Haigh
Quarry
Located in Kankakee, Illinois. Features a small dive shop, dressing
rooms, picnic tables and grills. Max depth is 100 feet. Numerous
platforms - 7 at 25 feet and one other at 75 feet. Boats, boat launch
and night diving. Nitrox, gear rental, and more. It's designed for divers only.
Anybody who wants in pays. If you leave and come back in the
afternoon, you pay again - so pack a lunch!
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Devils Lake
State Park
This large lake is near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Devils Lake was formed from a
Glacier, and the result is a shallow, warm dive area. You can see numerous
fish species, fresh water "kelp", and sandy bottoms. Depth averages 20 to
25 feet (max. depth 45 feet), temperature 68 degrees. You will need a full
wet suit - hood is optional most of the year, but bring it just in case.
Visibility is best in mid summer (15 to 30 feet).
Flag and float are required by law (you will be ticketed without one).
Certification card required. It's a state park, so there is a per-vehicle
admission. There are some beach entries - anywhere else is rocky!
Algae blooms occur some Summers making vis zero!
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Pearl Lake
A privately owned and operated "resort" in South Beloit, IL, Pearl Lake has much to offer both
divers and non-divers. There's fishing, swimming, and diving! Just 1 1/2 hours
from Chicago, it's a great place to get wet. Numerous items have been sunk for
diving pleasure:
Boats, an airplane, two man sub, rail road tracks, concrete pipes, and even a
school bus! Fish and clams are in abundance. Average depth is 35 to 40 feet,
max. depth 85 feet. There is an entrance fee. Open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Flag not needed, certification card required. There is a restaurant, bar, rest
rooms, changing rooms, and showers at the lake. Plenty of hotels in the area, as
well as camping at the lake. Register at the main building downstairs in
the dive registration area. There are plenty of dive sites in the lake,
all well away from the swimming area. See photos on the Ice Diving page.
Weekends will see most of the sites overrun with students on certification
dives.
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France Park
Logansport, IN - also called Franz Park.
Have you ever seen a Paddle Fish? How about fresh water Jelly Fish? France Park
(sometimes called Franz Park) has these and more! Maximum depth is 35 feet, with
visibility averaging 10 to 25 feet. A rock quarry,
 France Park has stone walls,
a rock and sand bottom, and unusually warm water (sometimes up to 70 degrees!).
There is also a snack shop, water slide, meeting area, and more. Open for diving
from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm. Diving policies have recently changed. Get as far away from the swim area as possible for the best diving.
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 Lake Michigan -
North Ave. Beach Chess Pavilion
It's a no-thrills, no-frills beach dive.
Exit Lake Shore Drive at North Ave. and park. You're there! Register with
the lifeguard. Bring your
equipment to the entrance by the Chess Pavilion. You enter from a wall, so use a
giant stride entry. You can find
all kinds of junk, explore the rock bottom and wall. To date items found include
coins, jewelry, and a 10 speed bike! Exit is by a ladder set in the concrete
wall. About 15 feet deep, with visibility averaging from 3 to 7 feet. Dive flag
and float, a buddy, and certification card required. The Chicago Park District
requires that you check in with the life guard on duty. There is also a life
guard station at Oak Street Beach (294-4651). Note: It is against the law to
dive from Chicago shores anywhere except North Ave. Beach, or from a boat.
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Evanston Beach
Evanston Illinois - Resting in 10 to 16 feet of water is the Wreck of the George Morley, a wooden
shipwreck that burned and sank in the 1800's. Intact below the gunwales,
the wreck is just 150 yards off shore and is marked by cans. Ask the beach
office for directions to the wreck site. There is also an old PT boat located
off Main Street. Suit up at Greenleaf St. Beach.
There is a beach entrance fee. Flag and float, certification card required.
Closes at 6:00 pm. The wreck is mostly exposed due
to wave and current action.
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Racine Quarry
Located in Racine Wisconsin, and run by the County, this former hang-out of the co-founder of PADI,
Ralph Erickson was popular with divers and non-divers alike. Vertical walls, a
sloping beach, easy entry, and a well equipped club house (locker rooms,
showers) are just some of the features. It's an abandoned limestone
quarry, flooded (duh!) and spring fed. In the "trench" down at 85 feet or
so, you can see and feel the frigid water flow. My first dive there
convinced me to buy a dry suit. Probably the reason the dive shop
had us dive there in the first place!!! Register at the stone building.
Located in Quarry Lake Park. No diving is permitted in the swimming
area (it's marked by a floating line). Walk past the beach area,
either left or right. You have to change in the main building, but
can suit up at the water's edge. See photos on the Ice Diving page.
Reports from last summer ('02): Quarry is dead. No marine
life, not even algae. Even local divers avoid it. Many divers believe that
the county dumped some kind of toxin in the water to kill of unwanted
critters - and wound up killing everything (I have no fact to back that up
- it's just what is rumored.) But when you see divers fleeing the water
and washing themselves and all their equipment in the showers for 30
minutes, you have to wonder!
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 RedGranite Quarry
Another gravel quarry, located in the town of RedGranite, WI. Lot's of Bass
and Sunfish. Max depth of...238 feet! Nice U/W photo ops of fish and rocks
(great - more rocks). Divers report seeing freshwater jellyfish there as well. Most divers hang in the 30-90 foot range. Vis averages 20 to 30 feet.
Designated a village park in 1986. 7 acres of water - you can dive the sunken snowmobile or the two small boats
(wow!) It's one of the deepest lakes in Wisconsin, and popular with local
divers (it's a hike from Chicago!!)
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