Great Lakes Dive Charter help needed

[TheHobster]

All:

Our club has dove Chicago for 2 years now, 2 -3 trips each year. We are looking for a new place to go. Is there any dive charters in the Detrit area or slightly North? Wed on't want to go as far as Mackinac if possible; thats an 8 hour drive; another 4 and we can be in Panama City

Links, Phone numbers , names etc appreciated

Thanks in advance

 

[maj2]

The Sanilac Shores Underwater Preserve is a possibility. I haven't been myself, but understand the diving is good:
http://www.michiganpreserves.org/sanilac.htm
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=79884&highlight=sanilac+shores

The Thumb Area Bottomland Preserve has deeper wrecks:
http://www.michiganpreserves.org/thumb.htm

The Michigan Underwater Preserves links above have links to charter operators in the areas.

Closer to Detroit is the Pelee Passage in western Lake Erie (http://www.scubaont.com/waruwanago/)
, but the viz is generally pretty bad. I'd stick with Lake Huron, unless you really don't want to drive as far as the Thumb area.

 

[ppo2_diver]

These guys run a great op out of Sanilac.

http://www.rectecdivecharters.com/

Have you tried Milwaukee, WI? The wrecks are a little deeper, but pretty nice.

 

[TheHobster]

we run a tech trip to Milwaukee, and since this is a club thing am looking for recreationally easier dives than that - we also go to Waukegan and thats as deep as I wan for the club

 

[cobaltblue]

Go to the Straights of Mackinaw. There are a few charters up there that can help you out and it could be some of the best diving there is.

 

[TheHobster]

Go to the Straights of Mackinaw. There are a few charters up there that can help you out and it could be some of the best diving there is.

Like I said in the 1st post; Mackinac is too far, another 4 hours and we are in Panama City if we drive south; 80 degree water, white sand beaches vs 60 or less water, no beaches and few beautiful, half clothed people walking around - hard sell to the average recreational diver - plus last I looked into the Straits a few years ago, no EANx up there - has that changed?

no we need a shorter drive - Sanilac sounds good right now

 

[MikeFerrara]

I haven't been all over the lakes but they aren't as convenient as one might think for people in the midwest.

For the most part, the shallower wrecks like those off Chicago or Michigan City aren't all that good. They're "ok" dives but the wrecks are pretty busted up and not all that interesting as far as wrecks go.

The better wrecks tend to be in deeper water. The exception, of course, is areas that are more protected but now you're back to traveling a long way.

Charter fees aren't getting any cheaper either. A couple of days of diving good wrecks generally runs my wife and I about a grand between breathing gas, travel, hotel, meals and charter fees. Then you get blown out about half the time. You save the charter fees but the rest is already spent, along with the time. For the same or less I can spend a whole week cave diving in Florida and I'm not going to get blown out.

I'm with you, for the amount of travel and expense that it takes to get to good Great Lakes wrecks, I can just as easily head for Florida.

 

[in_cavediver]

I don't know Mike, I dove a few wrecks in Chicago and done numerous weeks in Florida but Mackinac was great and well worth the trip. It may not be convienent at times, but the diving was great.

As for nitrox in Mackinac, as of last July, it was air only. (so bring your own)

All that said, since my wife and I now have a decent boat, we're planning to checkout the wrecks in the Southwest MI preserve next summer.

I haven't been all over the lakes but they aren't as convenient as one might think for people in the midwest.

For the most part, the shallower wrecks like those off Chicago or Michigan City aren't all that good. They're "ok" dives but the wrecks are pretty busted up and not all that interesting as far as wrecks go.

The better wrecks tend to be in deeper water. The exception, of course, is areas that are more protected but now you're back to traveling a long way.

Charter fees aren't getting any cheaper either. A couple of days of diving good wrecks generally runs my wife and I about a grand between breathing gas, travel, hotel, meals and charter fees. Then you get blown out about half the time. You save the charter fees but the rest is already spent, along with the time. For the same or less I can spend a whole week cave diving in Florida and I'm not going to get blown out.

I'm with you, for the amount of travel and expense that it takes to get to good Great Lakes wrecks, I can just as easily head for Florida.

 

[crpntr133]

All:

Our club has dove Chicago for 2 years now, 2 -3 trips each year. We are looking for a new place to go. Is there any dive charters in the Detrit area or slightly North? Wed on't want to go as far as Mackinac if possible; thats an 8 hour drive; another 4 and we can be in Panama City

Links, Phone numbers , names etc appreciated

Thanks in advance

CLUB??!! In Indy?? Hobster, fill me in. I am getting tired of diving the quarries.

Right now I am AOW but have plans for nitrox and rescue this spring. Dove the "O" and loved it. Just wish I would have had some more BT.

 

[tterry1]

If you're willing to stay on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan, there is some good recreational wreck diving in Milwaukee. If you go south to Kenosha and north to Port Washington, you add a few more wrecks. Operators I've dealt with:

Shipwreck Adventures, run by Greg Such. Greg personally focuses mostly on technical diving, but will take recreational charters. He's actually based in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, but can trailer the boat all over the place. I highly recommend him for his service and safety (he's also a regular dive buddy, so I'm a bit biased). You can reach him at 920-482-0725 or www.shipwreckadventures.com.

Pirate's Cove Diving, run by Jerry Guyer. Jerry has been around forever and runs a good, safe operation oriented primarily to recreational divers. He has a couple of boats, both based in Milwaukee. I don't believe he can trailer either one of them. His website is pcdiving.com.

Nordic Diver, run by Bill Prince. Bill focuses mostly on technical diving but I believe will take recreational charters as well. He has two boats, one of which, I believe, is trailerable. His website is www.nordicdiver.com

Hope this helps.

Tom