Windy City Diving.....

Somebody able to fill me in on Chicago area diving?

I'm sure it has its fair share of Lake Wreck Charters...recommended outfits?

Shore Diving? Anything?

With the exception of the one very strange spot, shore diving in Chicago is illegal and will get you in trouble. Here's a link to a thread some time ago that included a discussion of the Chess Pavillion.

As far as charters go, there are several out of Burnham Harbor, which is just south of downtown Chicago near Soldier Field. The best is the Kohana run by Chicago Dive Charters , but you might also look into Dive Chicago and Discovery (815/786-1337.)

There are some excellent dives out of Chicago, but as a general rule, the further north you go, the better the diving. Water depths increase which means that an increasing number of wrecks are able to survive the pounding of winter storms.

Waukegan Harbor: Enterprise Marine

Wintrhop Harbor: Shipwreck Adventures

Milwaukee: Nordic Diver or Pirate's Cove

I'm sure I've forgotten somebody and will, no doubt, catch grief for it, but hopefully this will be enough information to get you started.

Steven

Thanks a lot for the info.

What is the scoop about the Chicago Catacombs(sp)? If any..

I'm not familiar with anything called the "Chicago Catacombs" and I've lived and dived here for many years. There are some flooded light rail tunnels under the downtown area, but I've never heard of anyone but commercial divers going in them and I doubt rec divers would be able to gain access, let alone permission.

Many of the websites I listed have information about local diving, including the more popular wrecks. Remember the rule - the deeper they are, the more intact they are likely to be. Out of Chicago the hot "wreck" this year is the Straits of Mackinac", a recently scuttled former car ferry that sits in about 80ft of water. Otherwise, there is something for everyone. Also remember the water is cold - right now you'll be lucky if the water below the 50 ft thermocline is above 50F. Last weekend several days of SW winds blew all the warm water to Michigan and we were diving in water in the upper-30's again. The top-water is usually warmer, later in the season it can hit the mid-70's. Visibility thus far this year has been (relatively) terrific - I've seen lots of 40 - 50ft days and several more than 60ft. D#$% zebra mussels are good for something, at least.

Steven

That's okay, used to the cold water.

A buddy of mine told me about the Catacombs from somebody he spoke to when he was out there, he never dove them, but somebody had apparently mentioned them to him, supposed to be from the 'Chicago Fire'......?

There are supposed to be some rubble piles in a couple of places where debris from the 1871 fire was hauled out and dumped in the lake, although most of that stuff was used as fill close to shore. I've seen some artifacts that supposedly came from these piles: busted up pieces of pottery and machinery that I would have left behind. Then again, who knows...it makes for a good story, anyway.

Some of the charters may know locations for these sites, but they aren't on the normal dive list, that's for sure. If anyone knows anything about them, it would likely be someone at the Underwater Archeological Society of Chicago or the Chicago Historical Society.

Steven

I'm sure I've forgotten somebody and will, no doubt, catch grief for it, but hopefully this will be enough information to get you started.

Steven [/B][/QUOTE]


You about covered the good charters around here. It is shallower in the south of the lake. I did go out with www.npursuitcharters.com this past Sunday and Capt. Mike was great.