6 replies to this topic

[MNJoe]

Headed north this past weekend to do a little diving. I went with my local dive shop. I arrived Friday evening and met up with the group. We dove Agate Bay which is in Two Harbors, MN. Nothing too spectacular, just a simple dive to get everyone acclamated, although it was an evening dive. Stayed very shallow and looked for some tugs that were supposed to be in the area. Never found the tugs, but with the full or almost full moon it was easy to forget the sun had set. Water was a balmy 53 degrees. Saturday morning we awoke and drove north a few miles to dive the Madeira.

The Madeira

It took a while for the group to get organized and the Zodiac in the water and to the beach where we were waiting for our ride. Although I appreciated the ride, I could have done a dive and suface interval in the amount of time that was lost, just not to do a 150 yard surface swim. It was a good dive although visibility was only around 15' and a water temp of 46 degrees at 67'. We hauled all our gear back up to our vehicles, the Zodiac headed back to the boat ramp and we went back to Two Harbors and lauched the Zodiac again.

Then we headed out across Agate Bay to The Ely.

The Ely

This wreck is in a spot that is usually silted out by passing freighters, so we were expecting limited visibility. To our surprise we had visibilty of about 25 feet. Part of the hull is still intact and sits upright. It was quite impressive to look at this wooden ship that is over 100 years old, and it has been in the water a 100 years. the dive was so great that we decided to do our night dive here also. Of course we were back at camp and people were all ready getting settled in, we lit a spark under them and we headed back to dive instead of just sitting around the campfire. The night dive was great, somehow just the effect of the darkness and the old ship being illuminated by our lights made it that much more impressive. the water temp here was 42 degrees at 24 feet. We made our run back to the ramp and loaded the boat on the trailer. Back to camp for a late snack. Yes all day to do just three dives. The logistics are terrible, but with the water temps it probably is just as well. We did have a few divers diving wet.

Sunday we awoke and had to pack up camp before getting to our dive. We got all loaded up and headed north again, this time past the Madeira to Silver Bay, where the wreck of the Hesper lies.

The Hesper

We unloaded our dive gear and moved our vehicles back to the parking lot. This dive was right off the break wall at the marina in Silver Bay. Although we were informed that if there is a strong north wind (usual wind direction in the area), that the waves will make entry very difficult and you are better off boating out of the harbor to the wreck. Lucky for us, or maybe unlucky for those that do not like to swim, the wind was calm and we were going to use the break wall for entry. We geared up and climbed over the rip rap into the water. This was another wooded ship, although the sides had given way to time, it was still impressive to see a ship of this size made from wood. We swam over the wreck on one side of it and back on the other, then back to the break wall. Vis was about 20 - 25' and water temp was 42 degrees. We got out of the water and called it a weekend. I had another tank left, but no one else wanted to do another dive. I did feel a little chilled from the dive and thought it was just as well I went home too. Now that I am back at work, I sure wish I would have breathed down that last tank of air.

These were my first dives dry other than my checkout dives for the drysuit class. I seem to be doing okay, but would occasionally stumble with my bouyancy and the recovery seems to actually take longer than if I was wet. It did get easier with every dive. My regular fins won't fit the drysuit boots, so I was stuck with some split fins. I didn't have any problems swimming with them, but when my feet were getting floaty, I really wanted my jet fins. The split fins just don't seem to have the instantaneous thrust of my trusty jets.

So I had a great weekend diving and camping with a little history mixed in there also.

MNJoe

[Cold_H2O]

Sounds like you had a few great dives. Thanks for sharing.

Now that you have gone "DRY" it sounds like you are ready to revisit us in the PNW for some good vis winter dives.
You might actually get to see things on your next Sund Rock dive.

Edited by gis_gal, 25 August 2005 - 07:11 AM.

[Prairie Diver]

Thanks for the report Joe... This is Minnesota's best diving and you appear to have found the wrecks and conditions at their best. I have always wanted to dive the North Shore but seem to have an aversion to the cold... I can dive dry just haven't made it a priority yet. Your report makes me want to do this someday... Jay

[drbill]

NOT going there, thank you! Jean-Michel Cousteau once told me that the worst storm he'd ever been in on the Calypso was on Lake Superior. I'll stick to the calm "Pacific" Ocean. Of course I grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan.

[dustbowl diver]

Thanks for sharing the report!! Glad to hear that the weekend was fruitful.

Maybe someday I'll go dry!!

DBD

[Cold_H2O]

John Go dry and then come up and dive with me...
I know I can convince you that Seattle beats Dallas ..