Why Dive Great Lakes?

It’s a very unique experience for many reasons. The Great Lakes contain 20% of the world’s fresh water. Located in North America near by the Canada-United States border the Great Lakes are the largest group of fresh water lakes on Earth.  The lakes are all connected into the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence River also known as the St Lawrence Seaway. Ships have traveled these lakes throughout the last several centuries carrying large quantities of bulk freight, such as iron ore, lime stone, coal, lumber, and grain.  The lakes once looked like a freeway with ships everywhere.  Some of these ships were not so fortunate and ended up shipwrecked due to heavy storms, boiler explosions, running aground, or collisions with other ships and ice.  There are thousands of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes each with its own unique history.  They are the best preserved shipwrecks in the world.  Some have been discovered, others waiting to be discovered and explored.

Why dive with us?

• Experienced licensed and friendly Captain and crew team
• Dive gear support including rentals for customers flying in (from the coast and other parts of the world)
• Open circuit, closed circuit / rebreather, side mount friendly – recreational and technical divers welcomed
• 28ft aluminum custom Marinette boat

During the season we send out an e-mail newsletters with details about upcoming dives or any last minute openings.  Get on the List!

If the dates you are interested in indicate FULL please still inquire about them or put yourself on a waiting list as there can be last minute cancellations. Click here to email your booking right now!  If you would like to schedule an individual or group trip during a specific date(s) not listed on the schedule please let us know.

Molly V is based out of Milwaukee, WI with the ability to travel to near by Wisconsin destinations.

What to expect?

The water temperatures are the coldest in the spring, by summer the surface warms up to 70F depending on where you are, but the bottom temperatures stay in the low 40’s. Generally, the southern parts of lakes warm up earlier in the season than the northern parts. Lake Superior, the biggest lake, warms up the slowest.

The clarity of the water is excellent due to the introduction of zebra and quagga mussels in the last several decades that reached to all of the lakes except Lake Superior, which is mostly untouched by the mussels. As a result, divers can observe many shipwreck details in Lake Superior, while the other lakes offer spectacular panoramic views of entire steamships, freighters, and schooners.

Diving Considerations

• It is possible to use a warm wetsuit (such as a 7mm wetsuit, wet hood, and wet gloves) in the Great Lakes on recreational dives once the water warms up by June.
• Drysuits for technical dives are a must. Dry gloves are recommended and a thick hood, e.g., 10mm keeps a diver much warmer. Some of us use electrically powered heat vests.