Wisconsin Shipwreck: 268 Cars Remain in Lake Michigan Wreck

Wisconsin – A historic Lake Michigan shipwreck containing hundreds of Wisconsin-built automobiles is getting a new look through advanced underwater technology tested this summer in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

According to NOAA Ocean Exploration, a team of maritime archaeologists and engineers returned to the sanctuary in July to explore and document the wreck of the historically significant steamer Senator.

Researchers used a hybrid autonomous underwater vehicle and remotely operated vehicle equipped with acoustic imaging and laser-scanning sensors. The technology allowed the team to examine the deep-water wreck while also testing new methods for future shipwreck research.

One of the most striking features still visible inside the Senator is its cargo. NOAA said 268 Wisconsin-built Nash automobiles remain inside the vessel’s hull, offering a rare underwater snapshot of the state’s automotive and maritime history.

Images released by NOAA show one of the vehicles resting within the wreck, surrounded by sediment and marine growth.

The underwater system used during the project was a Saab Sabertooth, which researchers deployed from the research vessel Laurentian. NOAA said the vehicle’s combination of imaging and scanning equipment helped researchers complete detailed exploration and documentation work around the wreck.

The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory said it supported the summer effort, which focused on nationally significant shipwrecks in the deep waters of the sanctuary.

The project also involved the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Wisconsin Historical Society, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and other research partners.

Researchers said the work is intended both to learn more about the Senator and to improve the technology and techniques used to study difficult-to-reach shipwrecks throughout the Great Lakes.