Chicago Diving

[SMan]

Another question from a new diver. My family and I were certified at the beginning of June. We have been to Pearl Lake and Brandon Road Quarry. I have seen the website for the quarry in Kankakee. And obviously I know that there are a lot of wrecks in Lake Michigan. What other dive opportunities are there within an hour or two drive from the Chicagoland area? My wife and daughters are not yet up to Lake Michigan, so looking for alternatives until we complete more dives.

Thanks,
S

By the way, I have found this board very informative and I hope to one day be able to add something to the discussion beyond questions.

 

[erich]

Sman,

Congratulations to the whole family! My wife and in-laws dive together and have a great time. Under water no one can argue, unless we use creative hand signaling!
How is Brandon Quarry? I lived in the area but was always put off by the "if you leave you car it will be missing windows" or "one time a diver bubbles were machine gunned so the diver had to keep ahead of his bubble trail until ammo ran out" or the ever popular "someone always throws a port-o-potty in". Please correct me if I am wrong and give me the datails. Besides Haigh, which I really like, the two Lake Michigan shore dives at Chess Pavillion and Evanston Beach are shallow, easy, and a great introduction to big lake diving. Two weekes ago we went on our first lake boat dive with Odyssey Aquanauts to the Tacoma. It was better and more comfortable that expected. Twenty foot vis with a thirty-six foot max depth. Very doable.

 

[SMan]

Hi erich. I do have to say that the area around Brandon is not somewhere I would go for a walk, but the quarry it self seems fine. The various dive shops that hold classes keep an eye on anyone not diving who shows up and they are not bashful about telling them to leave since it is private property. Which only happened once during the weekend we were there. The owner of the LDS that I go to really likes it.

As for the diving (the important part) it was pretty good. There is a telephone booth, a bus, a small boat, a couple of ambulances, and a few other things that we haven't been to yet. The water is cool below the thermocline but I was comfortable in my 5mm.

My daughter thinks that Brandon is kind of small but diving is diving. We did our OW at Pearl Lake, so that is our only comparison. The land accomodations at Brandon are rather spartan, with really no shade. The land part at Pearl was much nicer. We are going to Brandon again this weekend. The LDS is having a treasure hunt raffle.

S

 

[erich]

What shop do you dive with there? What are the expenses to dive and parking? What is the scoop on the treasure hunt with times, date, etc? Perhaps we could join.

 

[SMan]

I go with Chicagoland Scuba in Lake Zurich (NW burbs). Brandon Road Quarry is $15/day/diving. I honestly do not know if people not diving have to pay $15 (Pearl Lake charged non-divers something like $10). Other dive shops use the quarry so anyone can come but I don't know if there is someone at the quarry to collect money. I pay my fees to the shop. If you are interested I could give you the number to the shop or I could ask how to pay there when I go to the LDS to pick some stuff up tomorrow evening. Let me know. In regards to the treasure hunt, I understand that they will be throwing painted fence post caps into the quarry. For each one retreived the person gets a raffle ticket. I guess that manufacturers have donated items for the raffle. It is this Saturday and it starts after the OW class is done - which means some time after 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon. Also, some people we have met at the shop have started a club that will be there trying to get people to join and providing hotdogs for lunch (free - aren't we nice?)

Hope that helps,
S

 

[Natasha]

I'm interested in diving at the Chess pavillion and at Evanstan Beach.
Has anyone done this? Or is anyone interested in doing this late next month( August) or Labor day?
If it's shallow and easy I think I can handle it since I'm recovering from a neck injury, but want to dive before Bonaire in September.
Thanks!

 

[rhelmy]

I was out in Evanston last weekend. The cost is 7 dollars for the beach fee. The wreck is quite a swim, 150 yards or more. When you get out the wreck is no deeper than 17 ft. Bottom water temp was a comfortable 70 degrees. Vis was 20 feet or better. Spent 30 minutes on bottom and then started the swim back into shore. Took about 30 minutes to swim back to the beach. Take a float and a water bottle with you to prevent dehydration.=-)

 

[erich]

Is anyone going to de diving Pearl Lake, IL this weekend?

 

[Natasha]

Well, My idea might have been before it's time. I gave the boat space back. I would like to meet and dive with our Chicago divers. Hopefully things will work out someday.

 

[SMan]

I almost ended up at Pearl, but at the last minute I was able to go on a charter on Lake Michigan. Right now I would like to dive on Labor Day weekend some time. I do not yet know if I will be able to go. Anyone interested in the Chicago area?