New Iowa Divers

[Skittl1321]

My husband and I recently certified and are looking for some local diving to keep up my skills before we can go on a tropical vacation

I'm in the Iowa City area, and we did our cert dives in Turkey Ridge quarry. Right now, that's where we plan on going again, but man is it a boring, murky dive. The instructors told us it is the best thing available (and to not bother diving in the lake in Palo, though diving is allowed...) But they also mentioned some dives in Wisconsin/Illinois, but no specifics. Are any of those (available to beginners, so no wreck diving) 'worth it'? Or would it just be the same sort of thing in a different location?

Does anyone have some good advice on diving near Eastern Iowa. I guess I'm probably looking at an overnight trip to do anything different, but I'm looking for something that won't require time off work to get there and back.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[chrpai]

I don't really know Chicago wreck diving that well but I'd think there should be some "easy" wrecks. Go down, swim around it and come back up. No penetration.

---------- Post added August 5th, 2013 at 01:10 PM ----------

Take a look at:

Windy City Diving: Home for Chicago Scuba and Lake Michigan Wreck Diving » Wrecks

I see many wrecks that are in <60'-70'. There are a few that are tech dives also but not all are.

 

[ChickenFried]

I was going to recommend trying Lake Okoboji, but looking at the map, Lake Michigan is probably as close.

 

[Skittl1321]

Any thoughts on Pearl Lake?

 

[Scubagal]

It is about a 3 hour drive each way for you but our scuba club dives at the Atlantic Quarry in Atlantic, IA. Visibility is affected by runoff from recent rain but there have been times when we have had 20 ft. visibility. Here is a link to some pictures taken earlier this year at the quarry. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mid-west-region/455042-go-scuba-club-dive-event.html

 

[Skittl1321]

It is about a 3 hour drive each way for you but our scuba club dives at the Atlantic Quarry in Atlantic, IA. Visibility is affected by runoff from recent rain but there have been times when we have had 20 ft. visibility. Here is a link to some pictures taken earlier this year at the quarry. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mid-west-region/455042-go-scuba-club-dive-event.html

Wow, that looks like a beautiful dive!

 

[nagel]

We've got a lot of information on www.midwestmuckdiving.com for Midwest Diving.

Snagel

 

[Skittl1321]

Thanks! I'll check it out.

We had an enjoyable day at Turkey Ridge in Cedar Falls yesterday, saw just a few fish, and mostly just green, but we were underwater.

We are going to WI this weekend to dive in Devil's Lake, whose name hopefully holds no bearing on the dive quality

 

[NAM001]

I was going to say devils lake but i see someone already did. sorry

 

[Sinbad the Diver]

I'm in the Quad Cities. Our regular get wet between trips place is Haigh Quarry. About a 3 hour drive, similar to Pearl Lake. I like it, quarries are what they are, it's one of the better ones I've been to.