New to Illinois

[Marie13]

My regular buddy and I have been out at Haigh just about every weekend since they opened April 1.

 

[Clayton122]

There are a number of us here. I'll be diving Haigh on opening day Saturday with another SBer! I'll be doing my Advanced course at Haigh (uw nav, night) and on Lake Michigan (deep, wreck) this summer (SDI Advanced that is four separate specialties with a total of 9 dives).

I will also be at Haigh that opening weekend doing my advanced course. on 6/3 and 6/4

 

[Clayton122]

AOW completed at Hagie this past weekend. DAMN its cold! And the Viz was absolute garbage. At times less than even 3 feet ( im 6'4' and most of the time I couldnt see my own fins )

 

[Marie13]

I was at Haigh yesterday for two dives. My computer showed 46 degrees on the Flamingo and the fire truck on the deep side (40-50 ft). How did you like the deep hole?

I'm used to the vis and all the green stuff in the water.

 

[Clayton122]

I was out there for 3 days on Sat, and 2 dives on Sunday. I did the hole on Sat. ( my computer registered 43 ), along with buoyancy and navigation. Yesterday I did search and recovery ( one of our group dropped her mask in 60 feet of water ), and wreck ( fire engine and house boat ).

It was overall a good time, but I cant see myself going there very often. That viz was just terrible.

 

[Marie13]

The bad viz and cold make you a better diver, unless you like things easy, in which case, stick to the tropics.

 

[Clayton122]

While I agree on the Viz part, im not sure about the cold. But I certainly had to work a lot harder at my underwater navigation part of the course.

 

[sara v]

Mermet is an awesome site - small enough to never be very far from short - big enough and deep enough to get some good experience -

was there last August - two thoughts - (1) - very tough diving conditions - water on surface was 87 degrees - air temp was low 90's - water at 35 feet was 75 degrees - at 55 feet was 52 degrees - at 85 feet was 42 degrees - it is spring fed and the bottom never warms past 42 (2) if you are allergic to bees/wasps bring your own epi-pen - nearest ER is half an hour away - and to call it a hospital is generous - 3000 dollar trip to urgent care... ask me how i know

 

[scuba737]

There are many divers from Illinois here. We have this awesome little pond to dive in called Lake Michigan. Hope you can make it up and dive it sometime.

I just moved to Naperville from Vegas. Do you have any recommendations on where to dive.

 

[Clayton122]

I just moved to Naperville from Vegas. Do you have any recommendations on where to dive.

I like diving with an outfit called Double Action Dive charters. They run out of the Hammond Marina, and one out of a northern port that I have not yet been to. They run a good boat.