Why Go Beyond the Sport Diving Limit?

[deep thought]

Why go beyond the sport diving limit?

This year has been a very-very abundant season of shipwreck diving in the Great Lakes and I want to summarize some of the adventures, wrecks I have seen and just how it was possible to pull off these dives.

*if you want to skip the gibberish, at least see the link to the cool photos that Stefan posted below.

The intent of this article is not rebreather as many of you may know that I favor, and not a trip report... but the intent is to describe the richness of resources that we have in our area if you are technical diving.  However I am not encouraging divers to rush into deep technical diving as there are many-many exceptional wrecks in the 60 – 130 foot depth range that need to be explored.  When you have developed the necessary basic experience and ready to move into deeper or technical diving, seek quality training and be prepared to invest in good quality equipment. 

So below I will give some examples of the incredible shipwrecks (Museums) that only tech divers who have invested in the knowledge, training, and equipment are able to visit. Something to consider and hopefully you will ask questions about how to..
 
I have done two trips to Sturgeon Bay to dive the Lakeland,  two trips to Presque Isle, Straights of Mackinac,  two trips to Isle Royale,  trip to dive Bradley, trip to dive Gunilda and Judge Hart,  two trips to Sheboygan,  and  trips to Milwaukee….virtually all of these dives are 200 foot and deeper.  In between these dates are basic ccr training dives at local lakes, Wazee, etc.  30-130 ffw.  Basically my fins did not dry off much this year.

Short Summary of Wrecks

Sturgeon Bay
• Lakeland – Iron hulled steam ship sank in 1924 with 30 antique automobiles. Sits upright in apx. 200 ffw, very intact, great penetration, and of course cars – think “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang” automobile.

Presque Isle  - (Think Pirates of Caribbean)
• Cornelia Windiate – Wooden Schooner, perfectly preserved with hatch covers still in place, cabins, masts, wheel. Sank 1875 sits upright in 180 ffw.
• Typo – Wooden Schooner, one of my favorite bow sections “amazing” to swim a few yard off and see this perfectly intact bow!  Rear section is broken open, lots of artifacts, masts, rigging, bell, etc. Sank 1899 sits upright in 155 ffw.
• Norman – Steel steamship sits in 200 ffw at about 45 degree list, great penetration of engine room, front cabins, lots of artifacts.  Sank 1895.
• Florida – Wood Steamship – sank in 1897 due to collision, exposed engine with gauges, great penetration with artifacts inside including whiskey barrels on ceiling, glass lamps, stove, cooking pots, etc… sits upright in 230 ffw.
• Defiance – Wood Schooner with standing masts “Giant standing Masts” wow, very intact sits upright.  I was overwhelmed when swimming up to these giant towering masts that I could not wrap my arms around.
• Franz – Steamship sits upright in 230 ffw, very intact , nice bow cabins, pilot house.

Straights of Mackinac
• Uganda – wooden steamship, sits upright in 200 ffw – stern and  engine is exposed, galley stove sits outside on deck as cabin is gone…but otherwise very intact and interesting with midship crew cabin.

Isle Royale
• America – Steel hulled packet / passenger steamship sank 1928 in 4-80 ffw. Sits upright at about 45 degree slope, very intact great penetration.
• Chisholm Engine – triple expansion steam engine ripped out of wooden hull freighter stands upright with hull and propeller only at bottom of precipice 130 – 160 ffw. Very interesting detail, painting,  scroll work on engine,  hull section lays deeper with paint still visible, some scattered artifacts
• Emperor – Steel bulk freighter sank 1947, sits upright in 170 ffw – very intact with lots of penetration on stern, artifacts.
• Kamloops – Steel freighter – sits on its side in 200 – 260 ffw with an eclectic cargo of fence wire, wheel barrels, tar paper, shoes, tooth paste & the infamous wooden boxes of candy Lifesavers!  Abundant artifacts, ships wheel, running lights.
• Congdon “Stern” – Steel freighter sank 1927- stern section lays at steep incline with hatches beginning in 60 ffw to stern sitting in 210 ffw, intact, upright with very interesting artifacts and penetration – engine room is half full of wheat (packed oatmeal), boiler room is tricky but interesting, hit bottom so hard the rudder sits pushed up through stern cabin roof, double wheel exposed on top cabin roof.

