Monroe Dive Center - Quarry (MI)

[rickydazla]

Forking out for the boat trip out to the buildings and island is well worth it for the better vis...

 

[boat sju]

I figured the visibility would be better over there. How big are the buildings? How deep to the roof, floor, etc?

What was the temp like too? I'm getting tired of the low 40's.

Thanks.

 

[Coachwah]

I've done the boat ride twice. The buildings bottom out at 85, and unforunately ~45 degrees, but they are cool to see and swim thru. We dove the sunken island as a second dive off the boat. Pretty cool topography. I bounced to around 60 on the wall and then spent the rest of the time around 20 with the fish (as I usually do)on both.

We dove the perimeter of the wall after boat dives and the vis is not bad. Better than any of the mudpuddles around here and on par with Portage. Getting in and out is not bad at all IMO. There is a rock ledge to enter and exit that is easier than a boat.

Brandon is a good guy (as are the others), and from my conversations is doing alot of the grunt work in terms of time spent. Dad does work another full time job. We made the trips on Sundays and when we arrived they were there. We did take the phone numbers with us just in case.

From my observations they are at the quarry alot, so getting a hold of them outside of that may be difficult. I'm really not trying to toot their horn more than they deserve. They have a good thing going and from what I have seen and heard will be improving all the while.

IMO it's worth the trip. HTH.

Ken

 

[Coachwah]

Forgot to add...if you stay above 30 the temps are quite nice, as is the case with most water around here.

 

[Sledge]

Me and some of my buddies were at Monroe today. We did a shore dive near the boat ramp. Visibility was *maybe* 5 feet (and that's an optimistic guess).

The water was very warm down to around 25 feet (my computer says 79F after 5 minutes in the water). Then the quarry thermocline to end all quarry thermoclines kicks in and it gets ice cold (50F but I was at depth - about 44 ft - for only 3 minutes so it may be colder).

 

[boat sju]

Was that big largemouth still guarding the top of the doghouse? Ought to name him Snoopy. Get it?

 

[rickydazla]

Me and some of my buddies were at Monroe today. We did a shore dive near the boat ramp. Visibility was *maybe* 5 feet (and that's an optimistic guess).

It is usually pretty bad just off the boat ramp but once you get along the wall a bit it opens out..

 

[Busdiver]

I spoke with Brandon yesterday. He seems to be pretty easy to get a hold of and at the very least returns phone calls. He told me that there will be diving during the week. My buddies and I are going to head down there on Wedns. right after work. It is nice to have an option that is not the river and not Spring Mill.

 

[Sledge]

It is usually pretty bad just off the boat ramp but once you get along the wall a bit it opens out..

Is it a lot better if you take the boat to the submerged island or just slightly?

 

[boat sju]

I'm trying to talk a buddy into going down there Friday. I'll have to get ahold of Brandon to verify that he'll be around and someone's got the boat running. Anyone else thinking about Friday?