St. James Pit

[flyboy65]

Thanks, Matt, for the info on St. James.  We'll be checkin' out that wall to the west next time we're there!

Very good day of diving for us.  Went up to Ely, and dove the minepit just north of town.  Hit some black murky layer at about 50'.  Turned parallel to that, since I'm not much into that kind of stuff without a light.  Lot's of garbage along the slope.  One area had probably close to a hundred rubber boots that had been dumped...I could get someone a GREAT deal on rubbers ;D.

We drove around the area looking for what I've heard called the rock crusher.  From what I've been told secondhand, it was some underground mining operation that just couldn't keep up with the groundwater coming in.  The surface area of the "mine" is about the size of a house footprint.  But a co-workers father in law has been on it in the winter, and says he can see the machinery through the clear ice.  Sounded like fun, but the road we were told to go down was gated and posted.  So we headed off to St. James, and then over to Lake Mine by Giants Ridge, where we met up with MAKA and his dive buddy...(forgot yer name...sorry). 

On our drive home, I did comment on how we divers around here in Duluth really do take some of the great diving we have right out our back door for granted.  These guys were from the cities, and had at least a 4 hour drive back home.  If I were independently wealthy, I'd live halfway between Lake Superior and the Iron Range.  (Don't think there's a whole lotta work in Isabella, MN). 

Heading up to Isle Royale Wed night, with Jay from Lake Superior Divers, on the Wreckreation for three dives...the America, for sure, and the other two start with a "c".  One is just the engine...Cox?  I'm not sure.  They're all on the south end of the island.  Will post more on that later.

Matt, thanks again for the conversation and tips.  Hope to bump into you and others from here sometime this summer.  Hey Lon, lets hit St. James before the ice sets in!!