Otter Lake, Michigan

[Busdiver]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone have any dive info. on Otter Lake. The lake is in the Flint area. The website says that scuba is allowed. Doing a search on this board I ready a few posts from 2004 saying the conditions were poor. Have they improved? Please let me know.

Bus

 

[boat sju]

Bus,

Dove there in August 2006. Temp was 42 deg at 50 ft. It's a nice little park. There's a sunken boat with a buoy just off shore. Descend feet first though so you don't smack your face on it, because you won't see it before you hit it.

We were just discussing Otter Lake this morning. It was the only dive I have ever truly complained about the visibility. It may have improved but it will take a lot of convincing for me to go back.

boat

 

[Busdiver]

So cold, dark and murky. Sounds like a relationship I had back in the early 1990's.

I was hoping that there would be some other feedback, something like," this place is a true jewel. Crystal clear water with numerous rare fresh water fish everywhere. Nestled up to a clothing optional beach." I am just saying.

 

[cldwdiver]

Otter Lake is where we go when we don't have the time/money to go somewhere else. It's the "I just have to get wet" lake.

You can get into the Private Campground for $5 and park by their boat launch. The old boat is off the boat launch in 25ft water as the bottom drops off to the deep. Visibility is 10 ft on a good day. The boat is about all there is to see. It used to be used as an OW class training platform.

The lake is a deep spring fed lake that is actually a designated trout fishing lake. That means its cold down deep. Most of the bottom is silt/muck covered and gets stirred up easily.

Thats the basic facts.

 

[boat sju]

. . . with numerous rare fresh water fish everywhere.

This part might be true . . . . but none of them bumped into my mask.

 

[Busdiver]

Oh well, it does not sound like I am going to end up with the job that had me living on the lake for the next six months.

 

[DudleyNMU]

Back in the 1800's there was a team of horse's that went down in the lake. I have been told that they are in 100' of water. I have dove otter several times all i know is that it gets cold very quick and its the darkest lake i have ever dove. I guess durring the winter ICE is great there. Good luck! Dive Safe!

 

[Merrimorte]

Yeah Otter Lake viz isnt great.. but it aint THAT bad of a place to dive... just depends on what you are looking for. Was out there at the end of July this year. Thermo is COLD so you need to make sure you have proper exposure equipment on... Access is cake though near the boat dock, shore or giant stride.

I happen to enjoy cold, dark, low viz... but maybe that is just me!

A group of us are diving it this Sat.

 

[BoneCrusher]

Yup... Will be diving it this saturday. If your interested PM me and I can give you more details. I haven't been there, so it will be a new experience for me. Anyway, it should be fun! Come join us!

 

[BoneCrusher]

Just a quick update...

Merri... ScottTee... and myself dove Otter Lake Sunday afternoon (8-24-08). It was a nice dive. There is a $5.00 entry fee into the park. We parked down by the boat dock and did a shore entry from there. Definately need a dive float as there is lots of traffice on the small lake. Lots of jet ski's running all over. There is a sunken boat just off shore at about 25 feet of water. The compass reading from just left of the boat dock was 15 degrees. It currently is marked with a small bottle. Off the stern is a guide line leading to deeper water. Following the line out you drop down to about 46 feet. Once you drop through the thermoclines it gets REALLY cold. ScottTee's watch said it got down to 39 degrees. Along the line you will see a smaller row boat and at the end of the line you will find a wooded crate (kinda anti-climactic for the temps!). Be careful not to touch the bottom (very silty bottom) or stir up the water too much. Once stirred up, the visibility goes to just about nothing! All in all we ended up with 42 mins of down time and had a really good time. Thanks Merri and ScottTee... I enjoyed diving with both of you. Let me know if you want to plan something else! I'm game!