Salvage efforts began almost immediately with the tug SS Coe of Milwaukee carrying the Chicago diver Peter Falcon to the site. It was thought, by the angle of the exposed portion of the mast , that the stern of the ship remained buoyant . The salvage team thought that the schooner would rise to the surface if the anchors and chain were removed. Falcon dove to remove them, and the efforts nearly cost him his life. While he was working in 106 feet of water, his air pump apparently failed. After giving a "despairing tug at the rope," he was pulled unconscious from the lake.

A Great Lakes salvage crew from about the time of the Hetty Taylor.  The large box is an air pump. (Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.)

The Coe 's efforts failed, and she was replaced by the tug J.J. Hagerman . The Hagerman 's crew persisted in their efforts for several more days but abandoned the job after they too had diver trouble.

Two Door County-based tugs, Leatham and Tilson , also tried their luck, but they managed only to pull out a mast.

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