Hello from Indiana

[Brad Chandler]

Hey all, my name is Brad. I am retired military and new to diving. Always wanted to dive but life, travel, family were more important. Now I have the time and support of my lovely bride Stephine. Looking to maximize my experience diving around Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois when I don’t travel to warmer climates. Any tips, suggestions, or advice are always welcome! Don’t care about cold water, I’ll get the gear. Just want to get wet!

 

[Marie13]

I’m the resident Great Lakes wreck obsessed diver. I only dive the Great Lakes (or one of the quarries). I’m in the Chicago area. I did this thread last year that should answer a lot of your questions.

Great Lakes diving for beginners

Your best bet is the Double Action Dive Charters boat out of Hammond. Nice 16 diver boat that was new this year. Lots of good wrecks 60ft and shallower that are good for newbies. You can book per seat on the Double Action boats, which is not the norm on the Great Lakes. They also have a boat out of Sanilac, MI, and Milwaukee. Awesome wrecks but those are deeper and you need a bit more experience to do them. I’m a regular on the Hammond boat, usually every weekend.

Don’t even think about doing Lake Michigan in anything but a 7mm minimum. I’ve seen warm water vacation divers attempt it in a 3mm, but they came up shivering. It didn’t help they had little body fat!

If you’ve never dived a 7mm before, take one for a spin or two at your local quarry or even a swimming pool. Get used to the feel off all that neoprene, including hood and gloves, plus dial in your weighting. The big lake is NOT the place for that.

The season goes from late April to mid-October, but high winds/waves often cancel trips until about mid-May and from mid-October. Pretty much a crap shoot sometimes. My routine is the quarry from when t eh open in early April until I can get on the lake and then usually all of October at the quarry, and whenever we get blown out.

Let me know when you’re ready to hit the lake and I’d be happy to introduce you to my beloved wrecks.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Welcome! I've been an active diver for over 12 years. I used to live in Indiana and dived regularly the entire time. I hit the quarries as often as possible including Gilboa (NW OH), Haigh (Kankekee IL), Hidden Paradise (St. Paul, IN), France Park (Logansport, IN), and Natural Springs (New Paris, OH). I also hit the Great Lakes for awesome wreck diving multiple times a summer. I also made frequent trips to Morehead City, NC and South Florida.

Dive locally, dive often, and meet other local divers. You might also want to join the Great Lakes Wrecking Crew forum here on Scubaboard or on Facebook. They have a Meet and Greet every spring and summer. A great way to meet fellow local divers!

 

[Marie13]

Yeah, Jim, you sold out and went south!

The Meet & Greets are in May and October, on either side of the lakes diving season.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yeah, Jim, you sold out and went south!

Yes indeed. Doing a night dive tonight at Blue Heron Bridge, diving again Sat at the bridge, and diving off Boynton on New Years Eve. All in beautiful mid-70 degree water with air temps in the 70s-80s. I sold out with no plans on coming back!!!

 

[Marie13]

Yes indeed. Doing a night dive tonight at Blue Heron Bridge, diving again Sat at the bridge, and diving off Boynton on New Years Eve. All in beautiful mid-70 degree water with air temps in the 70s-80s. I sold out with no plans on coming back!!!

If you like your warm water, you can keep your warm water.

I’m diving Lake Michigan on New Year’s if conditions permit.

 

[jonhall]

Welcome to the board from a fellow Hoosier. Although I was trained in Indy, I've yet to do dives anywhere other than the warm (most of the time) oceans. I have only been on the water of the Great Lakes twice - once as a teen Coho salmon fishing with the family and a couple years ago ferrying over to Put-In-Bay for a part of the day. Maybe one day, I'll try some diving there.

 

[drrich2]

Welcome! You'll find a mix of warm and cold, local and traveling 'vacation' divers here. Some even travel to do some cold water diving - hence my trip to try the Southern Channel Islands of California (which rocked, by the way; seals, sea lions and kelp, oh my!).

Richard.

 

[Brad Chandler]

Thanks for the warm welcome all!

Marie, I have already dove in full 7mm. My checkout dives were in a quarry with 45 degree water. I didn’t mind it. Actually I was so pumped that I wanted to go down again and my instructor was like “meh” (his dry suit had just ripped and he had to dive wet LOL. Spoiled Baby!!) He did dive with me though, we went and explored the wrecked bus in hidden paradise, vis was about 1 foot lol but it was a blast. Then the next week I’m in Key largo checking out my advanced cert in 75 degree water. It was a blast of 2 weeks. I am pumped for any diving I can do, I am going to work on pool skills with my LDS while I wait for someone who is diving soon.

Also thinking about a semi dry suit instead of a 7mm for cold water. Already have 7mm boots for fins and a 3mm for warm weather.

 

[Marie13]

Semi dry is a good choice.