Another Michigan dive site lost to development

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Tractor Tom

Contributor
Messages
901
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0
Location
Okeechobee, FL
# of dives
100 - 199
It wasn't much, but it WAS nearby and easy to get to. I was at the Dive Shop in Flint today and was told that the little Marina on Lake Fenton's north end, where many of us around here did openwater checkouts and such, has been sold to the developers and will no longer be available to us. Plans are underway to develop a good site to dive in Otter Lake, in Lapeer County on Otter Lake Road. There is a small city owned park on the Lake with a launch ramp, some camping nearby and some other amenities, but none of the neat sunken boats and navigation lines or platforms like we had at Lake Fenton.

So, it looks like midweek diving this spring will be spent 'discovering' a new mud hole.... Otter Lake.
 
Bummer!

But thanks for the info. I'm considering 'sneaking' into Salisbury Quarry just for the memories. I do have a friend of a friend that has a condo on the "lake". Wonder how many of the condo owners know what's down there!

& miss (darn! can't remember the name) the lake where a motorcycle club drove a sacrificial bike into the water each year. I remember diving on a small tanker the morning after it was sunk and the headlights still being on. Very Freaky! But then the pesticide from the neighboring farm ran into the lake and it was closed.

Paula
 
I liked that site. I have dove Otter Lake. That is "Braille Diving" at its' finest and cold to boot.

I am glad that I had the opportunity to dive that area in Lake Fenton though. It sounds like more trips to Higgins Lake to me.
 
...but I haven't been there yet. I noticed that the guys at the Dive Shop had a page posted with information about diving from the park on Lake Fenton and what is there to see (a sunken canoe????). Kevin at the shop was talking to me about beach diving at Grindstone City (on the very TIP of the thumb) and said it was pretty good too. Protected diving in clear, Lake Huron water, fairly shallow and some things to see. Only about two hours from my house, I may try to get out there a time or two this season as well....
 
I as well did my open waters at that site. It was sold last year but the deal wasn't done though so the original owners let the dive shop use it. There is also some shore diving at Silver lake at the pinckney recreation area. dove there once they had a motorcycle, snowmobile, some boats and other stuff there. with lines leading to each one it must be used as a training site for places near Ann Arbor. It wasnt to bad vis 20 feet maybe. but it is closer then Higgins lake. I have never dove Otter but I hear it is real silty on the bottom. Tom it sounds like you spend as much time in the Dive shop as I do. I work with Kevins wife. I go in there all the time just to chat with kevin and Kim good people. I get a laugh out of Kevin he knows all about diving around here but he is always at the shop when does he get time to find out about these places?
 
gtxl1200:
There is also some shore diving at Silver lake at the pinckney recreation area. dove there once they had a motorcycle, snowmobile, some boats and other stuff there. with lines leading to each one it must be used as a training site for places near Ann Arbor. It wasnt to bad vis 20 feet maybe. but it is closer then Higgins lake. QUOTE]

I dove Silver Lake twice last year. Vis was so-so in the Spring. It's definitely a mucky lake. Later in the summer vis was nil. Our guess was that the lake was shallow enough that the boat props and jet skis kept the bottom stirred up.

I'm in the Detroit area so there are a few more options here. Union Lake, Maceday Lake and Orchard Lake. These three need to be timed around boating season. We usually go before or after. & I think Maceday is tough to access - officials of some sort are keeping divers away from the ramp and parking area.

There is also Spring Mill Pond in Island Lake Recreation Area. It's also mucky but not as bad as Silver Lake. The only things are a snowmobile, toilet, and the occassional picnic table. They do stock the pond so stay away opening day of fishing season. It also stays fairly cool given it's spring fed.

Hmmm.... where else? Lake Baw Beese in Hillsdale. Clark Lake near the Irish Hills. Clear Lake in Atlanta. Gull Lake near K'zoo. Hardy Pond & dam - somewhere up North! LOL There are more but I'm obviously not remembering 'cause they aren't really worth remembering.

'twill be an interesting year. Just glad I live closer to the Ohio quarries than you three.

Paula
 
gtxl1200:
Tom it sounds like you spend as much time in the Dive shop as I do. I work with Kevins wife. I go in there all the time just to chat with kevin and Kim good people. I get a laugh out of Kevin he knows all about diving around here but he is always at the shop when does he get time to find out about these places?

I spend most my time at Seaquatics in Midland. So, that covers most of the SSI shops in Central Michigan. LOL One of the instructors at the Dive Shop was my DiveCon in my OW class.
 
gtxl1200:
I as well did my open waters at that site. It was sold last year but the deal wasn't done though so the original owners let the dive shop use it. There is also some shore diving at Silver lake at the pinckney recreation area. dove there once they had a motorcycle, snowmobile, some boats and other stuff there. with lines leading to each one it must be used as a training site for places near Ann Arbor. It wasnt to bad vis 20 feet maybe. but it is closer then Higgins lake. I have never dove Otter but I hear it is real silty on the bottom. Tom it sounds like you spend as much time in the Dive shop as I do. I work with Kevins wife. I go in there all the time just to chat with kevin and Kim good people. I get a laugh out of Kevin he knows all about diving around here but he is always at the shop when does he get time to find out about these places?
The thing about Kevin, at The Dive Shop in Flint, is that his back has gotten so bad, that he doesn't dive anymore! The only diving he does is when they go to Cozumel in the spring. (Last year they took about 60 people with them on this trip.) He HAS dived all over, caverns in Mexico, all over the caribbean, all the fresh water lakes in the area and lots of dives in the Great Lakes. Kim (his partner) still does dive a great deal, and has been diving for a LOT of years. To listen to Kim, he has done EVERY STUPID thing that a diver can do underwater. He has blown every seal, screwed up every regulator and dived in exceptionally bad and cold conditions. To talk with him is always a REAL education...and a good laugh!

For what it's worth, I haven't been in the dive shop in a couple months. But I dive frequently during the season, so I'm usually in there two or three times a month to get my tanks filled when the ice is off the lakes. I guess I made about 48 dives last year, and hope to make more this year....
 
frankenmuth_tom:
The thing about Kevin, at The Dive Shop in Flint, is that his back has gotten so bad, that he doesn't dive anymore! The only diving he does is when they go to Cozumel in the spring. (Last year they took about 60 people with them on this trip.)

The Cozumel trip is coming up end of March I was kind of thinking of going but decided against it. How come you havent signed up for the coz trip Tom?

diver brian? who was the dive con? I know most of the people who work at the dive shop. Kevin he just runs the place now. Kim(male) he is the main instructor and partner with Kevin then theres little Kim(female) she does a lot of dive con work with the open waters with Kim(male) then you have Lynn who just started instructing this year. then Dennis who did some but not much dive con last year.

Paula??? Yes please send some of the information if you have any to Brian so we can make a sticky on this board on places to go here in the great lakes forum I'm always looking for new places to dive.
 

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