I'm not feelin' the love..........yet

[bladephotog]

Try doing a little reading on the history of the wrecks you are about to dive. These are the ships that helped deliver the insdustrial revolution. Reading their histories can help bring the wrecks alive. But if you really just want to see fish our wrecks aren't going to interest you much.

 

[Busdiver]

You have 8 dives in cold water with 2 being on wrecks. You are that quick to make a judgment about wreck diving? Wow. We are having an awesome season on the Great Lakes. Viz is out of control. Huron has been flat.

You said you only saw gobbies and zebras on the wrecks. Being your first time on both boats do you believe your brain registered everything? On the Regina yesterday I watched well over 100 perch all over the keel. The two folks I was leading saw nothing. I did check out dives with two students on the sport. We did skills kneeling next to the new historical marker. A pretty cool experience for those students.

There are four charters out of Pt. Sanilac. I dive off of Bruno's boat every weekend. Contact one of the four charters and go diving. Get to know the wrecks out on the preserve. Once you are comfortable you will start experiencing the variety of aquatic life that is everywhere.

 

[pelagic_by_nature]

OK, my trip got changed to the Straits of Mackinac. The water was rough, but I did get in a dive in on the wreck of the Cedarville, and I have to admit it was pretty cool. Vis was about 50' and there was no current. I know the history of the wreck and how and when it went down, number of lives lost. It was amazing to see such a huge ship lying on it's side like that. Very fun dive. We dove from the stern and were going to dive from the bow today but the weatherman was calling for t'storms so we headed home. Still, though, I only saw gobies. And while probably no one's brain registers everything I think I'm very in tune with the fish life. I've been a fisherman all my life and have kept aquariums both salt and fresh water for many decades. When I'm diving I'm looking for fish. It's why I dive. I know there's all kinds of fish out there, but the numbers of gobies is sadly disturbing. It's hard to imagine how native fish can compete with gobies in such huge numbers.

 

[rickydazla]

In three years of wreak diving in the Sanilac Shores I have seen some fish. I have seen several big schools of perch; lots of blue gills, especially schooling under overhangs; a tonne of bass (small- and largemouth), some very large; the occasional, passing, sheephead; some lurking burbott; and the occasional large shoal of something (sorry, not a fresh water expert by any means!). I have also seen many HUGE sturgeon on the wrecks at the mouth of the St Clair River. Fisheries in the Great Lakes are miserable. It is sad. But there are fish. The wrecks are way cooler than the fish though. Except maybe the mud puppies (but they're not really fish!)

Dive safe.

Rick

 

[luckydays]

I love wrecks. I know it is mainly because of my experience while serving in the US Navy but I like the history around the wrecks, the construction of the boats, the reason for its sinking, the eerie feeling of being around a wreck that was sunk due to mishap or weather, or both. I love it all.

I also like coral and fish and warm water. I like diving with colors other than green, gray or brown like we get at home. But after spending two weeks in Bonaire with all the reefs and fish I could ask for, I got a little bored. The Hilma Hooker was a fine wreck but one wreck to dive is not enough for me. We spiced it up by diving Salt Pier which gave me another man made structure to dive and while it was another great dive, its just not the same.

I need rusty metal or wooden slats in some sort of shape like a boat and I am happiest.

Key Largo is a great place for me to get the warm water and the wrecks at the same time. But since its a bit far to fill my fix, I will stick to the Great Lakes and doing what I can to dive here as often as possible.