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Map of Chester A. Congdon Wreck
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Chester A. Congdon Wreck

Michigan, United States
AOW suggestedVery cold water (1-3 C below 50 ft)6–61 m depthBoat entry

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Chester A. Congdon Wreck at a glance

Chester A. Congdon Wreck is a advanced boat dive site in Michigan, United States with depths of 6.1–61 m (20–200 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Lake trout and Burbot. Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Wind model · graded 5h ago
—

Tap a factor for its source and model point

Site hazards: Very cold water (1-3 C below 50 ft) · Extreme remoteness · Deep stern section beyond recreational limits

All 5 hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Sat
Sun7:00–22:00
Mon7:00–22:00
Tue7:00–22:00
Wed7:00–22:00
Thu7:00–22:00
Fri7:00–22:00
Sat7:00–22:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:44 · Sunrise 6:22 · Sunset 21:38

Source: Open-Meteo wind · graded 5h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Best time: June-September; calm, clear days for the exposed Canoe Rocks area.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan40% 15 kn
  2. Feb40% 15 kn
  3. Mar49% 14 kn
  4. Apr44% 15 kn
  5. May59% 13 kn
  6. Jun72% 12 kn
  7. Jul86% 10 kn
  8. Aug76% 12 kn
  9. Sep70% 12 kn
  10. Oct43% 15 kn
  11. Nov32% 16 kn
  12. Dec45% 16 kn

July hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • Lake troutOccasionally seen
  • BurbotOccasionally seen

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Site details

The Chester A. Congdon was a 532-ft steel bulk freighter that ran onto Congdon Shoal at Canoe Rocks in fog in November 1918 and broke apart, becoming one of Lake Superior's first million-dollar losses. The bow section with its intact pilothouse sits upright in roughly 70-110 ft on the south side of the reef, while the intact stern lies on the north side, with wreckage running from near-surface shoal depths down past recreational limits. It is one of the signature dives of Isle Royale National Park, marked by an NPS mooring buoy.

boatwreck

Very cold water (1-3 C below 50 ft) — elevated DCS risk

Extreme remoteness — nearest recompression chambers in Minneapolis and Milwaukee

Rapidly changeable Lake Superior weather over an exposed shoal

Deep stern section beyond recreational limits

Penetration hazards in intact pilothouse and stern (silt, confined passages)

Reviews

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