Hi John,
I'm sorry that you haven't found a buddy yet but we would love to have you join us. We can at least take you to the places that we know. A visit to the Red Room is probably in order to make introductions .
It's not so much that Wazee is far away, but all of the roads between here and there seem to be always under construction. I've been there five times and I've never taken the same path twice. The question of Lake Michigan vs Wazee Lake depends on what you like. Wazee is all shore diving; Lake Michigan is best known for wrecks that are best done from a boat. Wazee has plenty of shallowish spots and some interesting walls. I'm embarassed to admit that I've never done a charter out of Milwaukee, but everyone that I know who has gone on one has loved it. I don't know whether or not there is any good shore diving there. Can anyone from the greater Milwaukee area help us out with that one?
Devil's Lake is probably my favorite destination. There are lots of fish and plenty of crevices for them to hide in. Everything worth seeing is close to the shore and in less than 25 feet of water so we get long bottom times. Devil's Lake is, IMO, much more interesting than the Madison lakes, although going under Monona Terrace on Lake Monona is interesting (at least it is the first time that you do it). The lakes at Governor Dodge are too close for us not to at least try them. You have a point about the attack muskie. Some big fish have been pulled out of there.
My buddy and I both dive dry for most of the year although I generally go to a 3mm wet suit in July and August. My buddy is always cold so she always goes dry. The visibility in the Madison lakes definitely gets bad starting in about mid-summer, but even on the best of days there is very little to see (schools of carp; the odd junked car). Devil's Lake is very good (relatively speaking, of course) throughout the summer, so there isn't any real hurry -- although sooner is always better, of course. When I was diving wet a 6.5mm full suit always kept me warm. I mostly went dry because stripping-down after a dive in a parking lot when the temperature was still in the 40's and the wind was blowing was a thrill that I found I could do without.
We are both at Lands' End. How about you?
Mike