Dive in Gordon Kent Bellrichard Kent Bellrichard was a Milwaukee-based scuba diver who made a historic discovery in 1971. While searching for the steam screw VERNON, which sank in 1887, Bellrichard instead found the wreck of the schooner ROUSE SIMMONS, the legendary Christmas Tree Ship that disappeared in a storm in 1912 near Two Rivers, Wisconsin. The ROUSE SIMMONS was famous for delivering Christmas trees to Chicago, earning its captain, Herman Schuenemann, the nickname “Captain Santa”. Bellrichard’s discovery solved a decades-old mystery and preserved an important piece of Great Lakes maritime history. Beyond this famous find, Bellrichard was known for his dedication to underwater exploration and shipwreck preservation. He worked with local historians and maritime experts to document his discoveries and contributed to the growing knowledge of Great Lakes shipwrecks.