1. Lake Michigan

2. Key Largo/Tavernier

3. North Carolina

4. New Jersey/NYC

5. Mermet Springs, IL

Wrecks galore, from old wooden sailing vessels to modern ore carriers, the diving here is varied and easily reached. Occasionally the currents can make things challenging but its well worth the effort. Add a side trip to Paradise on Whitefish Bay and you’ll have experienced the best that Great Lakes diving offers. My personal favorite: the Eber Ward, a mid-sized wooden steamer that went down about 100 years ago and is still largely intact with capstans, anchors and lots of cargo in her holds.

The Outer Banks, North Carolina

Warm and clear, the outer banks are sometimes called the Graveyard of the Atlantic, due to the number of wrecks that litter the relatively shallow waters. Many WWII era ships sunk by German U-Boats (and a German U-Boat or two) are festooned with life – if you get lucky you’ll encounter schools of Sand Tiger sharks. My personal favorite: the Schurz, a former German warship that was captured and converted to civilian use before being rammed near the start of WWI.

The Kona Coast, Hawaii

Nowhere else can you explore underwater lava tubes during the day and the evening watching the mantas cavort. The diving is varied and the farther away you get from Kailua, the less the traffic and the better the site. The exception is my personal favorite: Eel Garden Cove just off the airport that is the site of the wonderful night dives with the mantas.

The Keys, Florida

Sandwiched between the Euro-glitz of South Beach to the decadent hedonism of Key West lies you’ll find some wonderful diving. Reefs, wrecks and warm. Avoid Pennekamp and the Speigel Grove but hunt out Sombrero reef (Marathon) and the Duane (Tavernier) for a couple of tasty treats.

The Flower Gardens, Gulf of Mexico

About 100 miles off the coast of Galveston in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico lies the Flower Garden National Marine Sanctuary. Rising from the deep seabed to within about 60 feet of the surface, these are actually salt-domes encrusted with reefs and teeming with life. Because they’re so far offshore, they don’t get much traffic and are in excellent condition. My personal favorite is the East Bank where you can find lots of pelagic life coming to feed and mate along the edge of the rise.

Honorable Mentions

Fathom Five Marine Park, Ontario, Canada

Okay, this isn’t domestic but Tobermorey is closer to us than many domestic dive sites and the diving is terrific. Less currents than the Straits of Mackinac, there is a smorgasbord of wrecks here and some truly magnificent walls.

The Saint Lawrence River, Ontario, Canada

Another great semi-local site disqualified because it isn’t domestic, the St. Lawrence (especially between Brockville and Kingston) is a trash can full of some of the best wrecks. The water is warmish and the currents can be wild - just what every wreck rat craves.

My top five Domestic sites:

My favorite dives have always been shipwrecks and here, in the Great Lakes we have the best.  Here are some of those that I have enjoyed:

1.  S.S. Wisconsin - A great wreck for the more experienced recreational diver and also for the technical diver who wants challenging penetration dives.  I could dive her every day and I know that it would take more than a lifetime to explore her completely.

2.  Prinz Wilhelm - Not as challenging as S.S. Wisconsin, but accessible to more recreational divers.  Willie is a good wreck for non-penetration dives and also for the diver who is just starting to do penetrations.

3.  Lady Elgin - Perhaps the most historically significant shipwreck in all of the Great Lakes.  A good dive for new divers and experienced divers as well. 

4.  George Morley - About the only shipwreck accessible from shore in our area.  George is a very large wooden freighter that caught fire and burned to the waterline just off of Evanston Beach.  When I was a young man, living in Chicago's Roger's Park area I used to dive this wreck almost every weekend that I didn't have another dive planned.

5.  The Deep Wrecks - There are a number of wrecks in water past recreational limits.  The cold, fresh water preserves them as if they were in a time capsule.  I have seen some that, after a century underwater, look better that some of the ships I see still sailing.  Those of you who do technical diving know to which ones I am referring.

Safe diving,

Capt. Dale

Living in Chicago, Lake Michigan should be on the top of my list.  BUT, the cold water has to date been an obstacle.  Anyone out there found the big lake possible without a dry suit and associated training?