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Pearl Lake - South Beloit IL


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Pearl Lake is a shore accessible fresh water dive site, located at 1220 Dearborn Ave (Hwy 251), South Beloit, IL 61080. This dive site has an average rating of 3.64 out of 5 from 36 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 81-90ft/25-27m. The average visibility is 11-15ft/3-5m. This dive site provides bathrooms and airfills. Training platforms are available.

Located just North of Rockford, IL (the state’s second largest city). Pearl Lake is one of the oldest private diving lakes in Illinois and offers fishing, swimming and diving. An old gravel pit, average depth is between 30 & 40 feet with a maximum depth of 85 feet. Many man made objects have been sunk in the lake to keep divers amused. Attractions include a bus (of course), boats, an airplane, concrete pipes, railroad tracks, and a two man submarine. The fish are friendly and abundant. A popular training lake for Chicago area instructors, the lake can get crowded on the weekends. Amenities include a camp ground, restaurant, bar, rest rooms, showers & changing rooms. Air fills and equipment rentals are available on site. Nitrox fills are also available. C card required. Daily entrance fee is $25. Dive season: April to October, 8AM - dusk (night diving is permitted on Sat/Sun) Pearl Lake is host to a variety of plant & animal life including bluegills, small- and largemouth bass, yellow perch, white suckers, catfish, turtles, craysish, and an assortment of mollusks. This dive destination offers many underwater attractions (see map) and is great for novice and experienced divers.

Dive Site Map

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Comments

4BrianB - 10/04/2015 12:26 PM
Was diving here on September 27, 2015. Viz was around 40ft. Water at the surface was 72F and at 70ft it was 51F. This was a short video I put together from our dive.

youtu.be/k1ZZxwZn0L8
bottom_feeder - 9/04/2015 2:27 PM
I went scuba diving here on 9/4/2015. Average viz: 11-15ft/3-5m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
inwardsea - 2/21/2015 10:17 AM
Rating Added: 2
Did my basic scuba in mid 70s here.
Divin4Fun - 11/10/2014 8:34 AM
Looking for a Dive Site...
I have a student that needs to finish some of his rescue scenarios so he can start DM over the winter.
Since Haigh and Pearl are both closed I am looking for a location that we can use to finish class up. does not need to have anything fun to look at.

Any help would be appreciated
Liammartin1978 - 9/21/2014 11:18 AM
Dove here 9/20 and 9/21. Visibility was the best I have seen it here, 30ft+. Water temp was 68 with the thermocline around 40ft. Lots of baby fish swimming around. The staff as always was extremely friendly. They are closing next month so now is the time to get in the water.
Bensen32 - 9/06/2014 10:10 PM
I went scuba diving here on 9/6/2014. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Vis was not bad and the water temp was nice with the thermo about 25ft.
Rochelle - 7/04/2014 11:09 AM
I went scuba diving here on 7/3/2014. Average viz: 5-10ft/2-3m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Thermocline at about 25ft
Hawkeye54 - 6/19/2014 9:11 PM
The last two times I’ve been to Pearl, the visibility was rather low. (10 less and I was just there over Memorial Day weekend)

It’s an OK training site and overall not a bad place to blow some bubbles, but I wouldn’t drive 5 hours to dive it again. Their camping is ridiculously expensive so we always stayed in nearby hotels.
Bensen32 - 6/17/2014 5:04 PM
I went scuba diving here on 6/15/2014. Average viz: 5-10ft/2-3m. Water temp: 61-65°F/16-18°C.
Bensen32 - 6/17/2014 4:57 PM
I went scuba diving here on 6/14/2014. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 56-60°F/13-16°C.
Divin4Fun - 6/04/2014 6:36 AM
Rating Added: 4
Pearl Lake is a great Family Friendly Dive Site.
Bensen32 - 9/28/2013 6:20 PM
I went scuba diving here on 9/28/2013. Average viz: 26-30ft/8-9m. Water temp: 61-65°F/16-18°C.
Another enjoyable dive at Pearl. The vis was good and the Temp was pretty nice too. Got a little windy at the end of the day.
Bensen32 - 9/23/2013 4:57 AM
I went scuba diving here on 9/21/2013. Average viz: 11-15ft/3-5m. Water temp: 61-65°F/16-18°C.
was nice dives, getting out of the water was a bit chilly and windy, but was good all the same.
Bensen32 - 9/07/2013 12:10 PM
I went scuba diving here on 9/7/2013. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Was a nice hour + dive on the northwest shore. Just looking at the fish and enjoying being underwater.
Rochelle - 8/30/2013 6:27 AM
I went scuba diving here on 8/22/2013. Average viz: 5-10ft/2-3m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Had a lot of fun ... was "caught" in a school of blue gill and loved it! It was raining (no lightening), so the surface was amazing to see from underwater.
Bensen32 - 8/18/2013 5:27 AM
I went scuba diving here on 8/17/2013. Average viz: 11-15ft/3-5m. Water temp: 56-60°F/13-16°C.
Nice relaxing dive on the east side. Seen quite a few of the smaller boats and the step van and the Thora Ann.
padi_sammi - 8/13/2013 3:16 PM
I went scuba diving here on 8/10/2013. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 56-60°F/13-16°C.
Search and Recovery dive.
Rochelle - 8/10/2013 5:37 PM
I went scuba diving here on 8/8/2013. Average viz: 11-15ft/3-5m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.

Had a great time exploring all the underwater attractions:

Bensen32 - 8/07/2013 8:14 PM
Rating Added: 4
Nice easy place with much to see underwater. Bus, Minisub, small plane, boats, and a lot more.
padi_sammi - 7/24/2013 6:25 PM
I went scuba diving here on 7/21/2013. Average viz: 11-15ft/3-5m. Water temp: 61-65°F/16-18°C.
surface, hovering/inverted/vertical, obstacle course ,topography, navigation dive
Rochelle - 7/24/2013 6:29 PM
I’m going 8/8 ... praying for good weather!
padi_sammi - 7/25/2013 10:23 AM
It’s been pretty nice, these past couple days have been about 70 and the sun peaks through here and there. I went when it was upper 70’s surface and sunny all day! it was beautiful, the only thing that kind of blew was how silty certain parts were under the water. There were a lot of different groups out though so it was sort of expected.