Dive in John Richard Steele (1926-2016) “King of the Wreck Hunters” John Steele was a renowned shipwreck explorer, particularly known for his discoveries in the Great Lakes. John was one of the earliest Great Lakes divers and the Great Lake’s first shipwreck hunter. Starting in the mid-1950s, John and his teams found over 35 shipwrecks, contributing significantly to underwater archaeology and maritime history. One of his notable finds in the WSCNMS was the steam screw SELAH CHAMBERLAIN. which sank in 1886 off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. John lived most of his life in Waukegan, Illinois, as a banker in the family business, The First National Bank of Waukegan, which was established in 1852. John’s passion was scuba diving on sunken shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. His work has helped preserve and document these submerged relics, allowing divers and historians to explore and learn from them. If you’re interested, there’s a tribute video about his life and discoveries here. John was cremated after his death in 2016 at age 90 and his ashes will reside forever on the bottom of Lake Michigan according to his wishes.