Great Lakes Diving

[Minion_Diver]

Next year a few of us from my local dive club are planning a trip to Lake Huron to do some diving. Most of what we are looking at doing are between 60-130 feet in and around the Thunder Bay area. We currently dive the lakes here in Arkansas were vis is at best 20' and that is normally around 80 ft with the aid of a light.

What kind of conditions should we expect and train for before we dive Thunder Bay? Right now our plan is to continue diving through the winter as we did this past year and become accustom to the water temps when they are in the mid to low 40's throughout the water column.

Also, what is the best time of year to dive the area?

 

[Marie13]

Hah! I dived TB two weeks ago! Bottom temp on the Grecian at nearly 100ft was 48F.

Doing it wet is doable. That’s what I did. Good Bare 7mm and a Lavacore hooded vest with regular hood over top.

July-August are warmer temps, but Huron is always cold.

More later

 

[Minion_Diver]

We have finally got our dates set for our trip, Aug 19-24. The only thing is that we are still trying to narrow down where exactly we want to dive. Right now it looks like Thunder Bay and the Straits are the leading the pack. What are some of the must do wrecks in this area? Also, are there other areas that we should look at? Mainly looking to keep it within rec depths with extended bottom time.

 

[Marie13]

TB
EB Allen - didn't get to do this one due to conditions
Grecian
Montana
DM Wilson - my favorite wreck of the entire trip
Monohansett (even though it's only 18ft deep, the prop is awesome)
Lucinda Van Valkenburg

The NOAA Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary website is down because of the gov't shutdown. This is a decent resource instead Wreck Sites

Straits
Cedarville
William H. Barnum
Eber Ward
William Young

Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve

Book your charters now. Things fill up fast. Depending on the size of your group, you may even be able to book the whole boat (usually 6 packs). That's what I did with my TB trip in August and what I'm doing for my Straits trip this coming June .

For Alpena, stay at the Days Inn. Very nice and reasonably priced. You also need to book hotels early.

EDIT: for other areas, depending on timing and such, you can drive down to Sanilac and dive the DRIS boat Go Between. Sanilac is halfway up Michigan's Thumb. I can recommend the Regina and the Mary Alice B.

 

[Johnoly]

..Book your charters now. Things fill up fast. ....

I've dove the straits several times and echo Marie's advice to book very early for that time of year. We stay at the Best Western Harbour Pointe which had a big free breakfast, great value rooms and good views. That time of year can have dense fog too.

I enjoyed the newer (?) Cedarville but my favorite was the Sandusky with it's hand carved railings and bow spirit. I live in Florida and Marie is bad arze to dive that wet. I dove it in my drysuit and still my face and fingers froze after 30 mins. The schooners are just perfectly preserved from hundreds of years ago, bring a good camera !!

 

[Marie13]

Thunder Bay was wet. Diving dry again now. Straits will be dry.

 

[nycjOHN170]

I am interested in Isle Royale. Should I also be looking at Thunder Bay operators? I'm seeing it is in Canada. We went through that this year on the St Lawrence. Were in Canada, but dove a wreck in the USA. Got pulled over by the PoPo but we were on our way to Customs at the castle.

 

[Marie13]

I am interested in Isle Royale. Should I also be looking at Thunder Bay operators? I'm seeing it is in Canada. We went through that this year on the St Lawrence. Were in Canada, but dove a wreck in the USA. Got pulled over by the PoPo but we were on our way to Customs at the castle.

Thunder Bay is in Lake Huron, off Alpena, MI.

Isle Royale has a liveaboard that costs a couple grand.

 

[Jared0425]

He's referring to Thunder Bay, Ontario. I do not know any charters out of Ontario that runs to Isle Royale. Until Ken Merryman gets back I only know of one charter to Isle Royale and that's the live aboard Marie mentioned above.

Also remember that Isle Royale and Lake Superior in general are remote sites that do not have many charters or facilities to handle divers. I know 2 or 3 years ago there was really no place to fill tanks, I do not know if that issue persists today or not.

 

[ScubaAl]

Isle Royals charters do not run a couple of grand. Unless you are talking about the whole character, that would be divided by the divers on the trip.