I was out in Milwaukee for the weekend and got a chance to jump on the Len-Der dive charter to visit the Shipwrecks of the Dredge (906 and the shipwreck of the Norland. It was a bit wavy out but the dive was a good and we left the harbor and the break line out about 5 miles to the dredge 906.
PICTURES OF THE DREDGE 906: http://www.len-der.com/shipwreck/wreck/dredge_no_six.php
This is a interesting shipwreck as it is upside down with its keelson stern at around 20ft and the bow keelson at around 70ft. you can follow the haul down or just descend to the wreck for its port or starboard. This is one of my favorite shipwreck sites in Milwaukee because of how the boat is where it lays and the terrain around the dredge, and how it looks when you dive under and inside of it, everything is upside down.
It gives a nice ambient light around the wreck to but under the shipwreck itself and you can enter some of the holds. Frick and frack are inside the holds to greet any intrepid visitor that wishes to go inside the ship. I can only imagine this site to be slowly sinking down into the clay bottom and limiting the dive under deck. The clay bottom is interesting as there clay deposits around and small mounds where fish lay eggs. It’s interesting to see these glacial formations as they look like tiny hills. I looked out into the clay mounds and saw a school of walleye flanking us and keeping their distance which was rather interesting to see happening. We all get back on the Charter boat and put on over to the Shipwreck of the Norland.
This wreck is at about 60ft and pretty broken up at the bottom. It is interesting to dive but reminded me of the Brig Mahoning out in Port Washington. It has become really difficult to find a toy car on the Norland as most of them have been taken but from time to time you can find one of them somewhere out there. The haul is visible and the deck boarding and wench are visible but the interesting part is the dive in the debris field up and down small mounds some clay some rock and occasional artifacts scattered around which was interesting. All in all it was a good dive and I am glad we got a change to dive the Norland
UPDATE: I got on the Norland twice and still haven’t been able to find a toy car that the norland was shipping.