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Northerner

A team of four scuba divers explores the wooden shipwreck "Northerner" resting on the murky, green lakebed. They are using yellow guide lines to navigate around the bow and deck of the sunken vessel.

Maritime archaeologists documenting the wreck of Northerner in 2009. Image courtesy of WHS, Maritime Preservation and Archaeology Program.
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Background

Northerner was an American-built schooner built by the well-known shipwright John Oades in Clayton, New York, in 1850. The ship had an overall length of 81.1 feet, a beam of 18.6 feet, a depth hold of 7.6 feet, and a registered tonnage of 77.3 tons. It was constructed with a single deck and had two masts.

Northerner began its career on Lake Ontario, carrying goods to towns along the lake’s American and Canadian shores. Its final years were spent on Lake Michigan, ferrying lumber between small and large ports. 

On November 28, 1868, Northerner’s hull was damaged during loading. While being towed to Milwaukee for repairs the next day, the ship filled with water, capsized, and sank off Port Ulao with a cargo of cordwood in its hold. The ship’s crew were rescued, but the ship itself was abandoned on the lakebed. Today it rests upright and largely intact, 135 feet beneath the surface of Lake Michigan, and is one of many shipwrecks in Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

The bow of the wooden shipwreck "Northerner" is shown resting on a sandy lakebed. A long spar extends forward from the hull. The water is murky green, and a diver with a light is visible in the background.

Northerner‘s bow as seen during a 2021 dive project in Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Image courtesy of John Bright, NOAA.
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Exploration

Originally discovered by divers in the early 1970s, the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Maritime Preservation and Archaeology Program officially recorded the location of Northerner in 2009. The following year, the ship was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an archaeological site. In 2021, divers and maritime archaeologists from NOAA captured imagery for the first 3D photogrammetry model of the Northerner site. The sanctuary installed a permanent mooring system at the site in 2024. The mooring helps prevent anchor and grappling damage from visiting dive boats and enhances public accessibility by making the site easier to locate and safer to dive.

In 2025, maritime archaeologists and engineers supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration revisited the wreck during the Exploring Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary at Scale project. They reimaged the site while testing new technology and techniques for exploring deepwater shipwrecks, including a Saab Sabertooth hybrid autonomous underwater vehicle/remotely operated vehicle equipped with a Voyis Observer Pro imaging system.

Modeling

The Exploring Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary at Scale team collected 1,670 still images of Northerner. Images were stitched together in Agisoft Metashape and uploaded to Construkted Reality.

Photogrammetry model of Northerner developed by Hibbard Inshore. Model courtesy of Hibbard Inshore/NOAA.
The image depicts an overhead view of a sunken ship lying on the ocean floor. The ship is oriented from bow to stern, with the bow on the left side of the image. The vessel appears to be largely intact, with major features clearly visible. At the front, the bow is rounded, and a long mast protrudes diagonally upward. The ship's deck is heavily weathered and encrusted with marine growth, displaying a muted mix of green and brown tones. Several large rectangular openings are visible on the deck, likely leading to the ship's interior. The hull is mostly intact, with the stern on the right side of the image, also rounded. The surrounding ocean floor is dark, with a texture resembling sand or silt, shaded in gradients of blue and green.
Northerner Plan View

Plan view of Northerner. Model courtesy of Hibbard Inshore/NOAA.
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The image depicts a digital 3D rendering of an underwater shipwreck, viewed from an elevated perspective. The shipwreck is a large, elongated structure lying horizontally on the seabed, with visible erosion and damage. The hull and sides of the ship are mostly intact, though parts are eroded, revealing the internal compartments with visible beams and structures. The bow is pointed, and the stern rises slightly at the end. There are two prominent masts lying across the deck. The seabed surrounding the ship is uneven and has a mix of muted colors, including shades of blue and green. The overall tone of the image is dark, with the shipwreck being the focal point.
View of Northerner from Starboard Bow

View from the starboard bow of Northerner. Model courtesy of Hibbard Inshore/NOAA.
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Site Data
Site Name Northerner
Type Shipwreck
Date Vessel Built March 12, 1850
Date Vessel Sank November 29, 1868
Hull Material Wood
Official Number 18176
Location Lake Michigan
Depth 135 feet
Vessel Length 81.1 feet
Vessel Beam 18.6 feet
Dive Data
Expedition Number n/a
Expedition Name Exploring Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary at Scale
HROV Dive Number 1
HROV Dive Date August 4, 2025
HROV Used Saab Sabertooth hybrid autonomous underwater vehicle/remotely operated vehicle
Camera Information Voyis Observer Pro imaging system
Video or Stills Stills
Model Data
Software Agisoft Metashape
Number of Images Used/Format 1,670/JPG
Orthomosaic Views Available No
Images Available No
Animations Available No
Available File Exports/Location/POC archaeology.oceanexploration@noaa.gov
Published December 18, 2025