, exact circumstances unknown

The condition and arrangement of the wreck suggest deliberate sinking rather than a sudden catastrophic loss, but no documentary evidence has yet been identified.

  • Casualties: None documented

6. DISCOVERY, OUTCOME & LATER HISTORY

The site was identified during a NOAA survey of the Milwaukee area and subsequently documented in detail during the 2025 field season.

A high-resolution 3D photogrammetry model was created from 1,238 images captured at 30 megapixels by Andrew Goodman, with field support from Kendra Kennedy. The project was conducted through a collaboration between the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society (GLSPS), made possible by gift funding from the Racine Lighthouse and Maritime Preservation Society.

The wreck is currently cataloged as unidentified in both WHS and 3DShipwrecks.org databases.

7. WRECK DESCRIPTION & DIVE CONDITIONS

The hull is badly broken, with the bottom of the hull and port side being the most intact sections. Portions of the starboard side are present, along with a curved transom section.

Key features visible on site include:

  • Firebox boiler
  • Single-expansion steam engine
  • Propeller shaft and propeller

The rudder is not visible and may be missing or buried beneath hull debris.

Depth at the site is approximately 103 ft (31 m). Visibility is typical of mid–southern Lake Michigan and may vary seasonally. Divers should be alert for entanglement hazards, sharp timber edges, and fragile structural elements.

No-touch documentation practices are essential. All machinery and hull elements should be left exactly as found. Artifact removal is illegal without permits and contrary to Shotline Diving ethics.

8. REFERENCES & LINKS

For detailed references, survey data, and supporting documents, see the References & Links section on this page.

Shotline Diving Site Profile

Name: Unidentified Tug (aka WHS Tug 3)
Other Names: WHS Tug 3
Official Number: Not recorded
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Tug
Builder: Unknown
Year Built: Unknown
Dimensions: Approx. 76 ft length (23 m)
Hull Material: Wood
Tonnage: Not recorded
Cargo on Final Voyage: None documented
Date of Loss: Unknown
Location: Lake Michigan, off Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 43° 03.542′ N, 087° 47.888′ W
Depth: 103 ft (31 m)
Home Port: Unknown
Owners: Unknown
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: None documented