Courtesy Cassandra JohnsonA group is all smiles after a dive.
Cassandra Johnson and her husband, Donald, both PADI Master Instructors, own Breezeway Bubbles Scuba in Verona, Wisconsin, just outside of Madison. One of their favorite local dive spots, Devil’s Lake, is about an hour's drive northwest in Baraboo, in a state park that’s home to one of Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes.
Its name may sound nefarious, but it actually comes from a misinterpretation—by early European settlers—of the spiritual practices of the Ho-Chunk community, which honors the lake as Tee Wakacak, “a sacred place of extraordinary sanctity,” according to the state park’s visitor guide. Its original name more accurately translates to “Sacred Lake.”
The Baraboo Range topography is over 1 billion years old, and the state park is part of nine sites in Wisconsin that make up the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. Retreating glaciers created a 360-acre, mile-long kettle lake reaching just under 50 feet at its deepest.
Johnson says the visibility stretches up to 30 feet and remains clear during the summer months when other lakes are tinted with algae. Dive flags are required, and cameras are highly recommended for divers to take advantage of the clear conditions.
“Photography opportunities are fantastic at Devil's Lake with the variety of freshwater life you see there. Most of the scuba divers stick close to the shoreline due to the abundant fish life and clear waters,” Johnson says. “The fish, over the years, have really gotten to know scuba divers and are always eager to welcome us underwater. Some of them follow us the entire dive, making training dives something our students always remember.”
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ShutterstockPumpkinseed sunfish stand out on the lake bottom with their electric-blue stripes and signature red spot.
Both advanced divers and beginners—as well as non-divers—can stay busy during visits to the state park. Johnson explains that most divers enter near the North Shore Visitor Center both during the day and at night, and other activities abound on the shore as well, including fishing, kayaking and paddleboarding, among others.
“The clarity and friendly fish life make it a fun place to bring divers of all levels,” says Johnson. “You can hike, camp, swim, canoe, kayak—and gas motors are not allowed on the lake, making it even better for water enthusiasts. I’ve known friends on rebreathers who have circled the entire lake in a day.”
“The fish, over the years, have really gotten to know scuba divers and are always eager to welcome us underwater. Some of them follow us the entire dive.”
Along with Wazee Lake and Pearl Lake, Devil’s Lake is one of the locations where Johnson teaches a special PADI course several times per year.
“Our PADI Master Instructor Jason Isbell and I can teach the PADI Zombie Apocalypse Diver specialty. It is an officially recognized specialty and the only course that PADI allows Halloween-like makeup on your face for your certification card. It combines rescue diver, photography, underwater navigation and other advanced open water skills/class curriculum in one course. Students learn how to effectively communicate underwater with sign language, plus they are solving a mystery during the dives. All the while, zombies are trying to ‘bite’ them.”
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ShutterstockA rock formation called Devil’s Doorway overlooks Devil’s Lake.
Before taking over Breezeway Bubbles from Barb and Terry Spennetta, who operated the business out of their home for 15 years, Johnson was president of the Four Lakes Scuba Club in Madison. Her passions for teaching and diving are behind the shop’s dive program that travels internationally up to nine times a year, along with local diving. She appreciates the tight-knit dive community in Wisconsin among the different dive shops, citing an atmosphere of support and collaboration that has encouraged her and Donald to build their business. It’s a positive environment that has endured challenges and gives her hope for the future.
“The best part of teaching, organizing trips and running a dive shop is truly the community that has been formed from it. We enjoy collaboration with everyone and look forward to seeing where the future takes us all. We take a lot of pride in the family that surrounds us.”
Related Reading: Diving Lake Keowee, South Carolina
Cassidy Vincent
Site Spotlight: Northern Pike
Northern pike (Esox lucius) are commonly found in the lake. They have hundreds of very sharp teeth along their jaw, the roof of their mouth and even their tongue, ready to surprise curious humans or predators. They also have a row of “gill rakers,” sharp, toothlike spines that run along the gill arch, that can easily catch unprepared anglers by surprise. Imposing pike jawbones make an appearance in the Kalevala, a compilation of epic poetry and mythology from Finland—not surprising for a fish known for ambushing its prey (smaller fish) and eating up to 20 percent of their body weight each day. Northern pike grow up to 4½ feet long and live up to 15 years across the Northern Hemisphere, where they are found widely in fresh water, including the lakes of Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Need to Know Diving Wisconsin
Conditions
Clear and cool, with visibility up to 30 feet.
Certification
Sign up for the PADI Zombie Apocalypse Diver specialty course for a fun, uniquely memorable way to hone your skills.
What To Bring
5 to 7 mm wetsuit and a dive flag.
Local Resources
Breezeway Bubbles Scuba breezewaybubbles.com
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources dnr.wisconsin.gov
