Chicago Diving Party

[O-ring]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Chicago Dive Charters runs right out of Burnham. Enterprise Marine has access to some better wrecks they run out of Waukegan (sp?).

http://www.captaindales.com/divecharter.htm
and
http://www.chicagodivecharter.com/

What temps are we looking at? Which wrecks would you recommend?

 

[MikeFerrara]

I'm guessing surface temps in the 70's in mid July. The shallow wrecks 40 or 50 ft and above won't be much colder. Down deep it's always cold in the lake. I like the Wisconsin (100 to the deck and 130 to the bottom). The Milwalkee and prinswillem are good but I haven't been on them (above 100ft). I also don't know how to spell them.

For shallower warm Chicago dives the Illinois, Wells bert and Rotarian are some of the standards and are good dives if you haven't seen them. Like everywhere else the deeper ones are the most intact.

There are a bunch and I don't know most of them. The best bet is to see who is diving and what the're interested in then talk to the Captains.

 

[Green Mountain]

Hi jepuskar, This sounds like fun. Our company doesn't allow vacations in May, June and July but maybe I could be "sick of working" on the Fiiday before and the Monday after.

Is there any clean but cheap lodging in the area. This is another thing to consider.

 

[jepuskar]

There are plenty of choices for lodging all over the area. It looks like we are going to end up diving off of the Wisconson border atleast 1 day, so it might be best if you looked for lodging in between Chicago and Milwaukee. I'm sure the rates in that area would be better than downtown Chicago.

JP

 

[SDAnderson]

I've not been on the board much lately, but have this weekend penciled in on my calendar. If we're going to do it we need to get rolling before all the charter slots are taken. By way of suggestions:

Friday, July 18
Dinner somewhere in Chicago. Tizi Melloul on Wells St downtown was suggested.

Saturday, July 19
Up early for the drive to Milwaukee to dive the Prinz Willem (the "Willie") and one more to be determined. It's a 260ft steel hull that went down in 1954 and has dug itself a nice hole in the marl - visibility is a little erratic due to moderate shifting currents, but this is one of the classic wrecks. About 45ft to the wreck, 65ft to the bottom and 90ft to the bottom of the hole. Water temps on the bottom will be in the mid-40's. Probably diving from the Reef Diver, the smaller (faster/better) sibling to Gerry Guyer's Len-Der.

Sunday, July 20
Morning charter from Chicago to the St. Mary and one more to be determined. The St. Mary is a 115ft wooden schooner that went down in 1860. She lies in about 105ft of water and is remarkably well preserved. Although partially collapsed, there is a lot of stuff to see. I'd recommend that we try to book space on the Kohana - it's fast enough to make the kind of long haul comfortable for six divers.

Monday, July 21
Bye, bye!

 

[scubagrl]

...I can't believe that this is the first I've read of this grand event.

Count me in (if it indeed ends up being in July), and Jep if you need assistance with a boat in the Milwaukee area let me know.

 

[Juls64]

I know my local dive club has a cookout/dive party at Pearl Lake on 4th of July.

Juls

 

[MgicTwnger]

I'm really looking foward to this one. Jepuskar, are you booking the charters? Do you need deposit $$?

 

[Kat]

I just came across this thread. Can't make Sat. July 19th, but would love to dive on the 20th. Hope we go w/ Shipweck Adventures in Winthrop Harbor - Greg Such was my instructor f/ OW. I haven't seen him since 'Our World Underwater', 2 years ago.

If your looking f/ a place for drinking & Karaoke, there's a place in Schaumburg called Dawn's Club Tropic. Very casual Key West atmosphere w/ a great deck over looking a little lake.

 

[Walter]

If someone local will organize this trip, I'll go.