Where is a good vacation spot for diving/other activities?

[616fun]

Ok,
I thought I'd post to the experts for this one...

My buddy and I are planning a trip to the Great Lakes for some good wreck diving. Probably next summer. I am just starting drysuit diving and want to get a bit of practice before I hit the lakes. Besides, we'd like it to warm up a bit before we come. Our wifes and my son (12 months old in two weeks) will be going as well. Though both wifes are divers, neither are interested in the cold water of the Lakes. I need to find a location that has:

1. Great activities other than diving to entertain the spouses/son
2. Great dive operations and easy access to wreck sites

We'd like to dive in the mornings and spend the afternoons with the family.

Does anyone have some suggestions of vacation locations that would fit this bill?

Thanks!!!

[TCDiver1]

Hi Brian,
Check out THE UP for diving and recreation. Just follow the links.

Considering your experience level you might want to consider the Alger preserve first. Its got some nice entry level wreck diving. Much of the stuff at the other preserve like Whitefish and Straits can get a little more advanced.

[616fun]

Hi Brian,
Check out THE UP for diving and recreation. Just follow the links.

Considering your experience level you might want to consider the Alger preserve first. Its got some nice entry level wreck diving. Much of the stuff at the other preserve like Whitefish and Straits can get a little more advanced.

Yeah - I forgot to put that in the post. I'd prefer the wrecks are in the 60-80 ft range. I'm still a bit 'green' so to speak.

My buddy is an instructor with over 1000 dives logged, so at least I'll have some good supervision.

Thanks again for the link - I'll check it out.

[Ber Rabbit]

Mackinac Island is a nice family place. We didn't get to dive there due to time constraints and I can't find my book of dive sites at the moment. I believe those are the Straits that gedunk mentions though.
Ber

[616fun]

Mackinac Island is a nice family place. We didn't get to dive there due to time constraints and I can't find my book of dive sites at the moment. I believe those are the Straits that gedunk mentions though.
Ber

Interesting - we were already planning a trip to Mackinac Island with some other friends next year (non-divers). Maybe I need to make room for the gear on that trip too.

[TCDiver1]

Mackinac Island is a nice family place. We didn't get to dive there due to time constraints and I can't find my book of dive sites at the moment. I believe those are the Straits that gedunk mentions though.
Ber

Yup, if your into history you can easily spend a day or two on Mackinac (also spelled Makinaw) island and not get bored as a family. Its a really cool place, no cars/motor vehicles allowed. The only vehicles on that island that have horsepower are real horses or you on a bike.

The Straits or the body of water between Michigans upper and lower peninsulas, is called the "Straits of Makinac" or "Straits" for short. Check it out but the wrecks tend to be a little deeper than Munising.

Spend some time following the links on the site i gave you. Lots of good info on all the preserves and recreational activities of the UP on there. I went to college in the UP, the UP rocks!

[Ber Rabbit]

Someone told me they have done shore dives off the end of the island near arch rock. You just have to hire a horse drawn vehicle to haul your gear around to the other side of the island from the hotels. My husband and I thought it looked like it would be a cool place to do a shore dive and actually wished we'd brought the gear along.

We went to Whitefish Point and did a shore dive right in front of the lighthouse just to say we had gone diving there. All we found was 19 feet of 60+ degree water and a whole bunch of sand, guess that's why there's a lighthouse there It was a cool "been there done that" dive though.

Sault St. Marie is another interesting town, again I can't tell you about the diving but the museum ship Valley Camp is a must see. I'm told its a twin to one of the ships sunk in the Straits, the Cedarville I believe. Sorry I'm not being very informative, I'm a little tired.
Ber

[Hank49]

Someone told me they have done shore dives off the end of the island near arch rock. You just have to hire a horse drawn vehicle to haul your gear around to the other side of the island from the hotels. My husband and I thought it looked like it would be a cool place to do a shore dive and actually wished we'd brought the gear along.

We went to Whitefish Point and did a shore dive right in front of the lighthouse just to say we had gone diving there. All we found was 19 feet of 60+ degree water and a whole bunch of sand, guess that's why there's a lighthouse there It was a cool "been there done that" dive though.

Sault St. Marie is another interesting town, again I can't tell you about the diving but the museum ship Valley Camp is a must see. I'm told its a twin to one of the ships sunk in the Straits, the Cedarville I believe. Sorry I'm not being very informative, I'm a little tired.
Ber

When I was a kid my father used to take us fishing (from Cincinnati area) every year to Canada. We would go to northern Lake Huron via Sault St Marie or the ferry from Tobemory. It used to blow me away how clear the water was. (1966-73 or so) I remember seeing my daredevil stick on a rock in about ....20 feet of water or so. I tell my brother I can go and get it.....whew, that water is cold. I didn't get it needless to say. But, in that area above the Georgian Bay up near Spanish, Whitefish Falls, MacGregor Bay, is the diving good.?

[diver_paula]

Traverse City is very family oriented and there is some good diving in the Manitou Passage. Not all that deep but some fun wrecks. & you can also make a day trip up to Charlevoix which is also both diver and family friendly. Call SCUBA North in Traverse City www.scubanorth.com/

Paula

[diverbrian]

I would second Munising as the Pictured Rocks and hiking up there might be considered good "family things". The deepest wreck in the Alger Underwater Preserve would be the Smith Moore at 85-90 ft. The wrecks aren't the greatest, but they are good and all are good "beginner wrecks".

Alpena has some nice wrecks in your range as well. The Montana is right in that range that you refer to as is the Lucinda Van Valkenburg. I am sure that the family could find lots to do there as well.

I give the Straits two thumbs up. You have Mackinaw Island and all of the "tourist stuff" in the area. The Sandusky, Maitland, Barnum and a host of other wrecks are in that general area. These are above 80 ft. Gedunk is correct that most of the GREAT wrecks are deeper, but you would likely love any of the ones that I have mentioned.

Whatever you decide, have lots of fun!