visiting from Indiana to Lake Superior in June

[terfmop]

Hello folks!

Your neighbors over at the wiscuba.com board directed me here to ask a question I had about finding a dive buddy for the Bayfield, WI area. I am a soon-to-be certified OW diver (check out dives are next month).  I will also be visiting some family in Wisconsin at the end of June.  I'd like to get some experience and do some diving around the Apostle Islands (or any other area a more experienced diver would reccomend).  If anyone would be willing to show a newbie around that area, I'd appreciate it.  I think the best date for me would be 6/26/07 (a Tuesday).

[arcFlash]

This thread is a good read on sites.


My 2 cents: The big lake can be skull crushing cold and the surge/surf isn't fun ether. What I guess I'm trying to say is it's not a nice place for a new diver. I only had 30 or so and I was maybe a little too soon and my experience was also with a group of skilled divers that gave me as much advice as I could handle. So, buddy well and try and log at least 10 in your local pond before. You'll be happy you did.

Others may disagree with me but I find it more challenging then average lakes.

[Dano]

I have never been there, but, here is one dive charter service in that area.



Dan

[jpreston]

Where at in Indiana? I'm originally from there and was living in MN until this past fall, now I live in Findlay, Ohio just minutes away from Gilboa quarry that is one of the best places available in OH to dive besides going to the Great Lakes.

John P.

[terfmop]

I'm from Terre Haute... ~70 miles west of Indy.

thanks for the links! i'll call and see what they have to say.

[arcFlash]

I know the owner and he's a good guy. I plan to book a few charters with him this summer.

[innerspace]

I'll have to disagree with you on that one!  If you have a good instructor, spend longer than a single weekend on your training (repetition and in-water time count for a lot!!), have the PROPER gear, and you've been trained to consider more than just the tropical environment, Lake Superior can be a very nice place for a new diver. 

We do open water certification dives in Lake Superior, if conditions are favorable.  If they are not, we tell our students that we won't be diving Superior today due to <insert unfavorable condition here> and are heading to a lake which won't be as challenging or intimidating.

If you see 3-foot waves breaking close to shore on some nasty looking rocks and you don't have the experience, training, or skills to handle those conditions, don't dive there!  Doesn't matter if it's Lake Superior or Cozumel.

Others may disagree with me but I find it more challenging then average lakes.

LOL, I will agree with you on that one!  It's why when a divemaster in the tropics asks you what diving experience you have, he says "Well, we don't have to worry about you then!"  Diving in Lake Superior (and cold water in general) is more challenging than warm-water diving, but the correct gear, training, and common sense will make your dive fun and enjoyable.

terfmop, there are some neat spots to dive in the Bayfield area.  The good news is because of the shelter of the Apostle Islands, weather isn't as much of a factor as along the north shore so the water is usually better behaved and friendly.  There are also some NICE inland lakes not too far away.  We have quite a few customers from Ashland/Washburn/Iron river and I would think that they would [glow=red,2,300]love[/glow] to take you out diving!

Innerspace Scuba, located in Duluth, MN is about 70 miles from Bayfield (about 1.5 hours driving time) so please give us a call if you can't find a buddy and we'll try to get you hooked up!

Happy Diving!

[racer17m]

I would have to agree that lake superior can be challenging at times but if you dive in 80 degree calm water do you really become a good diver or do good divers develop from challenging experiences. I was certified in lake superior doing my check out dives there and most of my diving during my first 3 years of certification all in lake superior.  Yes it can be cold and yes it can be challenging but no worries its just a little character builder!

I cant help you out with the bay field area since I have not been diving over there yet.

[arcFlash]

As long as we are all agreeing... I'm sure Innerspace's training is high quality and targeted for the big lake diver. As we all know, not all instructors bring the same skill to the classroom. From my experience I wouldn't recommend the big lake to anyone just out of the training tub to jump in without some experienced buddy or instructor.  That's all.

PS: You did put a lot of "if's" in your disagreement.  ;D

Cheers.

[innerspace]

Heh, yeah I did...but that's all stuff we know already anyhow! ;D

And it's always a good idea to grab an experienced buddy when you head off somewhere new.