Any Dive Sites in MN/ West WI In Early Dec?

[TripletDad]

I'm hoping to meet up with a dive buddy in early/mid December and Western Wisconsin/ Minnesota is about half way in between for us. Does anyone have any recommendations of dive sites and facilities for fills etc. Also recommendations for SI time would be nice too.

Wrecks would be fantastic but I'm guessing any charters have been pulled by this time of the year. Anything available from the shore? Some of the mines in MN seem to be pretty cool but I've never been diving that far north this time of year and don't know if they would have a hard enough ice cap to be considered on OH environment as neither of us have our ice cert (yet).

Thanks in advance

P.S. Yes, we are a little nuts and we know it will be a bit on the cold side

 

[do it easy]

Lake Wazee in Black River Falls, WI is open year round. There is a dive shop there too- Wazee Sports Center. It's an old mine that is flooded and is now the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin- 350'. The vis is usually pretty good. There are plenty of fish in the shallows, there is a new wreck in there, and great freshwater wall diving (read: lots of rocks). The temps will be friggin cold above AND below the thermocline, off the top of my head, I would guess upper 30s.

 

[TripletDad]

Thanks DIE - I heard good things about Wazee and do want to check it out. Sounds like that is about the only thing open that time of year ... or is everyone else just shy?