Hello,
My friend and I are looking forward to diving Lake Wazee this spring. I've spent many fun dives in the Crosby mines and this will be his first season, and my first season back in about 8 years. We are wondering if anyone can point some sites for us, depths location etc. I've seen pics for the octupus garden, wall, and angel etc but couldn't find them on the dive map. Also what is the code of conduct at Wazee if theres a ton of divers, as it seems popular. I don't want our first dive experience there to include being pummeled by fins. ;D
Thanks again everyone,
Mike and Clay
Just go and have fun. Stay off the bottom, and don't silt it up. IMHO that is the best way not to make friends. The lake is plenty big enough for many divers. The Gargoyle and the gazing ball are in about 150' of water off of the 100ft downline. I think that area is called the wall. There are all sorts of fish cribs and stuff to look much shallower. I have no idea what your current comfort/cert. level is. Sherwood forest is a neat dive. Jimmy Hoffa, around 215' is apparently pretty cool on air, but on Trimix it wasn't worth the swim. You may want to pick up the book "The Diver's Guide to Lake Wazee" if you haven't already done so. I think Deep Blue 414-964-3483 and Shipwreck Adventures (815)378-8152 have it in stock and will ship it to you.
There are lots of places dive @ Wazee.
The shallower depths actually have more things to look at, such as trees, fish cribs and fish. As you get deeper it gets darker and there is less life. Eventually it's just rocks and silt covered bottom.
There are 3 main spots that everyone dives - the wall (which you see when you first come in), sherwood forest (second spot as you are driving around) and the boat landing (past the beach, third spot to park as you are driving around). All spots are good and have unique things to look at.
The wall has several diving platforms near it, one shallow and one deep. The shallow is marked with a dive flag. The wall also offers great dropoffs and lots of fun fish cribs.
The boat landing has lots of cribs and more training platforms. Not as many trees, but if you head right past the boat landing you can see lots of walleyes in the shallows.
Sherwood forest offers quick access to deep water, and also has the most spectacular trees. There is also a divers playground when you head straight from the entry point - concrete tubes, fish cribs and a platform.
Everything is good at Wazee. Usually if you just jump in the water and start cruising along the shoreline you can't go wrong. Makes for easy navigation too - head along the shore at one depth, come up and head back along the shore again.
People are really friendly out there too. You usually won't find much crowding except near the entry points. Lots of divers play around the fish cribs as the fish are really friendly and don't scare easily.