Lake Wazee, Black River Falls, WI (about 2 1/4 hr south-east of Minneapolis).
Wazee Lake is recognized as the deepest inland lake in the state of Wisconsin, with a maximum depth of 355'.Visibility in the lake averages 30-40 feet during the summer months. Water temperatures run from approximately 70 + degrees at the surface to 50+ degrees below the first thermocline. The thermocline depth varies during the summer, but averages about 30 feet. A second thermocline at approximately 60 feet where the temperature drops to a chilly 34 degrees.
There are several groups of fish cribs as well as four dive platforms used by instructors for training new divers. Fish species include rainbow, brook and brown trout, blue gills, suckers, catfish, and small mouth bass.
We rented tanks and weights from Wazee Sports Center, W10120 Hwy. 54 East Black River Falls, WI 54615.
We did two lake dives. My biggest fun was my buoyancy. As you all know, 6.5 mm of neoprene can produce some interesting challenges. I'd get adjusted and then at 27 feet or so, BAM! hit the thermocline and start to drop. We had enough sense to stay in the shallow areas to get use to this effect, but Id end up sitting on the bottom, around 34 feet, or in one case hugging a rock incline, adjusting my buoyancy. When we would swim back to the warm water. . . up youd go. We never ventured deeper that 36 feet, as we didnt like the cold, the fish were above 35 feet, and as a newbie, I didnt want to place myself in a position where I could find 80 feet real fast. The only heartening part, was that the more experienced divers were having the same fun with their buoyancy, so I didn't feel quite so incompetent
Wazee Lake is recognized as the deepest inland lake in the state of Wisconsin, with a maximum depth of 355'.Visibility in the lake averages 30-40 feet during the summer months. Water temperatures run from approximately 70 + degrees at the surface to 50+ degrees below the first thermocline. The thermocline depth varies during the summer, but averages about 30 feet. A second thermocline at approximately 60 feet where the temperature drops to a chilly 34 degrees.
There are several groups of fish cribs as well as four dive platforms used by instructors for training new divers. Fish species include rainbow, brook and brown trout, blue gills, suckers, catfish, and small mouth bass.
We rented tanks and weights from Wazee Sports Center, W10120 Hwy. 54 East Black River Falls, WI 54615.
We did two lake dives. My biggest fun was my buoyancy. As you all know, 6.5 mm of neoprene can produce some interesting challenges. I'd get adjusted and then at 27 feet or so, BAM! hit the thermocline and start to drop. We had enough sense to stay in the shallow areas to get use to this effect, but Id end up sitting on the bottom, around 34 feet, or in one case hugging a rock incline, adjusting my buoyancy. When we would swim back to the warm water. . . up youd go. We never ventured deeper that 36 feet, as we didnt like the cold, the fish were above 35 feet, and as a newbie, I didnt want to place myself in a position where I could find 80 feet real fast. The only heartening part, was that the more experienced divers were having the same fun with their buoyancy, so I didn't feel quite so incompetent
