oldtimercraig
New
We went out on the Wisconsin for a couple of dives on July 2nd. The state (I think) has set two buoys, one on the bow and one on the stern. They are chained from the wreck to the surface, and are nice solid moorings. Is this something the state is doing on other wrecks?
The visibility was great and the temp on the wreck was a balmy 43 degrees. That's two degrees warmer than when I dove it in May, but the deco is much nicer with 60 degree water at 30 feet.
As a side note to the diving conditions, I would like to share with those of you what the Wisconsin was like before the Zebra infestation. In the old days (late 70's to late 80's) this was a solid wreck. The hull was very intact, with a wood rail capping the gunnel all the way around the ship. The cars were not rusty, and the decks were much more in place as compared to the collapsing condition we see today. There are now places on the upper deck where the upper rail portion of the hull has simply peeled away and now lays off on the bottom. Other places where we could penetrate to some extent (the second cargo hold for example) are now above some of the decking. In short, the old girl is slowly collapsing in on herself. While this process may take years, the deterioration I have witnessed over the past five years is in my opinion extensive. I am not a marine biologist, but I am guessing the Zebra's are playing a role. No doubt, the age plays a factor too, but in the years that I have been diving Lake Superior wrecks, there has been little change at all in their condition, but there has yet to be a zebra mussel problem in that lake.
In the earlier days of diving, the visibility on the Wisconsin was often five feet or so. Sometimes more, but it was always gloomy, and often a challenging dive. Today however, the clarity is almost beyond belief at times. 50 feet or more is not unusual, and there is an abundance of ambient light on the wreck to do a once over without a flashlight (though a light is handy).
If you can, get out on this old girl, do it. It is still a great dive. I have logged an untold number of dives on this wreck over the past 30 years and I am always seeing something new. It is also helpful to have a solid mooring system in place now (it takes the guesswork of wondering if your boat will still be there when you get back). Also, don't be afraid of the depth. You have to do some penetration to find more than 130 feet of water. If you stay on the main deck you can keep it at around 110 max. I shot some video on it this year, so when I figure out how to post it on here I will do it. Also, anyone in my area (far northwest subs of Chicago) looking for a dive partner give me a holler. I would like to find another diver who also enjoys diving Great Lakes shipwrecks.
Sorry for the long post!
Craig
The visibility was great and the temp on the wreck was a balmy 43 degrees. That's two degrees warmer than when I dove it in May, but the deco is much nicer with 60 degree water at 30 feet.
As a side note to the diving conditions, I would like to share with those of you what the Wisconsin was like before the Zebra infestation. In the old days (late 70's to late 80's) this was a solid wreck. The hull was very intact, with a wood rail capping the gunnel all the way around the ship. The cars were not rusty, and the decks were much more in place as compared to the collapsing condition we see today. There are now places on the upper deck where the upper rail portion of the hull has simply peeled away and now lays off on the bottom. Other places where we could penetrate to some extent (the second cargo hold for example) are now above some of the decking. In short, the old girl is slowly collapsing in on herself. While this process may take years, the deterioration I have witnessed over the past five years is in my opinion extensive. I am not a marine biologist, but I am guessing the Zebra's are playing a role. No doubt, the age plays a factor too, but in the years that I have been diving Lake Superior wrecks, there has been little change at all in their condition, but there has yet to be a zebra mussel problem in that lake.
In the earlier days of diving, the visibility on the Wisconsin was often five feet or so. Sometimes more, but it was always gloomy, and often a challenging dive. Today however, the clarity is almost beyond belief at times. 50 feet or more is not unusual, and there is an abundance of ambient light on the wreck to do a once over without a flashlight (though a light is handy).
If you can, get out on this old girl, do it. It is still a great dive. I have logged an untold number of dives on this wreck over the past 30 years and I am always seeing something new. It is also helpful to have a solid mooring system in place now (it takes the guesswork of wondering if your boat will still be there when you get back). Also, don't be afraid of the depth. You have to do some penetration to find more than 130 feet of water. If you stay on the main deck you can keep it at around 110 max. I shot some video on it this year, so when I figure out how to post it on here I will do it. Also, anyone in my area (far northwest subs of Chicago) looking for a dive partner give me a holler. I would like to find another diver who also enjoys diving Great Lakes shipwrecks.
Sorry for the long post!
Craig
