Great Lakes, not so exotic but worth it just the same!

[Hubby63 9]

I love this part of the wet pixel forum! It's a great spot to see some terrific pics and gather ideas of unique and exotic dive destinations (usually warmer ones)! But in stepping outside the box, I thought I would post a few pics from our trip last summer to Presque Isle, Michigan. The PI (as the locals call it) is a wreck divers paradise with stellar viz, pristine wooden 1800's sailing ships, and early 1900's steamers, submerged in the chilly and sometimes even brutally cold Lake Huron waters (mostly less than 200ft/60m). But if you are dressed right, i.e. drysuit, dry gloves, heated vest etc; you are in for a real treat not found in other parts of the world and well worth the visit! We did it with Lust4Rust.co diving excursions (noted for CCR/OC wreck diving in such exotic locales as Truk, Bikini, Sri Lanka etc.). We called it “Lust for Wood” so to speak.

Edited January 9, 2016 by warrior63

[trimix125 73]

Hi Warrior,

that looks realy great!!!

I am not sure if you can find wrecks like this anywhere else.......
Our lakes in austria are too small and deep, the meditarean sea is not a good place for wooden wrecks, like any other salty water.....

Looks impressive.
I think i should do a rebreather class.....
All the big tanks while trimix diving and a big camera setup ist old school ;-))

Regards,
Wolfgang

[Hubby63 9]

That certainly is a problem with tek diving, gear gear and more gear, but I do have to say CCR is especially nice in cold water since the breathing air is warmed by the chemical reaction of the scrubber. Drysuit heating technology has also made this much more comfortable as well. I am ashamed to admit that the great lakes are in my own backyard and I am just now discovering these gems. If you are interested, there is another trip this year, check out Lust4Rust.co for more info.

 

cheers

steve.

[troporobo 237]

Such a trip would have never even occurred to me but wow, that does look fascinating. Excellent pics, thanks for sharing.

[petemes 6]

Hi Steve,

 

You are right. The Great Lakes is something very special indeed. Photographically its a wonderland. I havent had as much fun for a long time. With the zebra mussels being introduced into the lakes a few decades ago it really has cleaned up the viz. All these wrecks we are working on in Presque Isle is in the 45-55m mark. Its pretty cool on the bottom (3ºC) and ascending to 10 meters water warms up to 10ªC and a further five degree increase at the last deco stop (which is very welcoming!) Getting over the colder waters by wearing the proper gear is totally worth the hassle.

 

The ambient light is lower but water is crystal clear. I have a Nikon D810 and been putting it through its high ISO paces. Just remember that these wrecks are unique. Nowhere else in the world can you dive 158 year old wooden schooners which are sitting bolt upright. They are so intact and pristine all you need to do is bring them to the surface, put sails on them and off you go!!

 

Here are a few shots. Hope you like them. Of course there are over 6000 wrecks in the Great Lakes and range in all depths from just below the surface to 100m + deep. obviously the deeper ones are more virginal and not effected by damage (but then you have to spend long periods of time decompressing in the cooler waters).

 

Typo, three masted Schooner 40m (137 foot) built 1873, sank 1899

 

Kyle Spangler 40m (130 foot) Schooner built 1856, sank 1890

 

 

 

 

[petemes 6]

Few more shots.

 

Cornelia B Windiate built 1874, sank 1875

 

Florida, wooden steemer, 82m (270 foot) built 1889, sank 1897

[errbrr 73]

Nice shots! And nice not having to deal with trails of bubbles through the background with (presumably) a group of divers down there. Is there much access to the internal areas? Anything in there?

[Hubby63 9]

Why yes! there is penetration, and some interesting artifacts such as telescopes, engine room gauges, and various cargos still in pristine condition. Fortunately, these era time pieces are protected by law and generally not looted by fellow divers.

[Stoo 42]

Steve/Pete, you have some great shots there! Friends of mine travel to PI annually, but I have yet to make the trip from Tobermory! It looks spectacular.

 

So many people seem to thing that great diving has to be in warm water. Last year, I travelled to both the east and west coasts of Canada as well as a few spots in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence. Personally, I love cold water diving, plus you can hang your beer in a bag off of the boat and it comes up "just right"! :-)

[TimG 62]

Wow, some cracking pics here - really nice work.

 

It does look damn cold down there though!

[petemes 6]

Steve/Pete, you have some great shots there! Friends of mine travel to PI annually, but I have yet to make the trip from Tobermory! It looks spectacular.

