Coming to Milwaukee!!!

[Reel Crazy14]

I'll be travelling with a friend this summer back to his home town of Milwaukee and wouldn't you know it, I hear there's some good diving around those Great Lakes. I mostly dive here around Florida with occasional cold water trips, so Great Lakes diving sounds like a good change in scenery. I've found a few dive charters in the Milwaukee area but are there any that stand out as especially great? Also- what dives would yall reccommend? I'd like to dive some of those old wooden schooners that the GLs are known for. Thanks!

 

[Dean810]

If you want to see wood schooners, you should probably let the charter know that and find out what their schedule shows. The most popular sites in the Milwaukee area would be the Prins Willem and the Milwaukee car ferry. These are big boats, but not wood schooners. One of my goals this summer to to see the Northener, just north of Milwaukee in 130 ft of water. It is pristine and sports a figurehead.

 

[DudleyNMU]

You also have the Thumb Preserve with the wreck of the Dunderburg... with a figurehead and short mast still standing in 150ft.

 

[Dive1Dennis]

An hour or two north of Milwaukee you will find some really nice schooners. Hetty Taylor, WB Allen, Rouse Simmons and America just to name a few. Depths from 100' to 165'. These are in my stomping grounds so we get a lot of diving in on these nice intact schooners. Drop me a note if you want to try to set something up, I can probably hook you up.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Drop me a note if you want to try to set something up, I can probably hook you up.

Shoot me a note if you have room for another diver / to fill out the boat, I can source a buddy if needed.

CD

 

[SwimJim]

Just to wet your whistle so to speak, a few shots. Included are the figurehead from the Northerner, a foredeck shot and a shot of the pump on the deck of the Walter B. Allen and a few divers looking at the bow spirit on the Hetty Taylor.
Where is the America? How deep?

Jim

 

[stevenq99]

wow great shots Jim!

 

[Dive1Dennis]

Jim, good to hear from you. I knew you had some nice pictures of these wrecks. The America is between Two Rivers & Kewaunee. Around 120'. I've actually only dove that one a couple of times, not nearly as often as some of the others. She is a bit more broken up, but is still a nice dive.
I would really like to get down to the Northerner with you guys this summer. Haven't seen that one yet. Keep me in mind.

 

[Reel Crazy14]

thanks for the info. Sounds like fun and those pics have me excited already. I'll be there in June so not too much longer....

 

[SwimJim]

Jim, good to hear from you. I knew you had some nice pictures of these wrecks. The America is between Two Rivers & Kewaunee. Around 120'. I've actually only dove that one a couple of times, not nearly as often as some of the others. She is a bit more broken up, but is still a nice dive.
I would really like to get down to the Northerner with you guys this summer. Haven't seen that one yet. Keep me in mind.

You bet! I took my boat out for the first time last weekend and she passed her Sea trials with flying colors. Now I just have to work on the trailer. I usually launch where I live with a farm tractor. I can be on the Niagara in a few minutes. The Northerner is about a ten mile run, so not too serious. Moneysavr has had his boat in since the beginning of April. We have already dove off of it. If you have an open weekend, give us a shout. My work schedules a little tough this year, but I'll be getting out alot I have a feeling. Thanks for the info on the America. Perhaps we'll go hit that one this summer. Moneysavr and I are planning on doing a road trip to dive the Ocean Wave and the Frank O'conner this year. Maybe we can work the America in on the way up or down.

Jim

A few more pic's. Bow area Northerner, deck of Byron, Crane boom on McMillian & Pitz dredge and Lumberman interior shot.