GLSA & WUAA SELF-SUPPORTING SUMMER FIELDWORK:
2026 UNIDENTIFIED STEAM TUG SURVEY PROJECT
Report by: Peter Kastella
Fieldwork Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Meeting Place: Jerry’s Silo Marina
Meeting Time: Arrival 4:00 PM Departure 5:00 PM
Survey Team Members Attending: John Tindall
Volunteers Attending:
John Tindall, Peter Kastella, Richard Tessell and Joe Schuller,divers, Bob Lijewski surface support
Volunteers in waiting should someone cancel.
A number of volunteers were on the call list
Vessels Being Used: Sandy Ann
Objectives for the Survey:
Set the centerline, measure the total length of the wreck and the length of the exposed keelson
Teams:
Team 1 John and Pete set centerline
Team 2 Richard and Joe, measure the wreck
Equipment Needed:
Team 1 – two rebar stakes, stake pounder, line
Team 2 – 100-foot tape reel
Future dates for the next dive: July 30
Review of the dive and findings:
After three weeks of no dives due to various reasons, including heavy wildfire smoke, we were able to get back out on the big lake to begin survey work on the unidentified steam vessel. The weather was cooperative with air temperatures in the mid-70s. The wind was out of the ESE with waves around 1 to 2 feet. As a result, the Sandy Ann was moored to the wreck site by the bow, which made entering and exiting the water easier on the divers. A line was laid from the stern to the bow to make it easier for the divers to reach the mooring buoy before descending the 45-feet to the wreck. The water temperature has warmed up from 42 degrees in late June to 63 degrees today. Visibility was poor, less than 15-feet and the bottom was easily disturbed. Joe Schuller rejoined the survey crew and was making his first dive on the wreck. He partnered with Richard and the pair was tasked with measuring the site. John and Pete were tasked with deciding on a datum point and laying the center line. All tasks were completed successfully. Joe and Richard report the length of the wreck site is just over 47-feet. The exposed area of the keelson is around 23-feet. The centerline is in place. We ended the night with the “deco session” discussed the plans for the next dive when we will begin the survey by measuring and sketching individual parts of the wreck.
The one tank dives are limited to six divers, with a minimum of five needed to pay for the charter. You can earn a guaranteed spot on a future charter if you serve as surface support for a week. Surface support does not pay a fee. Anyone interested in joining the self-supporting study should contact John to make sure there is space available. You are required to bring your own dive gear.
The Steam Tug Field Project is a GLSA & WUAA self-supporting project. Money received from divers, after paying the charter fees, is used to purchase new and replacement equipment for this and future self-supported projects on Great Lakes shipwrecks. Dive reports are posted at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069646586530
“Preservation Through Documentation” ©Kimm A Stabelfeldt
For those of you who have not paid your annual dues for the WUAA group or need to join the group please go to the web site and do so. https://wuaa.org/index.php/store/WUAA-Yearly-Membership-p447692900