Starting in May our new meeting place is Benvenuto’s in Fitchburg.
The meeting starts at 7 but you can arrive after 6:30 for some social time and to order. Check out Benvenuto’s online for information on their loyalty program and to check out their menu.
On Wednesday May 10 Dr. Amy Rosenbrough will present:
“Fire, Shipwreck, and Cheese—Wisconsin’s Lost Coastal Communities”
In the mid to late 19th centuries, dozens of small communities sprang up along the eastern shores of Wisconsin, each with its own lake pier and general store. The owners of the piers shipped forest and farm products to Chicago and supplied incoming settlers with the income and goods they needed to survive. A Wisconsin Historical Society initiative is exploring the submerged and onshore remains of these lost ports, and tracing the histories of the people and ships that called them home. In the process, a forgotten chapter of Great Lakes history is coming to light. The lost ports tell stories of catastrophic fires, dangerous shoals, runaway horses, gossip columnists, eavesdropping clerks, and lots and lots of cheese. Most importantly, the story of Wisconsin’s lost coastal communities is the story of how Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan’s shoreline was transformed from timberland to today’s farms and cities.
Dr. Amy Rosebrough is a Staff Archaeologist with the Office of the State Archaeologist at the Wisconsin Historical Society. A native of the Missouri Ozarks, she has long had an interest in burial monuments and archaeology. She is an alumni of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she received her doctorate for region-wide re-analysis of Wisconsin’s effigy mounds and mound builders. She has worked as an archaeologist in the academic, private, and public sectors. In her current position at the Wisconsin Historical Society, she manages archaeological and burial sites data, assists Wisconsin’s citizens with archaeological questions, and serves as a subject matter expert.
2023 Clean Up Dives — UPDATED!
Meet at 9 am for a dive briefing. You will need all your own gear, goodie bags, and a dive flag. You must sign a release before participating. They will be available at club meetings and at the dive sites. If you are new to the club and we don’t have your certification information already, bring a C card. If the dive is canceled due to severe weather an email will go out by 8am.
May 13 Lake Waubesa shore dive from Bible Camp. This is private property and we received special permission to dive here. Be respectful. We must haul garbage away from this site. Bring a tote, tarp, bucket, or plastic bag to protect your car.
May 14 Lake Monona from Camp Randall Rowing Club boat launch area. Please note that this is not the Brittingham Boat Rental and Park area. It is just East of the rental area and has its own parking lot. This is a shallow dive but is said to need a good cleaning.
May 20 Lake Kegonsa. This dive is full. For those of you with a reservation, the barge will be leaving from the Fish Camp boat launch. If you didn’t make the cut or arrive late you can still join the dive unofficially by shore diving from Pleasant Springs boat launch. There is a $5 fee to park there. As you enter the water turn right (West). This shore dive would be an on-your-own dive, not a club event. You would need to arrange for your own buddy and there will be no briefing. You can leave trash on the barge before swimming back.
May 21 Lake Mendota. We will shore dive from the Lake Street ramp. The Madison Lake Rescue uses this ramp for emergencies so do not block it. You will have to drop off your gear and find parking. There will be a barge that will come to you for larger items and to empty your goodie bag. We will not be diving from the barge. Randy and Rob have volunteered to help get the garbage on the barge. If the weather is nice consider lunch on the Terrace after the dive. Hoofers and Diversions did a clean up dive off the Terrace earlier in the year, but there is plenty of garbage especially off of the fraternities. This is another site that can have a lot of boat traffic. As always, have a dive flag and look up before ascending.
Trying to figure out which fish you saw on a cleanup dive? Try here.