Diving in Northern Wisconsin

Diving is something I love to do anywhere, anytime, but to me, as far as freshwater diving goes, nothing beats the unspoiled waters of northern Wisconsin.

Waking Saturday morning to the sound loons calling eerily from across the lake, we piled into our cars, making our way to the restaurant for a hearty pre-dive breakfast.  Over eggs and hot coffee, we chatted about our upcoming day, searching, doing certification skills and simply exploring the uncharted depths of Butternut Lake.  As we rented a pontoon, we reviewed some boat dos and don’ts for good measure.

Dive trailer packed!  Did you know that
kitty litter is an important material to have for every dive?

There she is, the USS Dive-like-crazy

Arriving at the lake, we soaked in the view.  The crisp air meeting the comparatively warm water caused a fine mist to rise over the lake, giving the scene a surreal soft focus. The water was flat, undisturbed, except for a duck or two paddling through, leaving an ever-widening V in their wake.  We set to work assembling our gear, confident that we would be the only divers on the lake.  There would be no vying for parking spots or disappointment when the features you were looking forward to seeing are obscured by silt.

I was anxious to get my soon-to-be divers into the water, experiencing for the first time what it is like to be in the lake that made such a beautiful view for us all this morning.  A diver’s first time in freshwater can be a little unnerving, with a thick suit to wear, visibility far less than the pool, and unknown animals lurking in the depths.  I hoped that new students would put aside whatever fears they had and just take in the experience, trusting in their training and my skills as their mentor and protector.  I briefed our plan and helped them don their gear and finally we were able to splash. 

After walking into the lake to water deep enough to take the weight off our gear, we helped each other don our fins.  We reviewed the plan once more and made our descent.  Once we settled on the bottom I surveyed the scene: sandy bottom, tree trunks and assorted vegetation hiding crayfish, and the occasional bass scooting by to see what was up. The best thing was that the visibility was great, a fact that would surely make my students a bit more comfortable.   I listened to breaths taken and bubbles blown out.  I love that sound. 

We took off into the wild, causing crayfish to abandon their hide-outs, thereby creating meal opportunities for bass.   Our goal was to acclimate ourselves to the environment and gear and to not touch the bottom and ruin the visibility. When you are the lone diver in a lake, it is a special challenge to mind your buoyancy;  if the clear water becomes turbid, you cannot thrust the blame onto anyone else. 

Between dives, we lazed under clear skies, breathing in the fresh, clean air.  We cooked out and shared our experiences on the uncrowded lawn, chatting with the occasional fisherman, giving information on the location of fish and getting information on the possible location of lost anchors or fishing poles.

Finally, our happy band of divers watched the setting sun stretch shadows of trees across the lake while loons again ventured out onto the water.;   We spent the balance of the daylight touring the lake in our pontoon boat, tired, but satisfied with several new dives recorded in our logs.   Yes, North Woods diving has its own charm.