Lake Michigan - 100 ft Visibility now!

[captndale]

This last weekend we made several dives on the wreck, S.S. Wisconsin. Divers went descended on the midship mooring - the one fastened just above the hole where the cars are located. They reported the visibility was so good that from that location they could see the stern of the wreck. The midship mooring is on the port rail almost exactly at the half-way point and the wreck is 215 feet long.

 

[deco_martini]

Due to Zebra mussels?

 

[TCDiver1]

Due to Zebra mussels?

Yes, partially at least. Vis has steadily gotten better over the years since they made their appearance. The only good thing to come out of the infestation.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

We dove with Dale on Saturday. The viz was indeed awesome! It was pretty snotty above the last thermocline, but below it opened up and you had the sensation of descending out of the clouds and flying down to the wreck. It was the best viz I've seen on the Great Lakes.

 

[SouthSideScubaSteve]

Just curious, what were the water temp's at the thermoclines?

 

[Dean810]

Probably still cold. Zebra mussels have a big effect on viz, but lets not forget that the quality of the water is still better then the bad old days. You can get great viz in Lake Superior, and there are hardly any zebras there.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

just curious, what were the water temp's at the thermoclines?

42-43

 

[SwimJim]

Probably still cold. Zebra mussels have a big effect on viz, but lets not forget that the quality of the water is still better then the bad old days. You can get great viz in Lake Superior, and there are hardly any zebras there.

Bad old days??? Must be before my time and I was diving in the 70's. Yeah theres good viz now, but theres a big trade off. I remember swimming around the SS Niagara's paddle wheel and being surrounded by clouds of Perch. Diving is different today, but diving is still diving if that makes any sense. I was happy with 10 foot viz and no zebras. But maybe that's just me.

 

[TCDiver1]

Bad old days??? Must be before my time and I was diving in the 70's. Yeah theres good viz now, but theres a big trade off. I remember swimming around the SS Niagara's paddle wheel and being surrounded by clouds of Perch. Diving is different today, but diving is still diving if that makes any sense. I was happy with 10 foot viz and no zebras. But maybe that's just me.

Yeah, we have better vis now but everything is so covered in ZM's you can't tell what anything is anymore without scraping the little blighter's off. I'd also trade the good vis for a better fishery and not having everything solid covered with them.

 

[Dean810]

Yeah, we have better vis now but everything is so covered in ZM's you can't tell what anything is anymore without scraping the little blighter's off. I'd also trade the good vis for a better fishery and not having everything solid covered with them.

I tend to agree with SwimJim and you. I have been on the Louisville, one of the oldest wrecks I've been on, and could hardly see what I was looking at. So many zebra's.