Lake Huron trip cancelled :(

[Marie13]

I am majorly saddened and disappointed. My long-awaited Lake Huron trip (Alpena,MI/Thunder Bay) has been blown out. Bad weather forecast for each day - t'storms and high winds. Facing an 8 hour drive each way from the Chicago area, I talked to Capt. Joe of Thunder Bay Scuba this afternoon and we cancelled. Just not safe diving conditions. I know someone who was up there a month ago and got blown out. Thankfully, he knew people in the area to visit. A friend of a friend just got blown out up there today. 6-12 ft waves!

Our hotel rate allowed us to cancel without any penalty (I specifically got a slightly higher rate in order to allow that).

Instead, buddy and I, and possibly a few friends, are hitting DRIS' boats on Saturday and Sunday for 2 mornings of Lake Michigan diving. We're still hitting the Great Lakes, but the boat is only an hour away, plus we're not shelling out hotel $$.

 

[flyboy08]

Sorry to hear this! They'll certainly be other days where you'll be able to do this dive....now, you can go pamper yourself at a spa as a consolation prize

 

[Lorenzoid]

I guess that's par for the course for Great Lakes wreck divers. Bummer.

 

[AustinV]

At least you still get the local dives!

 

[kafkaland]

Sorry to hear that, but it's not uncommon for the western shores of Lake Huron. I get blown out on average every third time I book a dive on one of the boats there. But the wrecks there are definitely worth it!

 

[Hoag]

Sorry to hear about your trip. Hopefully, you will be able to reschedule sometime not too far in the future.

 

[Tug]

Sorry to hear that! I have several friends out there from Mass who have been blown out as well.

Hope you get some nice dives in with DRIS instead!

 

[Marie13]

Sorry to hear about your trip. Hopefully, you will be able to reschedule sometime not too far in the future.

Next year.

 

[Neilwood]

I think you made the right choice - better to be on the surface wishing you were down there than down there wishing you weren't. It is annoying but at least that is all it is. You are still getting out diving so all is not lost.

Did an aborted dive last year that I realise with hindsight should probably not have been attempted - the surface conditions were horrendous even getting out of the harbour (waves 6-10ft at least), vis was sub 3ft. Issue was that I had spent 1hr arranging my gear, driven 1 1/2 hr to the harbour, spend 30-40mins in the boat getting to the site and waiting for other divers to leave the boat. The "dive" lasted all off 5 minutes before we called it - couldn't see squat. I had too much invested in the day to simply say "you know what guys I will pass". Went back 2 weeks later and had 2 brilliant dives!

The wrecks will still be there for you.

 

[Saniflush]

That sucks Marie. I know one of the hardest things for me to do (and not do) is watch the weather forecasts for an upcoming trip. Have never had one completely cancelled but have had multiple days sliced off due to weather.
I try to keep reminding myself that there is always somewhere else to dive when the weather is bad.