Detroit Area????

[BoneCrusher]

Welcome Mahhz,

As GTXL1200 said, there are some great wreck dive fairly local. Diving the river is fun. As long as the wind is out of the right direction, it has some excellent visibility. However, the current is normally pretty steady at a 5-6 knots. If you have never dove that kind of current, my recommendation would be to take a class with in instructor that is experienced with river diving.

There are a few inland lakes that are diveable. Only caution is to carry a dive flag and be very aware that most boaters don't know what a dive flag is. Be very cautious on ascents!

As for dive shops near Pontiac, I would recommend Divers Den in Lake Orion. It is definately not a big retail shop. However, the owner Dave, is an EXCELLENT instructor. He is extremely knowledgeable about river diving and teaches a great ice diving class. I have taken many classes from him and have been very impressed. If you are looking for local knowledge he is the guy. Also, out of the same shop is a dive club called DESCENDERS DIVE CLUB. It is a group of really nice local divers that meet at the Hamlin Pub in Lake Orion on the first Thursday of every month at about 7:00pm. Its a really laid back group that dives a lot. In fact last night we were out diving Long Lake in Lake Orion!

If you don't mind a bit of a drive, another good dive club is the Michigan Lake Divers Association. They are out of Port Huron and meet at Vantage Point. They have a sub forum here in the Great Lakes Wrecking Crew. You can find it at the top of the page. RiverRatDave is the president of the club. He is a great guy! PM him for more details.

If you have any questions, just shoot me a PM and I would be happy to answer.
Welcome to Michigan!

 

[Busdiver]

Oh Mahhz, beware of Canadians. In Georgia they just drive through. I understand that in the south you all have a set hunting season on snow birds, November to April. Five canadian limit if I am correct. In Michigan they assimilate and try to be like us. Look for the small scar on the left side of their neck. That is where their second head used to be located but removed in order to blend with Michiganders. They also try to pass off their weak beer as superior product. Every wonder where the name Moosehead came from? Also, when you dive the wreck Regina, you will learn that Canadians cannot pronounce names and make everything sound perverse.

Just a few tips to surviving in the borderlands. Remember Mahhz when you move up here you are expected to protect 'merican interest.

I will email the pamphlet that describes the best way to disinfect yourself and your dive gear in case it comes in contact with a Canadian.

Bus

 

[CDNScubaMoose]

Oh Mahhz, beware of Canadians. In Georgia they just drive through. I understand that in the south you all have a set hunting season on snow birds, November to April. Five canadian limit if I am correct. In Michigan they assimilate and try to be like us. Look for the small scar on the left side of their neck. That is where their second head used to be located but removed in order to blend with Michiganders. They also try to pass off their weak beer as superior product. Every wonder where the name Moosehead came from? Also, when you dive the wreck Regina, you will learn that Canadians cannot pronounce names and make everything sound perverse.

Just a few tips to surviving in the borderlands. Remember Mahhz when you move up here you are expected to protect 'merican interest.

I will email the pamphlet that describes the best way to disinfect yourself and your dive gear in case it comes in contact with a Canadian.

Bus

Bus - you forgot ... the other way to tell us Canucks apart from those on less fortunate side of the river - we are the ones actually diving instead of talking about it

 

[Busdiver]

Taking baths with scuba gear on does not count as a dive. You joining us Saturday. Did you get my email that I cannot dive with you Sunday?

You also have not posted a report on Long Pointe.

 

[Mahhz]

That's some funny stuff! Yeah, the snowbirds come in pretty thick down here, but during tourist season it's the worst! I've come up with a few t-shirts I wanted to make so that I could wear them downtown during tourist season.

Thanks for all the good tips and info, it will definitely come in hand once I get up there in about a week and a half. I would like to go diving as soon as I can. I'm getting my last two offshore ocean dives in Monday and Tuesday......I'm looking forward to that for sure.

-Jeff

 

[CDNScubaMoose]

Did you get my email that I cannot dive with you Sunday?

Like I said - I'll be diving ... you'll be talking about it.

Taking baths with scuba gear on does not count as a dive. You joining us Saturday.

Water is over 60 degrees - feels like a bath to me. Can't make it Saturday ... I'm in Sarnia doing OW checkout dives.

You also have not posted a report on Long Pointe.

Oops - my bad, how's this one sound: Mother Nature doesn't like me, we got blown off. Went diving in the river instead (and found some awesome pieces of china ... no doubt thrown overboard by Americans) and then drank real beer. The end.

 

[Busdiver]

and then drank real beer. The end.[/QUOTE]


Glad to hear you still have some of that Bell's beer from Kalamazoo that I sent over a few months ago. I really spoiled you all with the good stuff.

 

[M_Bipartitus]

...

I'm getting my last two offshore ocean dives in Monday and Tuesday......I'm looking forward to that for sure.

-Jeff

Grey's Reef? I did enjoy those dives when I lived in Atlanta.

BTW, I recall having met the guys at Sea the World, I could recommend them, though I have limited personal experience with them. The women who runs the travel is nice.

 

[Mahhz]

Grey's Reef?

Yep....heading out there to change out some acoustic receivers that we placed down there earlier this summer to track some Scamp Grouper, Gag Grouper and Red Snapper that we've been tagging for the last few years.

I'm part of a NOAA program called "Team Ocean" that allows recreational divers to become NOAA Scientific Divers to assist the sanctuary in their diving operations. I've been diving with them for about a year now. It's a really good program, I'm going to miss diving with the group down here for sure.

 

[M_Bipartitus]

That sounds cool. I'd be curious if NOAA has a similar program for the preserves in Michigan. My wife works for NOAA in ecosystem research, but she doesn't dive for them.