Hello from Minnesota!

[Rushified]

Just wanted to take a moment to say hello to all of you. I am brand new to this whole adventure, and eager to pick up as much experience as I can. One of the things I am most excited to do is get into Lake Superior and find a shipwreck. I am currently in process of open water cert. I am hoping to have that done by the end of October. I look forward to getting involved in the many discussions here, and sure hope to see that Descent Mk2 soon!
Thanks for having me!

- Rushified

 

[Ryan Neely]

Welcome to the board from another Minnesotan.

 

[drrich2]

Welcome. You might keep an eye out for posts by @Marie13 on this forum, as I recall she enjoyed Great Lakes wreck diving.

Richard.

 

[Marie13]

Just wanted to take a moment to say hello to all of you. I am brand new to this whole adventure, and eager to pick up as much experience as I can. One of the things I am most excited to do is get into Lake Superior and find a shipwreck. I am currently in process of open water cert. I am hoping to have that done by the end of October. I look forward to getting involved in the many discussions here, and sure hope to see that Descent Mk2 soon!
Thanks for having me!

- Rushified

I do hope you’re aware that you’re not likely to get much time, if at all, to dive on Superior this year once you’ve got your cert. There’s a reason there have historically been many wrecks in late October and after.

 

[2airishuman]

Welcome, Rushified.

 

[nolatom]

Brrrrrrrrr!

Welcome from a warm - water wuss down south I respect you already ;-)

 

[JamesBon92007]

Welcome! My girlfriend is from Minnesota so we visit there periodically and I'm looking forward to doing my first lake dives, probably next summer. I'm wondering how you keep from getting ran over by boats and jet skiis. Is it better to tow a diver's flag, or does that just attract the curious?

Speaking of Brrrrrrr, on my first visit I got to experience -30 F. People actually live there, eh?

 

[TMHeimer]

Greetings from a former "neighbour" of N. Manitoba. I recall a swim in Superior NE of Duluth decades ago (long before I took Scuba). Chilly, and that was August I think.

 

[2airishuman]

Welcome! My girlfriend is from Minnesota so we visit there periodically and I'm looking forward to doing my first lake dives, probably next summer. I'm wondering how you keep from getting ran over by boats and jet skiis. Is it better to tow a diver's flag, or does that just attract the curious?

1. Dive in lakes that don't allow motorboats, or that don't allow anything but electric motors. (Less useful over the years as electric motors become large enough to pose a serious hazard). e.g. Lac Lavon, Perch Lake (WI)
2. Dive in lakes where motorboats are technically allowed but that aren't of interest to motorboats due to size or presence of unmarked hazards. (Most of the lakes in the Brainerd area)
3. Ice dive. Applicable to lakes like Minnetonka where the visibility and boat traffic make summer diving impractical
4. Dive from a (preferably large) boat that is anchored. Lots of people swim from anchored boats, or have fishing lines out in unpredictable directions, so other boats will usually avoid you.
5. Have really good buoyancy control and listen for boats before you surface.

Dive flags are marginally useful in lakes that get many scuba divers (e.g. Square) where the local boaters start to figure out what they mean. Worse than useless elsewhere (they attract boats that don't know what they are and wonder what's going on) but required under state law.

 

[JamesBon92007]

1. Dive in lakes that don't allow motorboats, or that don't allow anything but electric motors. (Less useful over the years as electric motors become large enough to pose a serious hazard). e.g. Lac Lavon, Perch Lake (WI)
2. Dive in lakes where motorboats are technically allowed but that aren't of interest to motorboats due to size or presence of unmarked hazards. (Most of the lakes in the Brainerd area)
3. Ice dive. Applicable to lakes like Minnetonka where the visibility and boat traffic make summer diving impractical
4. Dive from a (preferably large) boat that is anchored. Lots of people swim from anchored boats, or have fishing lines out in unpredictable directions, so other boats will usually avoid you.
5. Have really good buoyancy control and listen for boats before you surface.

Dive flags are marginally useful in lakes that get many scuba divers (e.g. Square) where the local boaters start to figure out what they mean. Worse than useless elsewhere (they attract boats that don't know what they are and wonder what's going on) but required under state law.

This sounds a lot like starting from scratch. At least I realize the danger of jet skiis--those we have here too. And I assume the mental capacity of the drivers is about the same. The ocean vs Minnesota lake diving reminds me of the difference between earthquakes and tornadoes. I don't worry about earthquakes but wouldn't have a clue as to what to do if a tornado was heading my way.