Manistique – nearby port *20 miles from wreck
• Bradley C.D. – Steamship (think of wreck in Mackinac Cederville) steel freighter sank in 1958.  Sits upright intact in 300 – 360 ffw, amazing bow and stern section!

Rossport / Terrace Bay - Marathon
• Gunilda – Queen of all shipwrecks in Lake Superior, this luxury yacht sank in 1911 and sits upright off McGarvey shoal in 260 ffw, near town of Rossport.  Aside from colorful, paranoid, schizophrenic residents of the town who impose their views…this is one of the most beautiful shipwrecks in the world.  Very dark, and often silty water, cool temps.  Artifacts from all wheels, binnacles, running lights, masts, piano, gold leaf on bow, etc…must see!
• Judge Hart – nearby off Pic Island, Nyes Provincial Park between Terrace Bay and Marathon.  Sometimes challenging wreck to launch boat, this wooden steamship sits upright and is one of the finest preserved wooden steamers with immaculate pilot house and stern section.  Sank in 1942 in apx. 200 ffw.

Sheboygan – all very interesting wrecks from intact to broken up.
• Gallinipper – Schooner sitting upright….
• Silver Lake – Schooner sank 1900 in apx. 200 ffw sits upright
• Walter B Allen – Schooner sank in 1880 sits upright in 170 ffw.
• Floretta – Schooner – sank 1885, broken up but interesting

Milwaukee
• Car Ferry Milwaukee – sank 1929  Steel railroad car ferry sits upright in 120 ffw, very large and interesting wreck with incredible penetration of boiler room, engine room and crew quarters.  Interior is silty but no mussel growth, and woodwork, paint and interesting details.
• Mystery Schooner – to be later identified as the M.H. Stuart – Scuttled in 1948 – the hull sits upright in 200 ffw and is an interesting dive as the hull remains fairly intact.  Nice view to swim off the wreck and see it from distance. 
• Emba – Schooner converted barge has interesting tower / elevator for rock hauling.  Sits upright in 160 ffw – although have dove this wreck prior, this year was only a bounce dive to attach a new mooring.  Nice dive nonetheless.

During this entire season, I have been diving amongst very accomplished O.C. divers and not once did I feel the need to coerce or persuade anyone about CCR’s.  Rather than twist arms, I have chosen to simply show how easy and less burden it is for me to do the same dives as the O.C. divers.  If any discussion arose about choices, it was from newly certified CCR divers exuberant to share their views…
So the point is that the O.C. divers and CCR divers have quite easily coexisted on dive boats and all have had great dives.  The myths of not being able to mix dive teams doesn’t wash in my book, as long as CCR divers are trained properly and understand the boat etiquette (not be sloth like bench hogs and slow down the momentum).  CCR divers who putz with their rigs, or do not do the proper maintenance can give CCR divers a bad rap and support the myth that CCR’s are complicated or fussy to operate.

Below is a link for some incredible underwater shots of shipwrecks from Presque Isle, including fully intact wooden schooners from 1800’s that are full of amazing artifacts.  Having traveled all over the world enjoying shipwrecks, I can say without a doubt or local bias that the Great Lakes contain the finest shipwrecks in the world!  To enjoy these time capsules, these museums you must have the skills and equipment to explore in the 160 – 200 plus depth range, of course Bradley and other are deeper…but there is a bounty of great wrecks in shallower water. Some of these wrecks contain artifacts that I would be afraid to mention due to looting,  sad but true and if you have the right motivation I would encourage you to see these items before they are gone.  Please visit the link provided by Stefan Backhus who shot these amazing photos (yes on O.C.) and thanks again Stefan for the fun trip and great eats!



