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swim in "the lake"

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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bglaeser

New Member
Jan 4, 2007
139
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I took a swim in Lake Michigan (or "the lake" as it is known by those of us who live along its shore) yesterday. Water was 50 degrees, visibility about 25 feet and had a delightful time. Saw numberous small trout, one large trout, one small carp and two carp the size of tarpons (well, maybe not quite). Also saw numerous perch, but I don't think they are at their peak yet, and the season is closed. I was hoping to spear a rock bass or blue gill or two, but no panfish other than perch were to be seen. Was REALLY NICE to be back in the aquablue waters of Lake Michigan.
~Brian
 
Cool. Off WI or off Chicago? Yesterday was really warm. Today, you could go freezeapalooza. Cheers
 


Too bad You didn't tell us. We went diving today with Jim in Lake Michigan for a wreck dive. We didn't see any fish because we didn't see anything, wis was all 3ft It was freezing and windy outside but we were very warm in 50 deg water. We had kayaks to get to the shipwreck but we also had 7ft waves so there was no way to paddle for 3 miles in this condition. Instead we ended up surfing the waves in the kayaks for couple hours which was a lot of fun, too bad the waves took my photo camera with housing, there was no way to find it in this visibility. I just hope it's sitting on the bottom (shallow) the we will get it back. We launch rescue search as soon as lake will calm down, I think positive, no stress
 
Maytag......Off of Kenosha, Wisconsin....
Nostress........ Where are the wrecks you were going to go look at?
Sorry to hear about the camera... that really stinks.
~Brian
 
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bglaeser said:
Maytag......Off of Kenosha, Wisconsin....
Nostress........ Where are the wrecks you were going to go look at?
Sorry to hear about the camera... that really stinks.
~Brian
Click to expand...


There is wooden wreck in decent shape at 40ft, south side Chicago
 
Kenosha. I always wonder why I don't see more divers during the summer in Lake Michigan along the Chicago downtown waterfront where people swim?

nostres said:
Jeanette! What happend to the Lama? (or was it Alpaca?)
Click to expand...

Hey, Nostres! Very sorry to hear about the camera! I showed my big sister your freezeapalooza video when I visited my family last weekend and she was extremely impressed. She is into photography and things like that. Best wishes for getting your camera back!

I sent my alpaca to help Amphibious on his N. American move. rofl My stand-in is my most favorite dog in the whole wide world... the :inlove Bedlington Terrier :inlove
 
The big pond is pretty nasty right now. My father-in-law was supposed to captain the Neeskay today- UW Milwaukee's research vessel- but the water is too rough to go out into the middle of the lake.

I was going to get another round of hull cleaning on the Lake Express car ferry in, but I'm sick again and can't get into the water- I also can't seem to shake this darn cold for more than a week before it comes back for another round.:crutch

Kayaks are fun when the surf is up. Here's a couple shots of an old dive buddy of mine, and me, hitting the waves off Milwaukee in late summer- when the water is the warmest.

Jon
 
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Sorry slightly off-topic, but regarding diving conditions:

Jon, we going to be mobbed by cicadas in Milwaukee? :yack

:martial

Or Madison? Never experienced them in the MWest, but in Jersey, they were something else...

Hey, I like the kayak photos. Looks fun. Do you need some sort of class, permit, license or c-card to kayak?
 


Nothing, just paddle and go. Jim has two ocean kayaks and he's happy when someone wants to go with him...
 
I'm a beginner freediver from new york who's in chicago for the summer.

I don't have any equipment with me. Does anyone know where I can rent a really big wetsuit (5XL) and a mask, fins, weightbelt ...?

Also, I'd like to get together with any of the other divers in the area who can show me around (either in the water or out, but preferably in ).

Thanks,
Michael
 
Welcome to the midwest. Whereabouts in Chicago are you?

Sorry can't help with the rental. I highly doubt there are places to rent freediving suits, but maybe the experienced divers in Chicago - Nostres, Freedivechicago, Cigarlung, can advise you on that matter.

There's a shallow wreckdiving trip to Milwaukee in June (see the June Bayview Wreckapalooza thread) and the event everyone's been waiting for, Jon's freediveapalooza. Please come if you are free !

Cheers and hope you are settling nicely.
 
I got a summer job/internship at the CME for the roll (until 6/14). I'm staying in the loop at the de paul university summer housing.

So far Chicago is awesome, I'm hoping to see all the sights on the weekends I'm here.

As long as I can get the equipment situation settled, I'd really like to go to both of those. I don't know how far they are and I'd need a way to get there, either by public transportation or by mooching a ride off somebody.

Thanks,
Michael
 


Jeanette!

Thank You but I am not so experienced, I consider myself rather begginner...


Michael!

I doubt You will be able to rent any freediving suit, especially 5XL, skinny guys like me or big guys like You need custom made. I would look toward Elios, You will need it sooner or later anyway. At least You can use my spare mask, weight belt and SCUBA split fins, they would be good enough for now.
Let us know, we try to go quite often now and we are always willing to meet more divers from Chicagoland. Moving around Chicago is not as easy as in NYC but not so bad either. You are not far from the lake but we can also give You a ride when we go

Peter
 
Cool, thanks.

I was going to buy an elios suit back home, but I figured i'd get a cheap scuba suit just to learn in. Good thing I did too, because the first time I went out I almost ripped a hole in the thick nylon covered suit. I hate to think what I would have done if that was a good quality wetsuit.

I had to leave all of my stuff back in new york because it weighs so much. 7mm 5XL suit is a LOT of neoprene. silly airlines and their weight restrictions.

I'd probably be fine settling for a scuba suit. I'm googling now, do you know of any dive shops in chicago that rent?

barring unexpected circumstances, and if I can get a wetsuit, then count me in for those dive-a-palooza events.

Shotgun!
Michael
 
Cool/congrats on the internship. I just moved to Streeterville. Summer in Chicago is great. Humid. But, great. No doubt you'll hear a lot about the "Taste of Chicago," which is the big summer kick-off event. If you like music, check out Ravinia. Lincoln Park Zoo is great - it's one of the few free zoos left! If you like to run, there are lots of fun 5ks. Run for the zoo is June, Race to the Taste - July? And, Elvis is Alive in August, I believe.

I don't drive (never learned how) but I am planning on Milwaukee. I'm going by AmTrak - PM me if you are interested in this option. I won't be diving, as I have yet to take a course (and acquire a wetsuit) but I'm sure I'll get something out of observing in the meantime. It'll be fun just to meet the DB personalities, too!

I'm not sure how far Wazee is from Madison, but there is a bus that runs from Downtown and O'Hare (more frequent from the airport) to Madison. Perhaps once you get to Madison, you might be able to hitch a ride from someone up there, if no one here is going. I'll be taking the Madison bus for the first time this weekend for the (half) marathon, so I'll post how the ride went. Bus is about 50 bucks RT.

Nostres, Jon, FreediveChicago, Cigarlung - haven't met them in person (yet) but they've all been super helpful to me and great virtual DB comrades. You're in good hands...


Welcome to Chicago! Cheers,
 
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