Connecticut Divers

[DWJ]

any one know who the divers were that were consulted?

 

[ScubaSarus]

I think ScubaShack in Westfield is doing a part to assist in the venture.

 

[scuba BRUCE]

I think ScubaShack in Westfield is doing a part to assist in the venture.

actually scuba shack is in rockyhill on the wethersfeild line and as far as the quarry in portland, the planes have been going for 1 year now i talked to the town selectman last year. my great great great grandfather was part owner of that quarry, it was called shaller and hall quarry where they mine brownstone and ship it to New York that is how all the brownstone buildings got built in New York

 

[DWJ]

I think ScubaShack in Westfield is doing a part to assist in the venture.

That makes sense. Tom and Ed Hayes would "Do it Right". ( Sorry I couldn't resist) Really I think that they would be good consultants on this type of a project. They know the community and what would work and not work. The only thing I would wonder about is if the quarry would have reasonable vis though out the warm weather. I have never been in the the quarry but friends that have said vis can be a problem

Can anyone comment on that?

Dave

 

[ScubaSarus]

When I last visited the sight from the shore. It looked like there were oil films, plenty of slime on everything, plenty of rusted debris in the water. I wouldnt doubt there is lots of oil filled machinery down there. The shop owner of Essex let his anchor line I think over 130-160 ft long off the side of the boat and the line never touched bottom. It may be too deep to get out all the junk thats polluting the quarry. Anyone know how deep this place actually is? Is 160 ft + reasonable assumption.

Chris

 

[DWJ]

When I last visited the sight from the shore. It looked like there were oil films, plenty of slime on everything, plenty of rusted debris in the water. I wouldnt doubt there is lots of oil filled machinery down there. The shop owner of Essex let his anchor line I think over 130-160 ft long off the side of the boat and the line never touched bottom. It may be too deep to get out all the junk thats polluting the quarry. Anyone know how deep this place actually is? Is 160 ft + reasonable assumption.

Chris

I went back and reread that artical in the press

" the north quarry is between 60-90 feet deep, depending on the location. Several cars have been abandoned in the north quarry, and there are persistent reports -- so far not verified -- that construction equipment used to take the brownstone still sits on the bottom of the quarry."


When I was a kid they used to pull "stolen?" cars from there all the time.

Still it would be fun to dive on the equipment.

 

[gemdiver]

I was there last week and I saw a topo map of the quarry, I think the deepest point is around 90'. There is still a lot of tangle hazards that the SS (among others) are working to remove.

I didn't see the slime or oil that you were talking about, but there are two quarries in that general area, you may be thinking of the other one. I'm not too sure of any more details.

 

[scuba BRUCE]

That makes sense. Tom and Ed Hayes would "Do it Right". ( Sorry I couldn't resist) Really I think that they would be good consultants on this type of a project. They know the community and what would work and not work. The only thing I would wonder about is if the quarry would have reasonable vis though out the warm weather. I have never been in the the quarry but friends that have said vis can be a problem

Can anyone comment on that?

Dave

the vis is real bad in the big quarry it is real dark the little quarry the vis is better but still not that great. they will realy have to clean them up to get the vis back like get all the garbage out,old tires ,cars and so on. if they do this could be another dutch springs

 

[scuba BRUCE]

also it is about 100 feet deep and is spring fed it did have oil slick on it last year. i have not been out there this year yet

 

[gfisher4792]

Decided to resuscitate this thread to recommend that Squantz Pond be avoided, scuba-wise. To make a long story short, me, warpig and frizz went there last Sunday, got permission/escort by the police at the pond to go on the access road to drop off our gear (and saving us part of a hill and about 800 feet of travel), but were kicked off the access road by a DEP official who couldn't give us a good reason. Anyway, I wrote a letter to the DEP voicing my surprise at the lack of common sense.

The dive itself was so-so, with iffy vis and I found an oldish bottle (narrowed down to 1930's or so). Maybe time to go hit the salt water again.