MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Nestled beneath the shimmering surface of Lake Michigan lies a recent discovery that is creating significant waves of its own.
Christopher Thuss, a lifelong Lake Michigan resident, recently stumbled upon a shipwreck that leaves experts searching for answers.
Learn more about the groundbreaking find:
On a seemingly ordinary evening in mid-May, Thuss was using his sonar equipment when it detected an intriguing anomaly beneath the murky depths of the lake.
"I didn't know exactly what I was looking at at first," Thuss said. "I turned over that direction and the whole ship was right there."
This ship was the J.C. Ames, a tugboat measuring 160 feet in length — more than half the size of a football field.
For context, many tugboats typically range from 50 to 100 feet. The size of the J.C. Ames has left researchers looking for answers.
According to Caitlin Zant, Research Coordinator with Wisconsin's Shipwreck Coast, the discovery is unique because of the vessel's substantial size.
"We don’t have any other versions of tugboats that are quite this big," Zant said.
Despite being submerged for nearly a century — unseen since it sank in 1923 — the J.C. Ames’ resting place in just nine feet of water makes it relatively accessible for future exploration and study. Situated between Manitowoc and Two Rivers, it presents an opportunity for researchers eager to unlock the secrets of the tugboat.
"We can understand how it was constructed, why it was built as big as it was, and tell that story," Zant said.
"It’s really exciting to tell my dad," Thuss said. "I think it’s super cool that my name is in the books as someone who found one of the shipwrecks."
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