Enjoy your dives be them O.C. or CCR and if you are looking for technical training, please ask questions and become informed about Tech Diving before you proceed. 

Deep Thought

[jmohns]

Great photos!!!! Thanks for sharing! It is nice to see a combined point of view on diving instead of one way or the other. I had an experience at lake wazee this last summer where a group of CCR divers cam out of the water and wouldn't even say hi to our group of OC divers. None of us in our group are new to this, but we are always willing to say hi and look over others gear to get new ideas, but this group made it very clear we were not welcome!!! I am SOO glad that there is some ability to coexist in the dive world! Thank you for sharing your dives and the photos. If you have any more, feel free to share those too!!!!!
James

[deep thought]

I would enjoy hearing from some charter captains to see if they agree, but the trips I have been on have been real smooth.  We give each other crap as much as possible, but no real trash talk goes on.  Don't be put off at Wazee or other sites, remember Tech Diving has always been a Clique crowd.  Sometimes it is for valid reasons that divers want to associate with people who share the same concern for safety and sometimes they are reserved to allow new people in to the group.  And sometimes CCR divers are preoccupied with some set up procedures that require some focus.  But if you ever come across a group of CCR divers who are standoffish or rude.... you have my blessing to just go up and give them a good ol bit ch slap from me.  Nobody is that important ;-)

Deep Thought

[jmohns]

HAHAHAHA.. thanks I needed that laugh! I was a little surprised over this as I am trekking down the tech road right now. I would assume and have had real luck with people wishing to speak there opinions to try to sway the newbies to be as safe as possible, or at lease to their beliefs. Have a good day.

[deep thought]

It is good to find humor in diving, most people take it far too seriously and some are ignorant to the fact that dive training is entirely in the entertainment industry.  Enjoy your trek down the Tech path, and beware of the Zealots who claim to know everything and do it only one way :

Deep Thought

[N2DEEP]

I'm on the way to the tech level.  I've been dive doubles with deco bottle for a while now, but with the economy and the uncertainty with my job and other un-for seeable bills, I'm hoping to start my training next year.

I've been told from some of my dive buddies whom I brought to the sport of diving, that made the step over to tech, that I'm not good enough to dive with no longer.  That I'm not "experienced enough."  So they say.  I know whom they are and I'll get even. with the Bi ch slap.

[Vtach]

It really is too sad to see people with attitudes like that.  We all started pretty much the same way with a small amount of knowledge and experience.  It is important to never forget where you came from and the impression you can leave with people by showing that you remember that.

There are times when you need to be selective with dive buddies but to write someone off for ALL dives because of experience is BS.  They have either gone snobby on you or not telling you the truth.  Either way...you don't need to have dive buddies like that...you are probably better off for it.

[deep thought]

Amen!  We all start out tadpoles, and some like me "Mr. Polliwog" will never shed the tail....I keep trying to learn buoyancy, and I'll never do a perfect frog kick. 

It is ironic about divers attitudes and their station in life, considering that I have traveled the five corners of the world and been fortunate to dive with many industry folks, the real icons in the industry are pretty much laid back guys/gals that will dive (and drink) with anyone.  The irony is that the divers with the attitudes are the ones who are struggling to be identified, while the people who have put their time in don't give a flap! 

And yes tech divers tend to be selective "clique" as you feel more comfortable diving around people who share your attitudes/equipment/techniques, but it is important to remember we are doing this for fun, we are not curing cancer, or feeding the homeless. 

Oh, and please reserve the smack talk about b'tch slapping to arrogant ccr divers only, the rest of the dive community is more civilized  ;D

Deep Thought

[matt t.]

I have to say that I've never really encountered this attitude in person, though it does seem common on the internet. The group I dive with is pretty tight, but we do dive with others from time to time out of necessity. I will dive with anyone once depending on the dive, future dives would depend on how the 1st dive went. Rons comment about there being more than 1 way to do things is correct, however IMO there are certain configurations and/or procedures that are definitely INcorrect. YMMV.