diving in great lakes area?

[solodiver in nj]

Thanks for the welcome and I appreciate the information, it provides a good starting point. Wouldn't mind some other choices, if anyone else is so inclined. Thanks again! Great board!

 

[diverbrian]

Another option would be Port Sanilac. The dive shop there fills Nitrox if you need and Gary Venet Sr. is among the best captains that I have dove with. The visibility on wrecks up there runs from 50 ft. to 10 ft. with the average being about 20 ft.

I dive Alpena/ Thunder Bay/ Presque Isle area quite a bit and second the good comments on both that area and the Straits.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Tobermory, Ontario has some great wrecks at depths from technical to snorkeling (don't brush off diving these they are awesome!). We had 70+ feet of visibility on the shallower ones near Labor Day. We dove with G&S Watersports. Nice boat and they go out even if you only have a few divers. There were three of us on a boat that fits 24, talk about tons of room!

We dove Lake Erie out of Cleveland right before Memorial Day and vis was horrible (2-6 feet). The Captain said best time for good vis there is August and September.

I second the Lake Huron votes both for Port Sanilac and Thunder Bay. Garry Biniecki of Huron Explorations is another great Captain in addition to Gary Venet.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[bladephotog]

Yup, I dove with Gary Venet twice at Port Sanilac this year and he's a great guy. Nice wrecks as well. I still prefer the Straits, Kingston and Whitefish.

 

[diverbrian]

Yup, I dove with Gary Venet twice at Port Sanilac this year and he's a great guy. Nice wrecks as well. I still prefer the Straits, Kingston and Whitefish.

I prefer the dive operation in Port Sanilac and the short drive as it is only about 2 hrs from my house. I can dive there and NOT need an overnight place to stay.

The Straits and Whitefish are my personal favorites as far as wrecks and variety thereof. I could dive the Eber Ward or the Samuel Mathers many more times and still see new things.

Kingston was great, but I kind of like going a little farther east to the St. Lawrence River and diving Brockville as it is quite a bit warmer. Again, I have a favorite operator in Brockville as well.

 

[markfm]

At least where I am, someone turned the vis switch weekend after Labor Day. Because of the very warm Summer it turned kind of junky in June, then a lot of divers plus warmth kept things both silty and algaed. Saturday after LD the water temp had dropped 4 degrees, and life was great again (it's always good under, but when the vis is great, it's super)

 

[bladephotog]

I prefer the dive operation in Port Sanilac and the short drive as it is only about 2 hrs from my house. I can dive there and NOT need an overnight place to stay.


The Straits and Whitefish are my personal favorites as far as wrecks and variety thereof. I could dive the Eber Ward or the Samuel Mathers many more times and still see new things.


Kingston was great, but I kind of like going a little farther east to the St. Lawrence River and diving Brockville as it is quite a bit warmer. Again, I have a favorite operator in Brockville as well.

Have you done Harbor Beach? I'm starting my advanced nitrox/deco course in Jan. and we're thinking of diving the Dunderberg. I've heard it's a cool dive.

 

[diverbrian]

Have you done Harbor Beach? I'm starting my advanced nitrox/deco course in Jan. and we're thinking of diving the Dunderberg. I've heard it's a cool dive.

Not yet. I am scheduling two trips out of there next year. One is for the Morrel and the other is for the Dunderberg. I did my Adv. Nitrox on the Monrovia out of Thunder Bay.

 

[BubblesUp]

Have you done Harbor Beach? I'm starting my advanced nitrox/deco course in Jan. and we're thinking of diving the Dunderberg. I've heard it's a cool dive.

The Dunderberg is an incredibly cool dive! Gary Venet (Rec & Tec Charters - by far the best dive operator I've come across) sometimes runs out of Harbor Beach to do the Dunderberg and some of the other (deeper) wrecks like the Morrel and the Minnedosa. Here's the link to the Rec & Tec website: http://www.rectecdivecharters.com/

Ditto on the nods others have given to Tobermory, the Straits of Mackinaw and Alpena/Presque Isle. Once you've finished your certification and have some experience under your belt, I'd definitely recommend tech diving out of Presque Isle. The Cornelia B. Windiate and the Florida are absolutely awesome. How often do you get to see a hundred-and-some year old wooden schooner sitting upright with masts still standing and yardarms in place?! It gave me goosebumps... and they had nothing to do with the 41 degree water.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

[diverbrian]

The Dunderberg is an incredibly cool dive! Gary Venet (Rec & Tec Charters - by far the best dive operator I've come across) sometimes runs out of Harbor Beach to do the Dunderberg and some of the other (deeper) wrecks like the Morrel and the Minnedosa. Here's the link to the Rec & Tec website: http://www.rectecdivecharters.com/

Ditto on the nods others have given to Tobermory, the Straits of Mackinaw and Alpena/Presque Isle. Once you've finished your certification and have some experience under your belt, I'd definitely recommend tech diving out of Presque Isle. The Cornelia B. Windiate and the Florida are absolutely awesome. How often do you get to see a hundred-and-some year old wooden schooner sitting upright with masts still standing and yardarms in place?! It gave me goosebumps... and they had nothing to do with the 41 degree water.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

I was able to see the Florida, the Pewabic, and the Viator this season. The Windiate dive turned into the Florida as the Windiate was entertaining vistors the day that we went to dive her. You sure like your wrecks deep. The deck on the Florida is about 165 ft. and I remember the gauge panel being at 180 (ish). Thank God for Tri-mix if you plan to dive that category of wrecks! But, it is well worth it.

But, yes, the diving is lovely and I am privileged to know three boat owners/tech divers who have slips in Alpena side by side. If you are up there look for Casa del Mar, Summer Place, and Freeflow on the docks. I love not having to worry about paying for charters (just a split of the gas bill among all the divers who go out) and enjoying exceptional diving.