MILWAUKEE — While the identity of an anonymous donor who Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced last week was pledging money to aid in the removal of an abandoned boat along the Lake Michigan shore remains unknown, a second donor has come forth offering to assist the efforts.
Daniel Steininger, President of the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation and grandson of former Milwaukee Mayor Daniel Hoan, says the nonprofit is donating $10,000 in assistance to the removal of “Deep Thought” from the lakefront. The 33-foot Chris Craft Roamer has been stuck in the sand since October 13, 2024, and several attempts have been made by local salvage company Jerry’s Silo Marina to remove it to no avail.
Steninger tells WTMJ he first became aware of the story when he was driving along the lakefront shortly after the storm that ran the boat aground. He saw the owners, Richard and Sherry Wells from Mississippi, walking nearby, noting Sherry appeared to be injured.
“I talked to them right away, tried to hook them up with a lawyer and get them some help,” says Steininger. He adds the couple told him they invested their life savings into buying the boat in Manitowoc on a lark and didn’t have time to purchase insurance.
“At this point, they’re just out of cash. If they had their wish, they would love to pay for that boat and salvage it. They’re just out of money, it’s sad. And their lives are basically ruined.” says Steininger.
Steininger says his lawyer is working out where the donation will go to directly. As a non-profit 501(c)3 entity, the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation cannot donate money directly to an individual person.
On April 30, Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman told WTMJ the plan is to remove the boat on May 6. The next day, the Milwaukee County Parks announced both northbound and southbound lanes of Lincoln Memorial Drive will be closed between Lafayette Hill Road and East Water Tower Road from early morning to later afternoon to facilitate the removal of the boat, weather pending. A towing vendor has not been publicly identified, but Wasserman says the total cost for removal of the boat could approach $100,000.
“We’re really at a point right now that this is becoming a major problem. And the cost factor is definitely going up dramatically,” Wasserman told WTMJ. He says Jerry’s Silo Marina owner Jerry Guyer plans to have his equipment out this week, after a side barge the company used during their last removal effort came aground itself, losing a pontoon in the process.
Mayor Johnson told WTMJ’s Vince Vitrano on May 1 that he has had conversations with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley regarding how the boat will be removed.
“I’m agnostic about how it gets cleared out, I just want it to be cleared out,” said Johnson.
READ MORE: Milwaukee County stepping in to remove abandoned boat “Deep Thought”
Much of the conversation surrounding the boat in recent weeks has shifted from its semi-legendary status on social media, to governmental disagreement over who is responsible for its removal. While Wasserman has said the County will foot the bill initially, they intend to be reimbursed for their efforts; the Wells’ have repeatedly told local leaders and the media they cannot afford to pay for the boat’s removal.
According to the 2015 State of Wisconsin Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Legislative and Administrative Review, Wisconsin does not have a formal or funded program to address abandoned boats. Additionally, Wisconsin does not have a dedicated funding source for addressing abandoned or derelict vessels; removal costs are supposed to be paid by the municipality with jurisdiction, unless the owners can be identified and are able to pay for the removal.
This has led to multiple other instances beyond “Deep Thought” across Wisconsin over the years. In Door County an abandoned tugboat the “Donny S.” has sat off the shore of Bailey’s Harbor since 2021, and along the St. Croix River a 54-foot yacht dubbed “Sweet Destiny” was left behind by its owners near Beer Can Island close to Hudson since 2024.
In response to both the “Sweet Destiny” and “Deep Thought” incidents, State Senator Rob Stafsholt and State Representative Shannon Zimmerman have proposed a bill that would levy fines of $10,000 and up to 9 months behind bars if an owner refuses to remove an abandoned vessel within 30 days of a notice. A spokeperson for Stafsholt told WTMJ on May 2 that the bill’s co-sponsor period runs through the end of the day.
Steininger agrees that some sort of legislation needs to be on the books regarding abandoned boats in Wisconsin.
“That shoreline belongs to the people, [and] if it belongs to the people, the people’s government has the responsibility to keep it clean and open to the public,” says Steininger, referencing the Public Trust Doctrine. The doctrine protects the people of Wisconsin’s rights to “enjoyment of scenic beauty while on the water” and dates back to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which states Wisconsin’s navigable waterways have been considered public and for the use of all citizens.
Many have questioned whether governmental leaders have demanded the Wells’s pay for its removal despite their assertions they can’t afford to do so. Steininger says he believes the public condemnation of the Wells’ for leaving the boat behind is misguided.
“I think that we got to stop demonizing them because they’re really nice people. Like all of us, they have a dream for retirement, [but] got caught in a bad storm. There’s nothing more than they would love to do is be able to pay for that boat, salvage it, and bring it to Mississippi and use it, believe me.”
Steininger says many other boats have capsized on the Lake Michigan waters over the years through no fault of their captains. According to Tamara Thomsen with the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Maritime Preservation Program, there have been around 780 wrecks across the Wisconsin portions of the Great Lakes, though the exact number is unclear given incomplete historical records.
Ultimately, once “Deep Thought” is removed from the sand, Steininger says he wouldn’t be opposed to acquiring a portion of the boat.
“That might not be a bad idea, in tribute to my grandfather!” he says.
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