 

So many people seem to thing that great diving has to be in warm water. Last year, I travelled to both the east and west coasts of Canada as well as a few spots in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence. Personally, I love cold water diving, plus you can hang your beer in a bag off of the boat and it comes up "just right"! :-)

Hi Stoo,

 

I am super excited to make other trips round the Lakes, Tobermory, Isle Royale, Two Rivers, Milwaukee, Whitefish etc etc. You are so right about cold water diving. I guess anyone if given the option will want to go for the 30ºC water but people shouldnt discount colderwater dives. There are cracker sights to be enjoyed and the water temp is a slight logistic to think about avoiding freezing your balls off! Want to give that Gunuilda a nudge too!! Cant wait!

 

Pete

[petemes 6]

Wow, some cracking pics here - really nice work.

 

It does look damn cold down there though!

Thanks for your kind words Tim, No hiding though it is cold. But I thought I wouldnt be able to handle the colder waters. But with proper gear, dry gloves etc it didnt ever become a problem. We were doing on average 100min dives.

 

Pete

[TimG 62]

Thanks for your kind words Tim, No hiding though it is cold. But I thought I wouldnt be able to handle the colder waters. But with proper gear, dry gloves etc it didnt ever become a problem. We were doing on average 100min dives.

 

Pete

 

 

100 mins in that temperature? Clearly they breed then tough around you!

 

As for that cold post-dive beer, you could make mine a mega-hot chocolate

[petemes 6]

 

 

100 mins in that temperature? Clearly they breed then tough around you!

 

As for that cold post-dive beer, you could make mine a mega-hot chocolate

Mainline infused!

[the_dragon_no1 4]

Great lakes = Bucket list!!! Nice shots here!

[Tom_Kline 137]

Great images! The divers provide a very nice sense of scale too.

[davephdv 0]

Very nice. Grew up in Michigan and learned to dive there. Before I could afford a camera.

 

If you can dive there, you can dive anywhere.

[petemes 6]

Very nice. Grew up in Michigan and learned to dive there. Before I could afford a camera.

 

If you can dive there, you can dive anywhere.

Its a beautiful part of the world alright. Just finding my feet there and really looking forward to spending August each year exploring the Great Lakes.

 

Pete

[Hubby63 9]

Although this thread started in January, I thought I would add a few pics of this years trip with Lust4Rust.co to a wreck called the Gunilda, on the North Shore of Lake Superior. She was a mega yacht that sank in 1911 after running aground on a shoal and is possibly the most beautiful wreck in the great lakes!

 

Edited August 27, 2016 by Hubby63

[Hubby63 9]

a few more

 

Edited August 27, 2016 by Hubby63

[trimix125 73]

Hi Steve,

very impressive wreck!!!
That looks like from another world ;-))

Thanks for sharing,
Wolfgang

Edited August 27, 2016 by trimix125

[Nicool 26]

Wow wow wow! Love the Cornelia B and the Gunilda!

Those wrecks are like my childhood dreamt wrecks: wooden and still intact! This is like a jump in the past, thanks for sharing this guys.

 

Questions though:

-how deep is the gunilda? Any chance to photograph it with blue/green water (not black)?

-where are the fishes?

 

 

Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[Hubby63 9]

Hi Nicool

 

The Gunilda is about 70m dark and cold...4C. To get the blue green water background would require very high ISO, and/or exceptional vis....maybe early season? The Windiate always a crowd pleaser and so photogenic! In general the Great Lakes fish tend to be skittish, but they are there from time to time. Visibility on the average 15-40m and great for photo ops.

 

Come Join Lust4Rust for a great lakes adventure. check out Lust4Rust.CO or contact Pete Mesley (owner)

 

Happy Holidays!

 

steve

[Nicool 26]

Hi Nicool

 

The Gunilda is about 70m dark and cold...4C. To get the blue green water background would require very high ISO, and/or exceptional vis....maybe early season? The Windiate always a crowd pleaser and so photogenic! In general the Great Lakes fish tend to be skittish, but they are there from time to time. Visibility on the average 15-40m and great for photo ops.

 

Come Join Lust4Rust for a great lakes adventure. check out Lust4Rust.CO or contact Pete Mesley (owner)

 

Happy Holidays!

 

steve

Thanks Steve, one day for sure!

Btw, the zen mini dome i bought from you works great

[Stoo 42]

Hi Stoo,

 

I am super excited to make other trips round the Lakes, Tobermory, Isle Royale, Two Rivers, Milwaukee, Whitefish etc etc. You are so right about cold water diving. I guess anyone if given the option will want to go for the 30ºC water but people shouldnt discount colderwater dives. There are cracker sights to be enjoyed and the water temp is a slight logistic to think about avoiding freezing your balls off! Want to give that Gunuilda a nudge too!! Cant wait!

 

Pete

 

Indeed... I always figure that the reason we don't get more visitors from afar, is that transitioning from tropical diving in a 3mm suit isn't easy. Or inexpensive. On the other hand, anyone who can dive in 200' of water that's barely above freezing can easily head south (and we do!)