Diving Lake Michigan with Jason Heaton and the New Benrus Ultra-Deep
In the summer of 2023, coinciding with the Chicago Windup Watch Fair, Worn & Wound hosted the first annual “Windup in a Lake” in Lage Michigan. To celebrate the launch of the Benrus Ultra-Deep, a crew of seasoned divers explored an uncharted wreck. Renowned author, journalist, and watch enthusiast was there to capture the dive and share his experience with Worn & Wound’s audience. Below is a video recap of the adventure, as well as an excerpt from Jason’s journal.
“Within sight of the Chicago skyline, I stepped off the gunwale of the 47-foot Seaquest II into Lake Michigan and deflated my buoyancy wing. We’d left the dock in Hammond, Indiana under a moody sky and spitting rain, but after an hour’s cruise, the clouds parted and the lake’s surface flattened out. The sun cast filtered shafts of “God light” onto the skyscrapers in the distance, the last view I saw before descending 50 feet into the blue-green depths. I followed the yellow mooring line down to where it was tied in to an auger on the lake bed. And then, there it was: a ship’s anchor, standing proud of the mud. It was coated with algae and quogga mussels but was unmistakable, looking like the archetypal sailor’s tattoo, with a five-foot shank and one fluke pointing to the surface it hadn’t seen in over a century. An intact anchor on a shipwreck is a thrill for any diver and if I wasn’t already chilled from the 59-degree water I’d have gotten goosebumps. To mark the moment, I looked down at my left wrist. The Benrus Ultra-Deep diving watch nestled under the cuff of my thick glove read 9:14.”
Read more here.
