Tell me about Lake Michigan

[fog]

I'm still a newbie (24 dives), I live in the Chicago area and have been looking at that great big puddle next to me for a long time. Can anyone give me an idea about what Lake Michigan diving is like and good places to go, recommended charter ops etc? I am interested primarily in the south end of the lake.
Thanks,
Lee

[DarinMartell]

Wrecks, wrecks, & more wrecks! And these are real, "oops we didn't want to do that" wrecks, not sunk on purpose (at least most of them). I go out with www.lovesparkscuba.com but he puts his boat in south Milwaukee so that might be a little north for you. If you are ever looking for a buddy on a Thursday or Friday (especially shore diving) drop me a line.

[BuzzF117]

My first dive after my OW certs was in Lake Michigan just out from Navy Pier. I dove on an old car ferry called the Straights of Mackinaw which was sank intentionally as a dive site. I have done a couple of trips up to Chicago with my LDS we always dive with Capt Bob of DIVE CHICAGO™. If I was sure I could dive without problems I would be diving Lake Michigan this weekend as they are doing three dives on Sunday the 20th. My fave dive was the Wells Burt The Wells Burt

[skdvr]

I have not dove the lake yet, but I am heading up to Milwaukee next weekend to dive with The Len Der. I have heard that the better diving is out of Milwaukee because more of the wrecks are more intact because they are a little deeper. A lot of the wrecks in Chicago have been scuttled to make way for boat traffic. Again this is just what I have heard, I have not dove the lake at all just yet. I say get out there and give it a shot though.

Phil

[h2odragon1]

Fog;
Go to your LDS, they should be able to give you some info on diving Lake Mich. as well as dive charters to take and to avoid. Loves park is way out in Rockford, kind of far away for you.
You can also go to or join Chicago scuba meetup. Great place to meet other divers in the Chicago area. They often go on charters to various wrecks in the lake. Real groups make a real difference - Meetup.com
There are many wrecks in as little as 60 ft and less, in the Chicago area.
Try to pick up a Cris Kohl book, he writes about wrecks in the great Lakes.

[fog]

Thanks for the replies, I am looking into a dive to the Tacoma and Material Service barge a little later this month.
Lee

[avw]

The Len Der is a nice boat and Jerry Guyer is certainly one of the most knowledgable captains on the lake.

I'd recommend diving the Prins Willem V as a nice "starter" wreck for beginner/intermediate level divers. Depth is reasonable and there's lots to see w/o penetrating. There are lots of other wrecks around Milwaukee that one can explore as well.

Also, if you're willing to travel north aways, there are some nice wrecks in Door county (the tip of the WI penisula that makes Green Bay). The Frank O'Connor is especially cool--and also a good wreck for beginners.

[DarinMartell]

Loves Park is out aways but you meet them at the dock in Milwaukee. So it would be no different then any other charter. In the 80's Captain Dan discovered two of the wooden schooners that sank in the 1800's so he is great to go out with. His boat is a six pack so it is a small group and one of the fastest on the lake (no head though).

As far as the Willem, it was my third non checkout dive and it is what really ":hooked" me on diving. I did not take this pic but it is the veiw that I had and a sight that will ever be imprinted in my mind. I will always consider it my first "real" dive. But the only reason I did it was because I was with two instructors. We all three went down the line to where it is tied off at 50'. Then we wen't down onto the deck at about 75' (where I turned around and saw the scene from the pic). All too soon I was at 1000 psi and we swam back to the line. I clipped on my line and made the acsent myself while the other two went on to the hull breach at 130'. Since I am new and a air hog and they where diving 120's they where able to babysit me without taking too much away from their dive. If you do it and you are new MAKE SURE you are with someone that knows what they are doing and that you keep a close eye on everything. It is a great dive but while noone died when it sank I believe 8 or 9 divers have been lost over the years.

[Jack Hammer]

Originally Posted by fog

Thanks for the replies, I am looking into a dive to the Tacoma and Material Service barge a little later this month.
Lee

Visibility in the lake can vary alot depending on when you dive and how many newbies are kicking up silt. Make sure your bouyancy is good, the lake bottom is deep loose silt which stirs up easily and settles slowly. So once visibility is gone, it aint likely coming back. Kicking over the bottom instead of floating will ruin vis for everyone.

The Tacoma is a good dive to get acclimated to Lake Michigan. It's in ~30 water. Not really a lot to see, time wise you can see most of it in about 10-15 minutes. There is a plaque on the side of it nearish the boiler which tells the date and events that led to its sinking. It may be covered in silt, so you might have to look hard to find it.

The MSB is one of my favorite dives. It's in relatively shallow water yet has a lot to see. I really enjoy swimming throught the open cargo bays, I think you will to. Usually the cargo bays have much better visibility than the surrounding waters do. They are somewhat protected from the current. I've dove the MSB on days with visibility ~5' outside the wreck but ~20-25' inside the cargo bays. (the bays are open- no overhead confinement, so you can go in).

Bring a flashlight to look into holes with, plus helps when vis is poor to keep track of insta-buddy.

Enjoy the dive,

Jack

[fog]

Thanks to all for the info, I went out over the weekend with N'Pursuit charters. We did the Tacoma and Material Sevice barge. Boat was great. First dive was on the Tacoma and was a really good dive, pretty good vis. Second dive was the barge, not as good, very limited vis, tough staying together. But Hey, a dive is a dive, sure better than not going.

Lee