Chicago shore diving

[garyfotodiver]

What are the opportunities for doing shore dives along the Chicago lakefront and the North Shore? I know about Pearl Lake and Haigh Quarry, but my guest likes Open water.

Thanks.

 

[Panzer70]

the morey
it's off of greenwood beach in evanston (south of NW)

the lady elgin
a piece of her is off the beach in keniloworth

 

[hantzu701]

shore diving in Chicago is very limited. Plenty of places to swim, but few places to dive. Beyond the shallow wreck off of Evanston, there is the location just off the Chess Pavilion.

Follow this link for more info:
http://home.xnet.com/~acpinc/wrecks.html

 

[gangrel441]

shore diving in Chicago is very limited. Plenty of places to swim, but few places to dive. Beyond the shallow wreck off of Evanston, there is the location just off the Chess Pavilion.

Follow this link for more info:
http://home.xnet.com/~acpinc/wrecks.html

An interesting resource, but he has a few of his stories mixed up. He describes the Flora M. Hill as burned and sank, when it was actually crushed by the ice and later blown up by the Army Corps of Engineers as a navagation hazard (her mast was above water). He also speaks of the diving as restricted because of its proximity to the crib, but I have personally dove this wreck in the last 2 years on a charter. Not as well versed on the rest of these wrecks, but reader beware...

 

[twosheets]

My understanding is that it is currently illegal to dive from shore in most of the Chicago (city) area. There are a couple of exceptions but others will have to jump in to detail those for you. Getting to the Lady Elgin (which is not open to the general diving public due to litagation on ownership rights) - and the Flora Hill and so many others is OK, but you will need a boat. The cribs now have a ring of buoys around them warning all who approach not to come within the buoy line. But most all of the wrecks are well outside the resticted area. You just have to be vigilant of other boats, especially those silent sailboats with the deep, hard, body crunching keels. Most of the wrecks are mile or more from shore. Advise if you want more info as I frequent these quite often in the course of a season.

Regards, twosheets

 

[Glycerin]

Is there still little to no shore diving in Chicago?

How far outside of Chicago can you shore dive?

Thanks

 

[garyfotodiver]

Well, after 4 years of asking around...

North Avenue Beach in Chicago. With the lifeguards permission.
Greenwood Beach in Evanston. There is a wreck nearby and also a wreck marked on the chart off Main Street.
Illinois Beach State Park. Requires pre-approval from the Park Superintendent.

I expect there are other sites, but this is what I have found.

 

[Glycerin]

Thanks Gary.

Have you had any problems getting permission?

Whats the wreck like?

 

[captndale]

The Wreck off of Greenwood Beach in Evanston is George Morley. She was a 300 foot wooden freighter, She was steaming South for Chicago empty when a crew member dropped a lamp and started a fire. They put in to Greenwood Pier (no longer there) and called out the fire department. The FD, however, did not have hoses long enough to fight the fire. The crew got off the boat and pushed it off of the pier so the fire would not spread. She burned to the waterline and sank. She now lies in about 15 feet of water a 15 to 20 minute swim from shore. She is usually marked by a small buoy. The Evanston Historical Society maintains a small museum in the Dawes House across from the park. In it you can find original newspaper accounts about the sinking.