Best place to dive in Michigan?

[champacs]

I'm going to be visiting Michigan mid-July to early August and would like to do some diving while there.
If we have to pick just one location in the state to dive where do you recommend? I understand there's some great wreck diving to be done, especially up north.

Some context:
I don't have thousands of dives under my (weight) belt, only 300, but I dive regularly at home and have experience of various contexts having dived in 27 different countries so far. Home and many of my travel destinations are tropical or sub-tropical, but I have dived in summer in dry suits in Iceland, Lake Baikal, and Scotland. I'm a PADI Rescue Diver.
Due to luggage constraints I will only be able to bring my dive computer and dive log so will need a club who can supply all the equipment and a dive guide. My dive buddy will be my husband, to whom pretty much all of the above applies as well.

TIA for any help, advice and suggestions.

Catharine

 

[ChuckP]

I'm not sure that I've heard of anyone renting drysuits in the Great Lakes area, seems a lot of diving is done on scheduled charters unlike other places that you show up and dive daily.

Dive Right in Scuba is located in Illinois, they sell equipment but they also work with this group Double Action Dive Charters, on their website, click the link for dive boat.

Scuba Gear Diving Equipment | Dive Right in Scuba

 

[Marie13]

Double Action Dive Charters, DRIS’ sister company, has a nice boat in Port Sanilac, MI, halfway up MI’s Thumb, that hits southern Lake Huron wrecks in rec depths. Also goes out of Harbor Beach for deeper wrecks.

There are plenty of dive shops in SE Michigan. I’m sure there are at least a few shops that rent drysuits.

 

[Marie13]

Also dive clubs that provide equipment are non-existent here. It will be dive shops that rent. Make sure you are dry suit certified. Otherwise, you will most likely not be able to rent a drysuit.

Also, there are no dive guides here. Wreck diving is done by the boat attaching to a mooring, down you go, and you take yourself around the wreck. Boat captain gives a good site briefing.

I’m going to suggest the wrecks out of Sanilac. Boat pretty much only operates on the weekends. If you have more time, you might drive up to Alpena to dive the wrecks out of Thunder Bay. That is the home of the only national marine sanctuary on the Great Lakes. Contact Great Lakes Divers in Alpena to inquire about charter availability.

Edited to add: contact Double Action charters about equipment rental. Explain you’re coming from out of the country and they will be able to recommend a shop for rentals. The Double Action boat DOES book per seat. They are unusual in that aspect. Most of the charters in Michigan require the entire boat to be booked. Boat holds 16.

And while you’re in SE Michigan, make sure you visit the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, as well as the Detroit Institute of Arts. For Great Lakes maritime history, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle in Detroit. They should have some items pertaining to the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in 1975, and is the most famous Great Lakes wreck. I’d suggest you google the Fitz for some interesting reading. I’m a suburban Detroit native.

 

[champacs]

Thanks!
As we'll be heading up north anyway, if you had to choose between diving out of Port Sanilac or Alpena which would you choose?

 

[Marie13]

Thanks!
As we'll be heading up north anyway, if you had to choose between diving out of Port Sanilac or Alpena which would you choose?

Sanilac. It’s less exposed to weather than Alpena, and the wrecks are equally good.

 

[HKGuns]

Marie, have you dove (Duh) any of these?

Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve

To the OP, this guide may assist you.....It took me a while to find it, so it may not show up in a lot of searches.

http://www.michiganpreserves.org/MUPC2011_complete2019_April.pdf

 

[Marie13]

Marie, have you dived any of these?

Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve

Not yet.

 

[HKGuns]

Not yet.

I still own a home on Pyramid point in the middle of the park. Grew up there, never knowing these wrecks were there. Knew about the one off the South of Manitou Island because you can see if from the point. Otherwise, was totally oblivious. Fascinating how long you can live somewhere and know so little.

 

[JustinLoos1985]

Double Action Dive Charters, DRIS’ sister company, has a nice boat in Port Sanilac, MI, halfway up MI’s Thumb, that hits southern Lake Huron wrecks in rec depths. Also goes out of Harbor Beach for deeper wrecks.

There are plenty of dive shops in SE Michigan. I’m sure there are at least a few shops that rent drysuits.

Do you work for a dive shop in Michigan?