Diving around Chicago

[fishoutawater]

I just found out my wife's long lost and newly discovered sister has a fiance who dives, and they live in Chicago. I haven't met him yet, but I may get to do a dive with him this coming July fourth weekend.
What's the water temp like at that time of year? Any thermoclines? Will my 5mil shorty do it?
And does anybody have a Chicago wreck map online I could look at?
I've never dove any of the Great Lakes, but I'm game.
I'd always thought the only thing I'd see would be skeletons wearing cement shoes.

 

[drl]

A 5 mil shorty?!?? ROFLMAO! Even in July Lake Michigan is cold, and there will be a thermocline. I was diving off Milwaukee on Saturday; the water temps were in the 50s at the surface, 43 at 70 feet, 41 at 95 feet. I kid you not. It will be a little warmer in July on the surface, but below the thermocline it rarely gets above 50 or so. I have temps from last year in my log, but that's at home, sorry. Most Great Lakes divers go dry eventually, but you can do it in a 7-mil or a 7-mil farmer john, plus hood and gloves. Local dive shops usually have those to rent if you don't have one.
For wreck info, check this link:
http://www.chicagoscuba.com/
I'm sure there are others that other SBer's know about.
Enjoy your Chicago dives; there are some good wrecks and great folks here. But please don't try it in a 5-mil shorty!

Deborah

 

[Walter]

You'll want a dry suit. If you stay shallow, you can make it with a 7 mm full suit with hood.

 

[fishoutawater]

50's at the surface?!!:dropmouth AACK!!
OK, I'll rent a 7mil suit and hood. Never been in a drysuit. I'd want some training for that.
I'm probably only going to dedicate a half a day or so to gettin wet.
I've never been to Chicago before, and I hear there's other stuff to do there. I can't imagine what though.
Wife said something about shopping, and that sounds like it could be pretty hazardous to my Caribbean fund, so I can't let her spend too much time alone with the credit card.
Thanks for the link drl. I'm on it.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Surface temps are around the 50's now. There are times later in the year where they will reach the mid to upper 60's. The local quarries will get a little higher. I'd have to check my log but I'm pretty sure I've seen Haigh Quarry in the 70's down to 20 feet. I know people who dive the quarry in July/August with just a 3 mil full suit. There are some wrecks in Lake Michigan in the 20-30 foot depth range. Those you will have little to no thermocline and could get away with a 5mil full single suit. Anything deeper, you'll need a 7 mil. Farmer john if you can get one.

 

[jepuskar]

Haigh will be in the lower 80's at 20ft in August..I've seen it at 82. this year may be warmer as there wasnt any ice this year on it...we'll see.

 

[fishoutawater]

Thanks guys. A wreck at 20 to 30ft in Lake Michigan sounds just perfect for that weekend.
I haven't talked to my my wife's sister's fiance about it at all yet, so I don't know what his plans are.
I haven't been to Haigh Quarry yet. One of these days...
I dove http://www.mermetsprings.com/ last year and it was fun, but I'd really like to do Lake Michigan.
Which begs the question, why is Haigh Quarry so popular with Lake Michigan so close by? Do you guys feel the diving in quarries is better than Lake Michigan?

 

[Laser]

Thanks guys. A wreck at 20 to 30ft in Lake Michigan sounds just perfect for that weekend.
I haven't talked to my my wife's sister's fiance about it at all yet, so I don't know what his plans are.
I haven't been to Haigh Quarry yet. One of these days...
I dove http://www.mermetsprings.com/ last year and it was fun, but I'd really like to do Lake Michigan.
Which begs the question, why is Haigh Quarry so popular with Lake Michigan so close by? Do you guys feel the diving in quarries is better than Lake Michigan?

$20 as opposed to $85-$100. Good for tune-up dives.

 

[Sideband]

Like LAser said. I can dive all day for $20 plus airfills at Haigh or Pearl. I get a 2 tank dive for $85 on the lake. Also, for the wrecks I like on the lake I have to go to Milwaukee.

Joe

 

[Dean810]

The difference is that you need a boat to do just about all your Lake Michigan diving in the Chicago area, although there is a wreck you can swim to in Evanston that I have heard some people have done. The only other shore diving I have heard about is in Door County in Wisconsin. Believe me, I would love to do more Lake Michigan diving!