The 1st time I dove the Mederia
There was a long blow from the east. Our party on the rocks of the North shore was much different that evening when all the warm surface water was pushed in. Spending an evening on the North Shore in a tee shirt is very unusual, and the next morning when we dumped in over the wreck we descended to 60 feet before reaching the thermocline. It was a very nice surprise. We were wet suite divers
I’ve learned to always take a winter jacket when around lake Superior. The year I went to Split Rock Lighthouse in July, the campers at that park were all wearing coats. I’ve been in some really cold wind from the lake when in Superior and Duluth. You’re dive was under extremely rare conditions I’d say.
Our dives on Lake superior usually followed a body recovery dive in my county(Itasca).
After long hours of searching we would get in a fun dive as soon as possible. We would dive Isle Royal and the the water temp might only change 8 deg. year around. And again we would wet suite dive. Some of the weak of our bunch would temper their wet suite with warm water :smack:
I swam in Lake Superior many years ago. I have not been able to sit down since. Because I froze my ass off.
Ah, yes, just like my experience in April in Lake Huron. I thought I was still strong enough (having grown up there). In my case, I can sit down, because I didn’t freeze my ass off, but my chances of siring children are nil and I now have a nice soprano singing voice.
Seriously, though, pools and inland lakes still feel like swimming in others’ piss.
There are four basic stages to cleaning wastewater at Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s reclamation facilities.
- In the first stage, wastewater enters preliminary treatment where screens and grates remove large objects, sand, gravel and other grit.
- In step two, primary treatment, the wastewater enters large settling tanks where we remove grease and oil after it floats to the top. Heavier material sinks to the bottom of the tank and is removed.
- In secondary treatment, microscopic organisms, or “bugs”, breakdown the majority of organic material that remains in the wastewater. Keeping organic material out of rivers and lakes is important because it can consume large amounts of oxygen that fish and plants need to live.
- Finally, the water goes through disinfection. It’s here that chemicals kill disease-causing organisms. The chemicals are then removed before the water is discharged to Lake Michigan.
That’s the standard practice, sure. And one I support.
But we all do recognize that often, after heavy rains, steps in this process are omitted, and and much waste gets dumped into Lake Michigan that has been incompletely treated, or not treated at all.
Is this not correct?
One of the things I like best about wakeboarding is being out, just before dusk, the lake like glass. And as you wakeboard above the water, you look down, entranced by the seaweed, the fish swimming away, the turtles. Absolutely mesmerizing, and fantastic.
If you’re really lucky, you can spook schools of minnows, and hundreds will jump out of the water, flashing in the setting sun.
I am certainly not a mouthpiece for the MMWD (Milwaukee Metropolitan Water District) but I happen to have a DVD they put out that refutes the claims that overflows of untreated water happen frequently, if at all. They also claim that the normal outflow of their plants is cleaner than some of the “natural” creeks after a heavy rain.
I have no evidence to support or refute their claim; I’m just repeating it.
Today is a lovely summer day. The water out in the middle of the Great Gitchigumee is less than two degrees above freezing: CoastWatch Great Lakes SST Contour Map
I have drank from Michigan,Huron and Superior,never right from the shore though.We swam out a ways to fill our canteens.
Don’t remember how Michigan and Huron were,but Superior was incredibly cold.Water tasted just fine.
Yes and no… My experience is with Erie, not Michigan, but I suspect that it’s at least similar. The water itself in Lake Erie is cleaner than it’s ever been, and I wouldn’t hesitate to drink it if treated water weren’t available. But don’t even think of eating anything out of the lake. The mercury’s still there; it’s just that the zebra mussels have concentrated it all into the food chain.
Huh? Just eat in moderation. A little bit of anything isn’t bad for you, the definition of “little bit” being “not enough to do you harm.” Seriously, there are guidelines posted for this. Go ahead and eat.
One of the guidelines for fish from the Great Lakes is “children and pregnant women should not eat any” - if the choice was starvation I’d consider it, but even if the water is better and the water itself isn’t likely to hurt you the food chain is still in recovery.