where should I dive in Chicago?

[scuba2sue]

Hi, all.

Looking for some advice. Want to head to Chicago in the next couple of weeks for some weekend diving. Recommendations on who to use, what dives to do? One of the divers going has only logged about 10 dives- special considerations?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Captain CaveMan]

Well for diving in the lake there is Divechicago.com with Cpt. Bob he runs right out of Bruns Harbor right down town. On the farther North side there is the Enterprise with Cpt Dale. http://www.captaindales.com . there is allso also Cpt Mike with http://www.npursuitcharters.com all of them run a great dive operation.

As far as dive sites there are may to chose. look at there sites and pick or tell the Captains what type of diving you have down and he can sujest the sites that are in your diving level.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Since one of your divers has only 10 logged dives, it would be best to stick with something a little shallow. Capt. Dale will sometimes visit shallow sites, Capt. Bob (www.divechicago.com) normally runs trips to the Mac (70' to the floor, 40-50' to the deck). There are also a bunch of shallower wrecks out of downtown Chicago. Mike, in Indiana, goes to some easier dive sites.

There's always Haigh Quarry and Pearl Lake.

Have fun.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Duplicate.

 

[gangrel441]

Agreed on Mike (Npursuit). The shallow wrecks on the south end of Lake Michigan and off of Chicago are much more conducive to a less experienced diver than the more popular ones further north.

If you do get the itch to go further north, to Racine or Milwaukee, I would recommend Capt. Jerry Guyer of Len-Der. He often takes divers out to the Willie (Prins Wilem V). This wreck lies in 80', but the down line is attached to the rail at a bit under 50. This is one of the premiere wrecks in Lake Michigan.

If quarries are more your thing, take a look at Haigh in Kankakee or Pearl Lake in South Beloit.

 

[ShanChan]

I really liked the Material Service Barge and Illinois / Holly Barge dives. Those were fun.