Winter 2025-26 News
We would like to thank everyone for fantastic summer dive and training season! As we are now turning the corner into winter, we are anxiously awaiting the approaching tropical dive season!
We have had great interest in our Cozumel trip - enough where we have had to add a second week. The first week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 7 is filled with a group of 16 divers, but there is still a little bit of space in our second week of Feb 7 to Feb 14. Please call the Brainerd shop ASAP if you are interested in joining us.
For those of you headed to warmer climes on your own, you may want to consider getting your regulators and B.C.s in soon for a pre-trip inspection - or full service (if needed) - to ensure no difficulties when you get to your destination.
After our little November break, we are back to our normal winter hours. We occasionally experience some staffing issues (especially when a number of our store staff will be on our Cozumel trip), so please call before any longer journey.
Brainerd's Winter Shop Hours
Mon. - Fri. 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sat. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
St. Cloud's Winter Shop Hours
Tues. - Fri. 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sat. 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
​
50 Dive Sites Just Minutes from
MSD Brainerd!
Located just 12 miles from our Brainerd location near the towns of Crosby and Ironton, the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area - home to some of the best diving in the Midwest. This beautiful park with its crystal-clear water filled mines boast submerged mine shafts, building foundations, vehicles, road beds, forests, shear walls and depths of up to 530 feet. The mines have been stocked with trout, bass and northern pike. It's also not uncommon to see loons swimming by. Maybe the main attraction though, might be the visibility - which ranges from 30 to 90 feet. ​
These are some of our favorites...
WOMBAD
Point
Pit: Mahnomen I
Dive Site Features:
Lots of Underwater Trees
Fish Life
Sheer Walls
Railroad Tracks
Eternal Bliss
Pit: Louise
Dive Site Features:
Bartender
Sparky
Marissa the Mermaid
Jack Sparrow
Jason Voorhees
Fish Life
Stairway to
Hell
Pit: Alstead
Dive Site Features:
Staircase
Car
Fish Life
Sand Chute
Gulch
Pit: Mahnomen II
Dive Site Features:
Coffin with Skeleton
Pumping Pipes
Fish Life
Connecticut
Two-Bit
Pit: Huntington
Dive Site Features:
Great Visibility
Fish Life
Roadway
Walls
Railroad Tracks
Foosball Table
Flamingos
Gettin' The
Shaft
Pit: Huntington
Dive Site Features:
Vertical Mine Shaft
Fish Life
The Minnesota School of Diving has created over 50 unique dive sites in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area - appropriate to all levels of experience. Our experienced staff of divemasters would love to show you some of their favorites. We sponsor group fun dives to the area up to 3 times a week in the summer. Divemasters can also be hired to lead you on individual dives. If you would rather go it alone, stop in the store for some suggestions.