Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me - Lake Michigan Charter May 19

There was space on a charter

to dive wrecks in Lake Michigan

No one else I knew could go but when

would I get this chance again?

Diving were me and some

sailor on leave from his ship

and a third guy I did not pick

I just shot from the hip

Wetsuits were donned

As they cast off the boat

But that third guy pulled out

his drysuit and started to gloat

To the Milwaukee we motored

through skies that were gray

Over waves that were breaking

And fog that would stay

Carferry Milwaukee - Photo Credit: Wisconsin Marine Historical Society collection

We dove the Milwaukee

A crumbling old wreck

I only had minutes

To scope out the deck

I am a novice

Much air do I breathe

So when I gave the turn signal

Drysuit started to seethe

But 100 feet down

Is no place to retort

Back on the boat he just said

“Man, that was short.”

(I’m not being fair he

wasn’t a bad guy at all

But if I tell it this way

the rhymes do not stall)

Then to the Willie

our charter boat cruised

It was a quiet ride

and my ego was bruised

PRINS WILLEM V - Photo Credit: Wisconsin Marine Historical Society collection

But Willie’s redemptive

lying there on his side

Did you know he faced the Nazis?

So what of my pride

With so much to see

and superb visibility

and shallower depth

Willie’s more my ability

We explored and we snooped

We didn’t want it to end

But we were all satisfied

When we signaled “ascend”

I am a novice

Much air do I breathe

But each week I’ll keep diving

Better skills to achieve

And I like this 4 Seasons group

of divers to be around

They’re friendly and fun -

and look at all the weird $*#@ they found.