Quarry or Lake??

[NudeDiver]

OK - so I see many of the Americans on here talking about diving in a quarry. Quarry here, quarry there, quarry everywhere. Being quite ignorant about quarries that one could dive in - why are you guys diving in quarries rather than lakes? Is it a proximity issue, and availability issue or something else?

Thanks!
nd

 

[Dtaine]

OK - so I see many of the Americans on here talking about diving in a quarry. Quarry here, quarry there, quarry everywhere. Being quite ignorant about quarries that one could dive in - why are you guys diving in quarries rather than lakes? Is it a proximity issue, and availability issue or something else?

Thanks!
nd

When I'm in PA, the quarry is closer and most of the lakes I know of around here are on private land and not really available to dive.

When I'm in FL, lakes are closer than quarries, but it's usually ocean diving because that's incredibly close too.

I'll be diving in a quarry today actually.

 

[John_B]

OK - so I see many of the Americans on here talking about diving in a quarry. Quarry here, quarry there, quarry everywhere. Being quite ignorant about quarries that one could dive in - why are you guys diving in quarries rather than lakes? Is it a proximity issue, and availability issue or something else?

Rock quarries are generally pretty controlled environments, being the leftover holes in the ground that filled with water over time after the rocks, etc. were removed. Most are great for doing training, keeping skills fresh, that sort of thing. Esp. nice if you don't like to contend with boat or jet ski traffic. Many have been stocked with fish, and diving quarries almost always have other "interesting" objects sunk in them. Cars, trucks, busses, boats, planes, you name it -- if you can sink it, its been sunk in a diving quarry.

Some are pretty rustic, but others like Gilboa have been completely designed to support divers with lots of diver friendly amenities including docks, underwater platforms, compressors and tank/weight rentals. Divers come from miles and miles around for OW training, generally keeping skills up to date, and (like me) just to dive for no other reason than to be underwater.

Personally, if I was within a two or three hour drive from Monterey or SoCal, or from the shore dives off Ft. Lauderdale I would never dive another quarry again, but quarries are generally what's available here in flyover country. The nearest quarry to me is a 30 minute drive, the nearest lakes worth diving are 5 or 6 hours away, the nearest ocean is a 5 or 6 hour flight (with connections).

 

[tstormdiver]

The quarries I dive around western KY are, like mentioned above, flooded limestone quarries. In general (not speaking about huge lakes like the Great Lakes), quarries tend to be clearer (not always the case). The quarry I dive most at times can have 50+ft of vis. Of course, if you get someone on the bottom & they stir up the silt, then you will have low or no vis. Most quarries that have been set up for divers also have many attractions to entertain the divers. Helicopters, planes (including one that has a 727 jet plane), boats, vans, cars, trucks, school buses,... the list goes on sunken in them. The depths of the quarry I dive ranges from a wade- in shore to about 115ft. It has a full service dive shop in it, compressor, Nitrox fill station.... you name it. It is pretty primitive when it comes to toilets & such (Port- A- Jons & no showers). This quarry is only an hour away, where there are lakes & flooded strip mine pits nearby, they tend to be quite murky & the ocean is a good 8hr drive away at it's closest (Gulf Shores, AL). Also another big (for me) plus about these quarries IS the fact that they are set up for Scuba only. That means, not having to worry about boat traffic or too much about entanglement in fishing line (just some occasionally here or there from poachers- nothing major).

 

[sibermike7]

Is it a proximity issue, and availability issue or something else?

Yo Nude! (Sorry, just had to do that!)
In answer to your questions:
Yep, yep, yep.

Well, I hope that I helped!



Man, must be too much non-alcoholic spiced cider! Got to get serious for a minute (but just a minute). As you can see the quarry is completely man-made. Some lakes are also man-made but not for the purposes that quarries are created. Quarries that flood and become water-filled do not have the same environmental issues that lakes have. They are privately owned (I suppose it is possible for some to be public, but I do not know of any off-hand) and that means that there is someone controlling the use.

