Want to dive Great Lakes -- where to start?

[Littlerayray]

I have to be a little nuts to jump in water that cold right

 

[rhwestfall]

me in Temagami...

best thing is the black flies aren't out (yet)....

(at least you folks don't wear speedos here)

 

[Chris H]

One positive to diving wet! ;-)

There isn't a positive to diving wet. Especially in the Great Lakes. I have memories of me puking out of the back of a charter boat from seasickness, while shivering in a wet suit, and inhaling exhaust fumes on Lake Superior. I just checked my logbook, and that was the last time I was in the Great Lakes in a wetsuit and that was 1993. I did a total of 8 Great Lakes dives before I bought a drysuit.

 

[Littlerayray]

I plan on doing an ice dive this coming winter I've got the right gear for it

 

[Littlerayray]

I have to be a little nuts to jump in water that cold right

I know it's an older beer commercial but it still sends shivers down my spine and makes me proud to be Canadian

 

[al248005]

I would not recommend Lake Erie for the "first time" Great Lakes dive unless you go off of Cleveland where it is relatively warm due to the water not being all that deep. If you get up into Erie and NY the water gets much deeper/darker/ and colder. Most wrecks in that part of Erie are all 90+ ft range and temps on the bottom are usually in the low to mid 40s. I would make sure you are really comfortable with a drysuit and deep/cold water. There is a charter out of Erie that goes to shallower wrecks towards Cleveland- Lake Erie Adventure Charters.

 

[HeliMech]

There isn't a positive to diving wet. Especially in the Great Lakes. I have memories of me puking out of the back of a charter boat from seasickness, while shivering in a wet suit, and inhaling exhaust fumes on Lake Superior. I just checked my logbook, and that was the last time I was in the Great Lakes in a wetsuit and that was 1993. I did a total of 8 Great Lakes dives before I bought a drysuit.

How cold does it get in the water there?

I dive on the west coast and 4-6 deg Celsius is normal through the winter locally. Agree with your drysuit comments though. I was out diving the Annapolis last weekend (8-9 deg c) with a guy wearing a 7mm wetsuit and he was nearly hypothermic by the time we docked. I was cool but comfortable the whole dive.

 

[Chris H]

How cold does it get in the water there?

I dive on the west coast and 4-6 deg Celsius is normal through the winter locally. Agree with your drysuit comments though. I was out diving the Annapolis last weekend (8-9 deg c) with a guy wearing a 7mm wetsuit and he was nearly hypothermic by the time we docked. I was cool but comfortable the whole dive.

It depends on a lot of factors, but it isn't uncommon to see 38-44 deg F (3-6 deg C) for bottom temps.

 

[tmassey]

Below 80 feet in Lake Huron it is often in the 38-42* range, so similar range. Of course, this is in July... . The bottom of the lake just never warms up...

 

[Stoo]

There isn't a positive to diving wet.

When I was a skinny little 18 year old, G+S Watersports used to have an "All you can dive for $25" or something early in the season. Basically, they would take you on a boat and you could do as many dives as you wanted... Of course I signed up.

I have vivid memories of hugging the (asbestos wrapped) exhaust stack that ran up through the cabin of the Lark, after 3 dives that day. I was shivering for about a week after that.

Ya, love my wetsuit. When I'm in Belize.