You can find the Noquebay in 8 to 12 feet of water in Julian Bay, on the eastern side of Stockton Island, near Bayfield, Wisconsin. ( LORAN : 32351.3, 46184.6; GPS : N 46° 55.568', W 90° 32.717'). The Noquebay is number six on our map of the Apostle Islands . 

Underwater visibility at the site varies from 30 to more than 50 feet, depending on the weather. Water temperature in the summer ranges from 50 to 65°F.

The site is accessible to boaters, snorkelers, and scuba divers. Snorkelers can easily visit this site, starting from boat or shore. The wreck is safe even for inexperienced divers. Its excellent visibility makes it popular with underwater photographers. Although the Noquebay gets hit by heavy surge, and breaking waves from winter storms coming out of the east and northeast, summer storms usually come from the west and southwest and do not affect the site.

The Noquebay lies broken and scattered just offshore on a coarse sand bottom. The wreckage field is approximately 230 feet long in a north-south direction, and nearly 125 feet wide. The site covers 28,750 square feet -- nearly two-thirds of an acre. You can see large sections of the hull , including 154 feet of the hull's bottom. The bow has broken away and lies with its port side up, largely buried in the sand. Many small artifacts are scattered in this area, including nails, a cast-iron pot, pipes and fittings , tackle blocks , wire rope, a wood auger, a mooring bitt , jib , and a boiler grate. You can also see coal and small pieces of burned wood. There are three major pieces of machinery at the site: A donkey boiler lies near the bow, pieces of a windlass are nearby, and the ship's steering wheel, partially exposed, lies east of the stern . Unfortunately, the rim of the wheel has been cracked and bent, reportedly due to a dragged anchor from a modern powerboat.

continued