What are some cool freediving places around here?

[josh b.]

Hey everyone, I wanted to find some new places to freedive besides Crosby.  I already plan on going to wazee this winter sometime, and ore be gone on sept 30th.  Other then those places and some of the superior wrecks...what else is good?  I'm basically willing to try anything, I've even gone freediving in the Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove! 


It would be a great help if anyone could attach video clips, pictures, etc.


Thanks,
JOSH

[LKunze]

Josh, if you are going to Ore Be Gone make sure to run over to Lake Mine in Biwabik and St. James Pit in Aurora.  Both are within 12 miles of Ore Be Gone and are well worth the short extra drive.

[freedivernd]

Here's an earlier video/topic of a lake near Perham that get's the nod pretty often

[Freedive WI]

To the east, in Wisconsin, there is Lake Owen and Round lake to jump in.

If you go up to Superior I can reccomend the Apostle Islands as most of the wrecks are VERY shallow- some I wouldn't even get out of my kayak to see but others wirth the swim. THere are also sea caves to swim through and interesting topography.

One of the best Great Lakes areas I've dove was Tobermory in Canada. There are SO many wrecks and caverns to swim through and beaches to dive off of it was like it was made for it. The guys fromthe Toronto Freediving club go up there a few times a year. The neat thing about that are is that most of the wrecks seemed to have slammed into a beach and sunk on the spot. That puts their bows in 10'-30' of water for anyone to reach and their sterns lie in 80'-150' of water so you can work your way down the wreck as you warm up. This also makes it a cool place todeco dive as you can start your deco halfway upthe wreck and still have stuff to look at while you deco out- instead of just staring at your buddy while hanging on the line.

There are a bunch of pretty nice spearfishing lakes about an hour or so south east of Wazee. They are all fairly shallow- less than 70'. They have great weed cover and lots of fish.

Jon

[DiverQueen]

Wirth Lake on the border of Minneapolis and Golden Valley, just south of Hwy 55, off Penn Ave not Wirth Lake Blvd.  Go in at the boat landing or swim area.  There is supposed to be an 80 ft. deep hole near the water bottling plant....lots of old bottles at the bottom...bring a light...Once the silt is stirred up it gets very dark.

Christmas Lake off Hwy 7 in Excelcior....Gin clear and 80 ft deep, easiest accesed by boat though, the milfoil is thick between the access and deep water. 

You could also try Lac Lavon in Burnsville/ Apple Valley.  Water's not as clear as Christmas, but the swim is easier.  I've dove it to the 17' bottom but didn't find the platform that WeatherPaparazzi had mentioned in his post.