Just Moved

[AngelFire91]

Hello,
     I just moved up to Grand Forks from Colorado and was looking for good diving sites around, I've mostly been diving in some of the very few lakes in the Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada area, but I understand the MN area is kind of a "Hot bed" for some great lake diving, so my question is:

     I've been searching this board and doing some asking around but I can't seem to get any really good idea's for places to go. I'm mainly intersted in diving wrecks or "left-overs." Meaning old equipment or sunken cars/trucks, or mining equipment and the like. I would be interested in collecting artifacts (Bones, Fossils and such) but I have a lot of that stuff from the Utah area so I'm now looking for different things. basically, looking for good places to go for the weekend and spend 3 or 4 dives on. A few places I have in mind, I hear Crosby Mines is a great place to start, and Eagle lake in Ottertail county has Freshwater coral? I'm defentely going to get around to the North Shore of Superior but I figured I would ask of any other good places. Also any help on local regulations would be great too.

Thanks,

[freedivernd]

welcome to the north country!  most of the closest diving for you will be in the detroit lakes/vergas/perham area of minnesota.. some popular lakes are Paul, little mcdonald, six, seven.  But there is a ton of lakes to explore there... + the ottertail river.  Right now those lakes and a lot of others should be pretty clear... usually right around now is the best time of year.  Local regs .. dive flag within 50' (or something like that), I forget but also staying something like 150' from fishermen.  In minnesota you can spearfish rough fish with a regular fishing license, in north dakota you can spearfish most game fish, panfish, and rough fish.
There is some good diving over in the Park Rapids/Bemidji/Walker/Longville area too.  You would have to check with the dive shop in Bemidji maybe for more info on that area.  The dive shops in Fargo, Moorhead, and Detroit Lakes can help you out too.  I think most of them are listed here unde the "diveshops" links.  Maybe I'll see ya at the waters sometime.  I'd be the guy with no tanks.

[dbarlow]

I spend most of my summer in the ottert tail area and would be happy to take you out, Billtodive is from grandforks as well, I am sure he will respond to this thread.  for the deep wrecks you are probably talking superior, the lakes in our area have a few tresures but not the wrecks it sounds like you are searching for but there is some fun stuff to look at. You will be suprised how many people from the FM area dive I don't know that much about GF-EGF. 

Utah, colorado and now grand forks sounds like air force?

Doug

[john j]

Lake Wazee in Black River Falls, WI is the best inland site in the region in my opinion.  It has good visibility and plenty of depth, submerged trees and steep walls.  Very nice place to dive.

There are thousands of wonderful shipwrecks in Lake Superior alone.  Some of the best shipwreck diving in the world, bar none.  For example, the Cousteau team named the Gunilda wreck the most beautiful shipwreck in the world.  There are great wrecks in all depths ranges from 3 feet to 500+ feet and everything in between.  Wrecks generally are well preserved, have little or no marine growth and visibility is usually quite good.  Wrecks are protected by strict laws prohibiting artifact tampering and removal and most divers keep an eye on each other too.

In the Apostle Islands, there are beautiful caverns to dive on some of the islands.

A good place to start is to find a local dive shop that sponsors trips.  Good way to meet people and learn about what this area has to offer.  

My personal opinion is that the shipwrecks in this area, especially in Lakes Superior and Michigan are the best quality in the world.  There are so many wrecks there is a lifetime of opportunity.  

[wtdrm]

Angel, I go to Crsoby frequently. Lots of different types of dive sites. I usually post them here. also go to GUDC's website.

and sign up for the buddy board. I always post my trips there.
CJ

[billatlake]

welcome to North Dakota.  I live in the southeast end of Grand Forks;  but spend a number of weeks near Perham.  Quite a lot of good diving in that area, as NDfreediver said.
There is a nice clear lake about 1.5 hrs east of here on Hiway2.  An EMT  (Ed) from GF and I will be diving it this summer.  There are a few divers in town I have found.
Since there are no shops close to here;  I could be bribed to bring your tanks with me on one of my frequent trips to Fargo or Detroit Lakes if you need air fills for trips out of GF.