First cold water dive - Sturgeon Bay

[SwimJim]

Brad, Jim,
Thanks for all the info. We have the Door Co. guide. It's great. We went up there a few weeks ago to take a look at some of the sites but stayed around Sturgeon Bay. We're doing a few more in SB in a few weeks but we'll definitely have to head North after those.

I went to a couple of Urge to Submerge meetings a few years ago after I certified. They were good people. Jim, how long have you been a member? Brad, are you a member? Maybe we've all met before. I got a kick out Ralph. He was a good guy. We probably will come to a meeting one of these days. Do they still have the kazoo call? I quit going because I was "kind of" away from diving for a couple of years until my wife certified this spring. She likes the warm-water but I think I'll get her in Lake Michigan soon and take her out for dinner at El Rays.

Jim, those are great pics. What do you shoot?

Hey Fred

I have been a member of the Urge to Submerge for three or four years now. Its a good group. If your a member you'll get deals on charter dives on Ralphs boat. Its a good source for dive buddies too.
I have two Nikonos II cameras and thats what I used to take the attached photo's. I have a digital rig now that I'm just starting with. Its a housed Canon A520 power shot. A nice compact camera that works very well. The draw back is that its only good to 130 fow. The Nikonos will go much deeper. If it floods, you just dry the thing out and your good to go. If the digital goes, your shopping for a new camera. Well, thats progress???? The digitals are really cool and they greatly simplify underwater imaging. I won't be giving up my Nikonos anytime soon though. With all its short comings, its still a great camera. Not bad for a piece of equipment that was so called obsolete thirty years ago.
You and smoothfin should take Brad up on his kind offer. He has a nice boat. If you pm me I'll take you out on mine as well. Or if you want to shore dive, I live right on the lake. Not a whole lot to see but good for practice. I'll dive with you. I have a small collection of two hose reg's that I have had rebuilt and I enjoy shore diving with them. We'll go out and I'll show you what a good ole fashion diver looks like. These old reg's exhaust behind the head. The first time Brad saw me using one he thought I blew an O-ring. Great fun.

Jim

 

[WaterWolf]

Dave and I would love to join you guys on some dives. Unfortunately, my weekends are booked solid until mid July but if the offer still stands later in the summer, I would be honored. Dave might be able to join you sooner. I know some of my “booked” weekends are diving w/ him but not all of them. My wife and I are also avid RVers, and my daughter is graduating High School, and the list goes on… It’s always hard to find time this time of year after being cooped up all winter. The weekends really fill up quick.

We will most likely come to the next Urge to Submerge meeting. If not the next one, we’ll try to make it to the one after that. Brad, I know what you mean about making it to the meetings after a long day… I sit on my *** all day but I’m still tired when 5 o’clock rolls around.

Jim, I’ve been shooting with a ReefMaster (35mm) but they don’t turn out nearly as nice as your’s even if your equipment is “obsolete”. I have some high-end Canon equipment but I’m going to have to save some jingle before taking it under. The case is ridiculously priced at around $1,200 – not including the strobes. I’m still trying to accumulate all the dive-gear I want/need. And that can run into some big bucks as I’m sure you guys already know.

Well I got to fly. Please do stay in touch. And thanks again for all the great info.

Fred

 

[SwimJim]

I hear you on the cost of gear. To do decent wreck photography in Lake Michigan you need a wide angle lense thats wider then 20MM with a duel strobe set up for proper fill. That gets pricey real fast. Take a peek at these guys http://www.subaquaticcamera.com/ I've used them to rebuild my nikonos cameras and they really stand behind thier work. They also sell used gear and may have something for your Canon if you check in at the right time.
Just PM Brad or myself and if were going out we'll set you up. We get busy too, but I'd say your odds are pretty good. Of course mother nature has a big say in things too. Ha Take care

Jim

 

[WaterWolf]

Speaking of gear... I'm comparing some tanks. What do you guys dive with? I have a couple of alum 80s but need to get a couple more for long weekends etc... without having to take a trip to the LDS for refills. I'm also taking PADI's deep diver course in a few weeks. The instructor recommended renting some steel 120s for this. I do plan on diving more wrecks afterwards. Are steel 120s the norm for Lake Michigan wrecks?

 

[SwimJim]

Speaking of gear... I'm comparing some tanks. What do you guys dive with? I have a couple of alum 80s but need to get a couple more for long weekends etc... without having to take a trip to the LDS for refills. I'm also taking PADI's deep diver course in a few weeks. The instructor recommended renting some steel 120s for this. I do plan on diving more wrecks afterwards. Are steel 120s the norm for Lake Michigan wrecks?[/QUOTE

Most of the wrecks I dive are in less then 135 fow. For that a single '80 works just fine if you stay within no decompession limits. I can dive the northerner and come back with a thousand psi. I feel thats a pretty good saftey margin. If your diving the Rouse Simmons or the Walter B Allen a steel 120 would be a nice tank to have. I have a number of '80's and I picked up a double iso manifold and a set of bands and doubled a pair up. I love steel tanks. I have three '72's that I use for my vintage stuff. You don't need as much lead with them which is a good thing. On the flip side you can get '80's cheap. Three hundred gets you a new 120 or three used 80's.
I guess you have to look down the road a bit. If you go tech and start doing alot of deco stuff or go down the DIR path, big steel would be the choice. If your going to do non deco (REC) diving '80s would probably be the better choice. When I go to Munising Michigan with the dive club, I load all my tanks in the van and don't have to worry about fills or rentals. I can do a weekend in Door county the same way. I can do a shallow shore dive with a steel '72 and have an hour+ bottom time. I can use and 80 on a ninety foot dive and come up with air to spare. So that route works for me.
Well I guess thats my two cents worth. The other big consideration is having a reg that can take deep and cold. But thats another thread. Ha

Jim

 

[moneysavr]

Jim's right on AL-80's man you can get the shipped to your door for $149.00 each from my pal Barry at divesales,
www.divesales.com
This dude sells every type of tank= AL to steel and ships them fast!and has a cool tank chart as I got me steel tank aka "the 130 water heater" before Pressed steel flopped and prices went up ouch!
you will find out that you will add-change and re change your gear as you dive more and as long as you don't buy junk it holds some value and sells fast on ebay a divers pal! I have changed 3 dive computers in the last 3 years and plan on a new one this fall,and since I bought mine at the right price can dump it and upgrade for just a few bucks more as long as the mfg still makes the same unit is the key!
As said cold water regs is a must! and then a dry suit,
Back to the tank thing, the Steel tank takes lead off your belt,holds more air,and has some sweet buoyancy characteristics. But a mess of AL80s come in real handy and saves trips for air!just dont buy them used unless you know AL tanks real good and can read the No#s pass a hydro = and a vis,
Good luck.
Brad