First dive

[jasondbaker]

For those of you who have not been ice diving, when are you planning to make your first dive this year?

I'm planning on the 26th -- if the weather and ice agree with me.

[matt t.]

I did 4 ice dive this year, but still can't wait to get out. I'm diving with one of my buddies tomorrow at Lannon Quarry. There's not much to see, but we need the practice with our drysuits and other new gear. Next weekend we're planning on diving the Willie and maybe the Dredge on Lake Michigan.

Matt

[jasondbaker]

Matt, where is Lannon Quarry?

[matt t.]

Lannon Quarry is Northwest of Milwaukee about 8 miles (south of Hwy Q off of Townline road). Our LDS uses it for classes and check out dives. Max depth of about 50 feet with some rock ledges and a few rock carts to look at. There really isn't much to see (plenty of Crayfish to rescue from monofilament), but it's only 10 minutes from my house, so I'm there often. I wouldn't make a special trip or anything. What area are you from?

Matt

[FreediveWI]

If you know where to look you'll find a collapsed mining shack, railroad tracks and a few ore carts in there. There is also, an illegal, training platform in the bottom of her.

I used to dive the beach after a busy weekend and walk away with cash and jewelry for my efforts. ;D

There also used to be a huge goldfish in there that someone planted about 10 years ago.

Jon

[jasondbaker]

Matt, I live in minneapolis now but grew up in Green Bay. I make about half my dives in WI -- mostly western or central parts (Perch Lake, Devils Lake, Lake Wazee, etc). Over July 4th I'm always up in Sturgeon Bay visiting my folks and doing shore dives. I and a couple buddies would like to visit Milwaukee for a weekend this Summer and do some of these wreck dives I keep hearing about.

[matt t.]

I'd like to hit Wazee this summer. Never been there, but heard alot about it. How is Devils Lake? My dad used to dive there in the 70's, but I hear now that it's not worth the drive. We do Red Granite Quarry once in a while. Dark and cold, but a nice change. I found $15 there last summer. Maybe we could get together this summer down here. I've been on most of the "popular" wrecks. Most of them are in the 60-120 ft range.
Matt

[FreediveWI]

Devil's lake is getting better all of the time. There is a research project going on in there right now to help clean it up and return the lake to its original visibility- over 50'! ;D

The lake itself is shallow and has a lot of fish in it. We used to be able to spearfish in it, but that has changed with this years DNR rules.

Wazee is very nice. Much bigger, cleaner and deeper than Red Granite. Plus, it doesn't have that black bottom silt that sucks up all of the light like Red Granite does.

August is the premo time for Lake Michigan wreck diving as the temperature climbs into the 70's adn the wind can blow the warm water around to push the thermocline down to 90' or more. We have had many dives on the Willy and other wrecks in nothing but a swimsuit. 8) I even remember Jerry diving on the Wisconsin one summer in a t-shirt and wetsuit hood. ;D

It's also great to do openwater training dives in Lake Michigan in the summer time. With the great vis. and sand/rock bottom you can't find anything even close in any of the inland lakes around here. Student's really like being able to see something- which doesn't happen in Lannon Quarry in August. I can remember teaching classes in Lannon Quarry when I had to take students down one at a time and hold them right up to my facemask to see if they were acutally doing a mask clear- vis was less than 3'. :'(

Winter time brings in the REALLY good vis to Lake Michigan. I have measured out 85' of horizontal vis on the "Willy" in January and well over 50' of vis on the "Carferry Milwaukee" in the winter time.

You just can't beat lake Michigan for great diving. Here's a picture of one of my favorite snorkeling wrecks, the "Lady Elgin". She is only in 55' of water off the border of Wisconsin and Illinois. She is broken up over a wide area and provides many different dive sites. She has a great histroy to her. One that helped reshape the entire city of Milwaukee.

This is acutally a picture of Sharon Cook diving her. Sharon learned to dive for the specific reason to dive the Lady Elgin. Her great-grandmother was one of the people who died when she sunk. Great wreck, great history, Great Lake.

Jon

[matt t.]

Jon,
Would you have any idea which wrecks have a buoy on them all year long? We're planning on diving next Sunday and I'd hate to get out there and not have anything to tie up to.
matt

[Chris H]

Matt,
The Milwaukee had a bouy on it a few weeks ago. I don't know for sure, but I would bet the Wille and Dredge both have bouys as well. Call Jerry Guyer. I'm sure he will tell you if there are bouys. Did you dive lannon quarry today? How was it?