Lake Superior scuba diver talks of shipwrecks, working for the DNR, and life underwater

Most of the people who come to Duluth, Two Harbors, Tofte, Lutsen, Grand Marais or anywhere along the North Shore marvel at the grandeur of Lake Superior. It’s nearly impossible not to, as Highway 61 winds its way along the rugged coastline of the largest and clearest of the Great Lakes.

The surface of Lake Superior is something that can be observed from a moving vehicle, or from the safety of the shoreline.

The next step in engagement with Lake Superior comes from those who take to the water’s surface. This could be in a kayak, or a motorboat, or, perhaps best of all, on a sailboat. It’s from the surface of the Lake that observation transforms into a sense of connection.

And there’s the ultimate form of this connection, entering the clear, cold waters of Lake Superior. And few are more familiar with this exploratory engagement with Lake Superior than Minnesotan Rich Rezanka.

Rezanka has been diving in Lake Superior for more than 30 years. At age 55, he’s also been working for many years for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Technically, he’s an aquatic invasive species biologist for the DNR. However, what sets him apart is that Rezanka is capable of getting to the source of potential invasive species problems, even if that means it is on the bottom of Lake Superior.

Regardless of whether it’s work or recreation, Rezanka is basically in love with being underwater. And there’s no better place to dive than Lake Superior, he says.

Learn more about scuba diving and Rezanka’s time in Lake Superior in the audio feature shared below.

Joe Friedrichs October 20, 2022