Seeking Chicago Diver

Sep 24, 2018
4,723
Catalina 30 MKIII Chicago
We lost a pair of glasses off the back of our boat while at our slip last night. We know the exact location that they fell. They fell straight down. Depth is around 20'. Does anyone know of a diver in the area?
 

PEBI

.
Sep 30, 2026
18
Homebuilt 35 muck
I do not reply to offer and immediate answer but as a open water cerfied diver myself. I would not dive into a slip or harbor to 20 feet. The risk would be hazordus. You need a trained diver and I would expect them to charge you around $1k to $2k. Are the glasses worth that much?
 
Oct 13, 2020
214
catalina C-22 4980 channel islands CA
I recovered a Rolex watch in similar circumstances. The owner had it slip of his wrist as he boarded, he knew the exact spot. Depth was 15’ in salt water. Being careful not to disturb the silt on the bottom I dropped down head first and landed right on top of the watch. I did the recovery for free. Hopefully you can find somebody to recover it. Be wary of stray electrical current around docks!
 
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May 25, 2004
449
Catalina 400 mkII Harbor
which harbor? i used to be in burham, check with the harbor office they have a card of divers available.
mike
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
24,797
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
With the cost of a good pair of Oakleys, I'd be looking for a diver as well. Maybe a shot of good whisky or a bottle of wine might provide a fair reward. Diving in a marina is always a risky issue. Too bad there is no tide. At the fall low tide, my slip is only about 6 ft.
 
Sep 24, 2018
4,723
Catalina 30 MKIII Chicago
With the cost of a good pair of Oakleys, I'd be looking for a diver as well. Maybe a shot of good whisky or a bottle of wine might provide a fair reward. Diving in a marina is always a risky issue. Too bad there is no tide. At the fall low tide, my slip is only about 6 ft.
But with tide come more current I assume?
I can be there this Thursday if you haven't someone by then
You crossed my mind when I was trying to think of divers but I couldn't remember you saying if you did diving or not. We have someone scheduled for tomorrow afternoon for a shockingly low rate. I believe he's working on a bunch of other boats as well. A dive shop quoted $300-450 which I thought was fair
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
24,797
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Yes with tide can come current. My location in the Everett Marina is isolated from the current river/tidal currents. We rise and fall but protection for current flow and most winds.
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,179
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
I’m a bit late to this thread as I’m out of the country right now, but if you’re still in need of a diver or find yourself in need again in the future, this is your guy.
Yohei Yamada, Chicago Diver LLC
yamaday@gmail.com
312-890-3008
He is based in Burnham, but I know he will go to the any of the Chicago harbors.
 
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Sep 24, 2018
4,723
Catalina 30 MKIII Chicago
I’m a bit late to this thread as I’m out of the country right now, but if you’re still in need of a diver or find yourself in need again in the future, this is your guy.
Yohei Yamada, Chicago Diver LLC
yamaday@gmail.com
312-890-3008
He is based in Burnham, but I know he will go to the any of the Chicago harbors.
You had sent me his info a while back. Unfortunately he is out of town at the moment. He seems to have a good reputation
 
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colemj

.
Jul 13, 2004
1,153
Dolphin Catamaran Dolphin 460 Mystic, CT
I do not reply to offer and immediate answer but as a open water cerfied diver myself. I would not dive into a slip or harbor to 20 feet. The risk would be hazordus. You need a trained diver and I would expect them to charge you around $1k to $2k. Are the glasses worth that much?
I'm also a certified diver, but don't understand why you think diving to 20' is dangerous. 20' is about the minimum I free dive to for spear fishing, and 50-70' isn't uncommon. 20' with an air supply for the 5min it would take to retrieve them has no danger associated with it at all (breathing as you ascend). Even the weak surface hookah gear is good for at least that depth.

This really doesn't need a professional diver. There is likely someone around who could just throw on a mask and fins and go get them. If one is near a yard, a lot of yard guys are good for a quick dive because they often are taking care of moorings and docks and the like. Also a bottom cleaner, who are usually hanging around marinas doing bottom jobs.

Mark
 
May 17, 2004
6,232
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Asking out of ignorance as a mostly salt water sailor - is it common for divers to accept work in freshwater marinas, where electric shock drowning is a concern? Do the divers take any steps to avoid ESD that a non-professional might miss and put them at risk?
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,179
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
If it’s a pair of metal frame glasses, you could try fishing for them with a recovery magnet.
 

PEBI

.
Sep 30, 2026
18
Homebuilt 35 muck
I'm also a certified diver, but don't understand why you think diving to 20' is dangerous. 20' is about the minimum I free dive to for spear fishing, and 50-70' isn't uncommon. 20' with an air supply for the 5min it would take to retrieve them has no danger associated with it at all (breathing as you ascend). Even the weak surface hookah gear is good for at least that depth.

This really doesn't need a professional diver. There is likely someone around who could just throw on a mask and fins and go get them. If one is near a yard, a lot of yard guys are good for a quick dive because they often are taking care of moorings and docks and the like. Also a bottom cleaner, who are usually hanging around marinas doing bottom jobs.

Mark

usually I just reply to original poster but if this is helpfull to reply. "(breathing as you ascend)" Obviously. That is the fundimentals of pressure and your lungs with compressed air. So everyone knows what that means. When you compress air it shrinks in volume. When it decompresses it uses up more volume. Your lungs can not take up more volume so they explode if you don't breath out air as you ascend.

But I'm not talking about pressure. I'm thinking what has already been said. Shore power run off. Hazards: wood, derelict anchors and wires. There are all sorts of things that could snare you on the bottom of a harbor. Even if your carefull. Next everyone who has offered to dive did not say they are diving with a buddy. A professional diver by himself isn't abnormal, but everyone else SHOULD dive with a buddy to watch out for them or offer them air if they experience a difficulty. That's why we dive with two resperators, redundancy and to help a buddy.
 

colemj

.
Jul 13, 2004
1,153
Dolphin Catamaran Dolphin 460 Mystic, CT
At 20', one will be surfaced before a buddy can get air to them. Buddies are not siamese twins inches apart. We are only talking 20' here. That's one kick of a fin to the surface. I've never seen a bottom cleaner dive with a buddy. This is pretty much in the realm of bottom cleaning, and not open water deep diving.

Marina slips shouldn't have wood, derelict anchors and wires under them. It would be a very poor marina that did. While shore power leakage is a potential issue, one simply disconnects if diving off the boat and there can be no problem. One should test and know if shore power leakage is a problem in general on their boat.

I'm laughing about the anchorage here. Everyone is in 20-30'. Almost daily there is a yell from a boat when something goes overboard, followed by someone putting on a mask and fins, jumping over and retrieving it. Sometimes that yell comes from our boat :(.

Mark