Destination Quarrys

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J.R.:
Sometimes it ain't the destination... sometimes it's the journey.
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Excellent point. Some time you have to dive whatever you can. The low vis can be a boon. When I dive in the low vis quarries & then go to the crystal clear Caribbean, it's wonderful & not so stressful for night diving.
 
Lake rawlings Va off of 85 real clear lots of fish camping lot too see while under
 
Gilboa during the week can have great visibility (50+ feet). Finding the paddlefish is an adventure in itself, I've heard some of them are 6 feet long. There are trophy Yellow Perch in there as well as plenty of Rainbow Trout plus Rock, Smallmouth and Largemouth bass. A huge catfish affectionately called "Wally" (I hear he's about 4 feet long) is sometimes spotted on the wall near the tubes and he has a "little brother" who's not exactly little, that will follow you sometimes.

Last year Mike added an enormous Christmas tree to the quarry and you are welcome to bring along decorations and add your personal touch. "Enormous" is the only description I can think of, I believe he said it's either 25 feet tall or 25 feet in diameter at the base branches (my memory is rusty). I wasn't sure I would be able to find it since I didn't know exactly where it was or how big it was the first time I went looking for it...follow the wall from the bus, you CAN'T miss this tree.

Careful observation will reveal fresh-water sponge as well.

It's definitely a quarry that's worth the trip, you just have to skip the busy summer weekends if you want decent visibility.
Ber :lilbunny:
 
Ber Rabbit:
Last year Mike added an enormous Christmas tree to the quarry and you are welcome to bring along decorations and add your personal touch. "Enormous" is the only description I can think of, I believe he said it's either 25 feet tall or 25 feet in diameter at the base branches (my memory is rusty). I wasn't sure I would be able to find it since I didn't know exactly where it was or how big it was the first time I went looking for it...follow the wall from the bus, you CAN'T miss this tree.
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Yes that tree is enormous- I was there on New Year's eve/day doing a night dive and we found it easily :D I had no idea it was there, but as we were approaching it, the ornaments were reflecting my HID light and I couldn't figure out what would be floating in the water like that. Then we got closer- big tree!
 
Thanks for the question Pete!

I've been to Gilboa, Haigh, France Park (IN), Blue Springs (IN) and Falling Rock Park (KY). The majority of my dives are in midwest quarries. You are right Pete ... you dive what you can!

There are many advantages to quarry diving. First, it can be a very low stress, low key way to dive vs. a dive boat. Much more like a shore dive. You gear up at your own pace and can take your time. None of the "We're on the wreck (or reef) .... DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!!!!" I'll do that kind of diving a few times a year, but I really like the laid-back nature of quarry diving. It also gives you a great opportunity to meet new divers or to get to know your regular buddies quite well. Second, it allows you to really learn a site well. You get to know where the fish hide and where all the "cool" stuff is located. It allows you to really slow down and focus on the small things. I really enjoy freshwater fish and I prefer the quarries loaded with fish. Gilboa and Haigh are currently my favorites. Third, they are great locations to fine tune and perfect your skills in a relatively benign environment. Don't have to worry about tides, swells, rip currents, etc. Other than the ice we had this Feb/early Mar and an occasionally intense thunderstorm, I've never been "blown out" of a quarry.

Now the downside of course is that you won't find a new, previously known wreck and there are no colorful reef fish, eels, sharks, octopus or other "sexy" aquatic life forms. But if you let yourself be a kid again, it is really cool to pester a crawdad 30' deep on the bottom in your favorite quarry or go head-to-head with the killer bluegill that rule Falling Rock Park in La Grange, KY!
 
Steve50:
http://www.dtmag.com/dive-usa/MadisonAquaticParkAL.html
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Actually, that article is very much out of date.

Rock Divers, the operator of the quarry, went "belly up" due to owner management issues in 2005.

It was re-opened on a part time basis in 2006 by Aqualine Aquatics on a part time lease from the city. The same group hopes to open it again for the 2007 summer but is waiting on paperwork from the local municipal goverment and water board.

It's actually a pretty cool quarry to dive.

Where else can you dive a quarry that has a F-4 Fighter Jet, a MinuteMan MIssile and some spare NASA parts in it?


Anyway, for long term plans Aqualine would like to re-open it permanently but the city is still trying to figure out what to do with it after they stuck their foot in their mouth thinking it would be the solution for their drinking water problems during the summer months. (They forgot to check to see if the quarry would replenish itself quickly enough before they did the land trade. big D'OH! on their part).
 
Divin'Hoosier:
Thanks for the question Pete!

I've been to Gilboa, Haigh, France Park (IN), Blue Springs (IN) and Falling Rock Park (KY). The majority of my dives are in midwest quarries. You are right Pete ... you dive what you can!

There are many advantages to quarry diving. First, it can be a very low stress, low key way to dive vs. a dive boat. Much more like a shore dive. You gear up at your own pace and can take your time. None of the "We're on the wreck (or reef) .... DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!!!!" I'll do that kind of diving a few times a year, but I really like the laid-back nature of quarry diving. It also gives you a great opportunity to meet new divers or to get to know your regular buddies quite well. Second, it allows you to really learn a site well. You get to know where the fish hide and where all the "cool" stuff is located. It allows you to really slow down and focus on the small things. I really enjoy freshwater fish and I prefer the quarries loaded with fish. Gilboa and Haigh are currently my favorites. Third, they are great locations to fine tune and perfect your skills in a relatively benign environment. Don't have to worry about tides, swells, rip currents, etc. Other than the ice we had this Feb/early Mar and an occasionally intense thunderstorm, I've never been "blown out" of a quarry.

Now the downside of course is that you won't find a new, previously known wreck and there are no colorful reef fish, eels, sharks, octopus or other "sexy" aquatic life forms. But if you let yourself be a kid again, it is really cool to pester a crawdad 30' deep on the bottom in your favorite quarry or go head-to-head with the killer bluegill that rule Falling Rock Park in La Grange, KY!
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Very nice write up! My favorite "home" quarry is Blue Springs. There's LOTS of stuff to see, and I have yet to "see it all". I will be at Gilboa in June.... but I don't want to meet Wally the catfish or his brother or cousins! (Yes, I'm afraid of catfish.... now STOP LAUGHING!!!) Haigh and Mermet are on the "to visit" list this summer.

Ber... where are the freshwater sponges located at Gilboa? Also... thanks for the info on where "Wally" is generally located.... I'll be steering clear of there! LOL
 
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