skdvr
Contributor
Lake Michigan get my vote too... I have only been up there once, but well worth the trip and cant wait to go back. Not much further than Mermet, and WAY cooler...
Phil
Phil
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BTW, Lake Michigan isn't really something you "knock off the list" with one trip up to Gary, IN. What you meant to say was that: You're stoked to get your first taste of what the Great Lakes have to offer.
You'll understand what I mean when you get there. Keep in mind, the dives out of Gary are some of the least-awesome dives Lake Michigan has to offer.
b1country that's an awesome pic! Which wreck is that?
You're absolutely right on correcting me about getting my first taste of what the Great Lakes has to offer! I can not wait to check it out! Which sites would you recommend?
You're absolutely right on correcting me about getting my first taste of what the Great Lakes has to offer! I can not wait to check it out! Which sites would you recommend?
That's the Minneapolis. The pic is one from an awesome sight:
Trips and Pictures by Vlada
I haven't been to a whole lot of different wrecks in The Great Lakes yet, but, I am going to be up in Mackinac for a week starting Sunday. I'm sure all the wrecks up there will blow everything else I've seen away, but from my experience, from South to North, some worthwhile sites are:
The Straits of Mackinac (car ferry scuttled a few years ago off Chicago.)
Very reasonable depths, and a very intact shipwreck with some very nice, safe, penetration opportunities. I can't wait to get back into the engine room.
SS Wisconsin
Out of Kenosha/Waukegon, a steel steamer sunk almost 80yrs ago on Black Tuesday (stock market crash) You can still see three old cars in the cargo hold. Very interesting dive. Deeper at 130'
#6 Dredge
Not as much to see as the Willie, but one awesome swim through, and a bunch of debris to check out littered about. I always surface giddy after this wreck.
Prins Willem V (aka The Willie)
Best wreck I've ever seen anywhere. Out of Milwaukee. It's been down for 50+ years, and looks like it could easily be refloated. Only thing missing is the propeller, but you can take a look at that on dry land at Jerry's Dock. Radio Masts intact, cargo holds have great swim through. Pilothouse, engine room. Life boat davits, Breezeway. A beauteous wreck work a trip from anywhere.
Milwaukee
Out of Milwaukee. Larger than the Willie, deeper, and farther out, but not as intact. Sank a week before the Wisconsin. More popular among some because it is a "Bigger" dive than the Willie. Cool, just not overly so.
Tom
Trips and Pictures by Vlada
I haven't been to a whole lot of different wrecks in The Great Lakes yet, but, I am going to be up in Mackinac for a week starting Sunday. I'm sure all the wrecks up there will blow everything else I've seen away, but from my experience, from South to North, some worthwhile sites are:
The Straits of Mackinac (car ferry scuttled a few years ago off Chicago.)
Very reasonable depths, and a very intact shipwreck with some very nice, safe, penetration opportunities. I can't wait to get back into the engine room.
SS Wisconsin
Out of Kenosha/Waukegon, a steel steamer sunk almost 80yrs ago on Black Tuesday (stock market crash) You can still see three old cars in the cargo hold. Very interesting dive. Deeper at 130'
#6 Dredge
Not as much to see as the Willie, but one awesome swim through, and a bunch of debris to check out littered about. I always surface giddy after this wreck.
Prins Willem V (aka The Willie)
Best wreck I've ever seen anywhere. Out of Milwaukee. It's been down for 50+ years, and looks like it could easily be refloated. Only thing missing is the propeller, but you can take a look at that on dry land at Jerry's Dock. Radio Masts intact, cargo holds have great swim through. Pilothouse, engine room. Life boat davits, Breezeway. A beauteous wreck work a trip from anywhere.
Milwaukee
Out of Milwaukee. Larger than the Willie, deeper, and farther out, but not as intact. Sank a week before the Wisconsin. More popular among some because it is a "Bigger" dive than the Willie. Cool, just not overly so.
Tom
It's been 15 years since I have been to Mackinac. I actually stayed the night at the Grand hotel on Mackinac Island. What a beautiful and peaceful place.
I've read up on the Wisconsin, I'll tell you what, that sounds like an awesome dive. Just to see those old cars...that's cool by itself. The history of wrecks in the Great Lakes is very intriguing to say the least.
I've read up on the Wisconsin, I'll tell you what, that sounds like an awesome dive. Just to see those old cars...that's cool by itself. The history of wrecks in the Great Lakes is very intriguing to say the least.
I just got a dive in on the Cedarville's Bow this afternoon. It was pretty nice. The wreck is turned almost upside down, and very disorienting. There is a huge unloading mechanism still in place above the holds. We did a 25 min dive from the bow mooring to the split and then back. The split was pretty cool, but we had already hit out turn time, and needed to go.
I was really happy to get out today. I haven't been too successful on my latest charters, and it didn't look good this morning. With any luck, I'll be diving the Wisconsin next Saturday. I'll tell you what's changed since last year.
Tom
Tom
I was really happy to get out today. I haven't been too successful on my latest charters, and it didn't look good this morning. With any luck, I'll be diving the Wisconsin next Saturday. I'll tell you what's changed since last year.
Tom
Tom
jessesmith121
Contributor
Flordia west palm beach or the keys.... 3 hr flight 
By the way, I will also add the Wells Burt to the list of wrecks that are worth seeing in Southern Lake Michigan. After the 120' wrecks up in Mackinaw, it was nice to have a decent wreck in shallow 40' of water. Lots more fish, lots of ambient light, and it still looks like a schooner, but it is sunk into the sand, so its more of a 2D dive than a 3D dive.
Tom
Tom
Mermet and Haigh are by far the best quarries. Mermet is much better staffed, in my opinion, and safety is the number 1 goal. Mermet has a better set up, with tables and pavillions for cover. Haigh is nice, because it has the nice grassy areas to walk on, without getting rocks and dust in everything.
Quail Run in Rolla is now under new management. It will be interesting to see what is done with it now. I hear they are actually working to make it dive friendly. Even as it was, I still think it is a good place for rescue, nav and search and recovery classes.
Table Rock is a good place to dive too. Not much to see at the dam, but you can do any level of diving from recreation, to deep to trimix. You can get charters out of many marinas, and see some of the other sites the lake has to offer.
Penny Royal is about 4 hours or so from St. Louis. Usually has decent vis on the deep side.
Shame Cerulean closed.
I was disappointed in Blue Water Lake down in Joplin, but I am giving it a second chance next month.
For personal reasons I will not get into on a public forum, I would rather stick a rusty dive knife in my scrotum before I ever put a fin in at New Melle again.
Quail Run in Rolla is now under new management. It will be interesting to see what is done with it now. I hear they are actually working to make it dive friendly. Even as it was, I still think it is a good place for rescue, nav and search and recovery classes.
Table Rock is a good place to dive too. Not much to see at the dam, but you can do any level of diving from recreation, to deep to trimix. You can get charters out of many marinas, and see some of the other sites the lake has to offer.
Penny Royal is about 4 hours or so from St. Louis. Usually has decent vis on the deep side.
Shame Cerulean closed.
I was disappointed in Blue Water Lake down in Joplin, but I am giving it a second chance next month.
For personal reasons I will not get into on a public forum, I would rather stick a rusty dive knife in my scrotum before I ever put a fin in at New Melle again.
The Dive Stop's owner, Dave Cruz, is a genuine and sincere guy, and I really wish everyone in St Louis would drop these silly dive shop grudges.
Tom
Tom
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