Portwashington,Wi-Western Lake Michigan TR

[moneysavr]

Trip Report:
Whew,
Well the big pool is now open!Lake Michigan that is and well has but this is the vis and conditions to dive in.
They day started with Swimjim calling and telling me that out his front window the lake looked a bit more than NOAA was telling me on line,we arrived at the Portwashinton Marina and by 8:40 the boat was in the water and not running the battery died! off to "Wally world and a 1/2 hour all systems go! decided not to dive the deep wreck Northerner due to sea conditions of 3'-4' with a 6'in for laughs today was not for the meek!

We cut course for the Mahoning a civil era brig 3 miles south of Portwashington,near shore with just one small technical glitch with a engine plug
coming loose and letting some water in the hold I solved this and we were on the wreck Jim dropped the marker and my call as found on the dive was direct mid ship on the wreck!Two trys and Swimjim had us hooked in sweet and we had a dive;
Vis was 20'-30' water a balmy 42 top to bottom,
Hope Jim may post a few shots taken today,tons of stuff to see less the algae carpet of late summer!
Did 2 dives with a SI we ran hot water on our hands and this helped take out the chill,
It was a great day not to be fouled by rough seas of technical glitches!
Dive safe,
Brad

 

[SwimJim]

Yeah, a little lumpy out there today, but well worth the effort. I got to use my new digital set up and except for it not liking the cold it worked pretty well. I have a few lighting issues to work out, but I could get used to this. I'm not going to retire my Nikonos II's though. Great dives!

Jim

 

[moneysavr]

Sat May 6th did a dive with Navillus on SB, of a wreck south of Portwashington and had 5' vis with 45 ish temps,he did a check out in a new dry suit and we thumbed the dive.

Today hit the same site with a pal from Milwaukee and the lake was sweet and blue water could be seen as we ran south of the harbor,on site after we hooked in vis was Min 35' and temps a balmy 44 deg at depth,second dive was to be the Niagara to the north but was called due to the young man got ill, the seas were calm but he was out late the night before.
So remember if you dive stay dry! Err,
Dive safe all.
Brad

 

[navillus]

:smilepong Don't you just diving a wreck when you only get to see it after you swim into it? Ahh, the joys of low viz diving. . .

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Hey Brad, sounds like it cleaned up good today. Are we still on for the 13th? I got permission but I gotta come home that night so we can go see the in-laws on Mother's Day. PM me if the weather looks promising.

Chris

 

[moneysavr]

Hey Brad, sounds like it cleaned up good today. Are we still on for the 13th? I got permission but I gotta come home that night so we can go see the in-laws on Mother's Day. PM me if the weather looks promising.

Chris

You have a GO! 2 tanker! But lets keep a eye on NOAA,
It was a great day,lake was flat and I could of easly gone into deco at 60FSW with the old water heater aka (130hp steel) but the diver I was with errr,,, got a bit green,
Hope we can get Swimjim out with us.
and Navillus on Friday?Mike PM sent.
Brad

 

[SwimJim]

You have a GO! 2 tanker! But lets keep a eye on NOAA,
It was a great day,lake was flat and I could of easly gone into deco at 60FSW with the old water heater aka (130hp steel) but the diver I was with errr,,, got a bit green,
Hope we can get Swimjim out with us.
and Navillus on Friday?Mike PM sent.
Brad

Lake permitting I'll be there. I should have an external flash system for my digital to try out by the end of the week. See you on the big pond!

Jim