You don't have to go all the way to the Bikini Atoll to dive a sunken submarine; you can find one close to home, at Pearl Lake. Located along the Illinois / Wisconsin state line, Pearl Lake is part of a fantastic inland resort which features great beaches, a number of underwater attractions for divers, and much more.
Highlights and Attractions at Pearl Lake
A privately owned resort in the town of South Beloit, just about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Chicago, Pearl Lake used to be a sand and gravel pit. Today, it's a 30 acre lake that is very popular with local divers. A great place to train and a fun place to explore; the lake has a number of sunken attractions, including the famous yellow submarine, which is a 33 foot long reproduction of a WWII U-boat.
You'll find a school bus, a Beechcraft twin engine airplane, and a cabin cruiser here too, along with a dozen training platforms and lots of concrete pipes and other items, as well as a number of fish. There are smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, bluegill, yellow perch, channel catfish, and even freshwater jellyfish living in the lake, along with turtles, frogs, and crayfish.
Pearl Lake is plenty of fun during the summer, when water temperatures are normally close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and when visibility is about ten feet; but it is at its best during the spring and autumn, when visibility opens up to about 12 meters, and when the temperature is in the 40's. Maximum depth here is 85 feet (26 meters), but depths average 35-40 feet.
For divers and non-divers alike, there are a number of additional amenities, including a fantastic swimming beach, showers and change rooms. There is a dive center, a restaurant that offers great steak and seafood, and a beach bar with DJ's on weekends. Plus, there is a campground with water and electric hookups, and there are plenty of hotels nearby if you don't feel like roughing it.
Additional Information
There is an entrance fee for everyone who visits Pearl Lake, with non-divers paying less than $10 to enjoy the sandy beach, swimming, and amenities; and with divers paying just $20 to dive and use all resort amenities. Air fills are available for a small fee. No flag is required, since this resort caters to divers, not boaters.
Be sure to check the park's hours in advance before you go, and if you want to avoid crowds of novice divers, visit on a weekday. To get to Pearl Lake from the Rockford / Chicago area, you'll take Interstate 90 north to the South Beloit Exit (#1). Next, head west on Highway 75 / 51, and just beyond the intersection with Highway 251, you'll take a left on Dearborne Avenue. After traveling south for about three-fourths of a mile, you'll find the entrance to Pearl Lake on your right.
No matter when you go, you'll be sure to enjoy yourself; after all, it's not every day that you can take your buddy's picture next to a yellow submarine!