Generally, you don't find a lot of water sports being conducted on a quarry. Fishing and diving are the 2 most popular activities and fishing only is the quarry was stocked. There will only be certain fish in quarries because of the controlled environment. I am planning a trip to dive a quarry in TN in March because they have humongous paddlefish there. Imagine diving next to 7-8 foot fish in fresh water at 60 feet!

Quarries generally have greater visibility. I think it has to do with lime in the water (if a limestone quarry - which is popular.)

As mentioned above, cool stuff to check out! I dive a quarry here in Estonia that when it was flooded it overran a prison - buildings, cells, guard towers, etc.. Pretty neat, just watch out for the concertina wire walls!

Most people live close to a divable quarry. And since they are usually privately owned arrangements can be made to access the water just about any time (Hey, who doesn't want to make a buck by letting folks play in the water!)

Also, consider the surface are to volume ratio. Quarries are generally much deeper than lakes of comparable surface area. The deepest body of water in Ohio is Gilboa (mentioned above). They even have a passenger jet sunk in that quarry!!!

Hope that helps!

Oh, one word of caution: on the negative side for some, quarries are generally colder (spring fed).

 

[vtxkev]

Hey Nude everyone else explained why so here are some links for you to check out and see what its all about.

Welcome To Willow Springs Park

Dive In to BSC

Dutch Springs Homepage

Gilboa Quarry Scuba Diving

Those are just a few, enjoy.

 

[NudeDiver]

OK, so there is a bit more to it than I was guessing

One comment stood out to me - PAYING to use a quarry. That would just suck. I realize that if it is private property and they can do whatever they want, etc. etc. I get it. But even so.........it would suck. On the other hand, at the usual diving spot around here, you gotta pay $10 for the car and driver to park, plus $5 for each passenger for a parking spot - but if you could manage to get to the dive site without parking, then it wouldn't cost anything. So, I guess it's not any different. I'll work on my attitude a bit here

But at least now I know - given the opportunity to dive in a quarry or lake, I should pick the quarry.

I've only dived freshwater once - in New Mexico of all places - and it wasn't a lake OR a quarry, so I dunno too much about these things. Thanks for the edumacation

Cheers!
nd

 

[J.R.]

OK, so there is a bit more to it than I was guessing

One comment stood out to me - PAYING to use a quarry. That would just suck. I realize that if it is private property and they can do whatever they want, etc. etc. I get it. But even so.........it would suck.

Well... depending on the Quarry it isn't all that bad.

For example, there's a fee to dive Haigh Quarry here in Illinois... but the lady who runs it does a LOT to support the diving community, maintain the quality of the facility, etc.. so... in a way... the fee is returned "in kind"...

I tend to think of quarries more along the lines of 'amusement parks" or playgrounds for divers... lakes and ponds are a bit more like nature walks....

 

[NudeDiver]

Well... depending on the Quarry it isn't all that bad.

For example, there's a fee to dive Haigh Quarry here in Illinois... but the lady who runs it does a LOT to support the diving community, maintain the quality of the facility, etc.. so... in a way... the fee is returned "in kind"...

I tend to think of quarries more along the lines of 'amusement parks" or playgrounds for divers... lakes and ponds are a bit more like nature walks....

Well, I can certainly see if it the fee is for something other than parking. If it goes toward keeping the place looking nice, a toilet of some kind, a warm-up shack (important around here), etc. - it makes perfect sense. The fee I mentioned for the place I go helps to cover these things, so it's not so bad.

 

[moneysavr]

many lakes have good days and bad like inland ones and as they warm summer time they tend to algae up,turn green/black yuck!
Quarries tend to be as said man made holes,Iron,stone,mining operations no more-visibility tends to be well good/ some times well bad!
here's a quarry up in Michigan a great dive any time and well it FREE!
enjoy the video,
Fortune Pond, The Emerald of Upper Michigan on Vimeo
my pal Jim, shot this
Brad