White Star Quarry Open for the 2009 Season!

[PvtStash]

any creature comforts (showers etc.) being added, but I think he said he's going to be putting in another entry-point , behind the concessions building, its going to be in the style of the back-end of a Dive Boat... will be great for Instructors an such... pretty good/original idea I think.

I'm holdin' a season pass this year so I'm not payin' the $15, but it still made me frown... if there Must be an increase, maybe $12 ? $13 ?

Its still cheaper than Gilboa... is Portage still $10 or have they gone up too?

 

[Divers Incorporated]

Whats up with the 50 percent increase in fee's at White Star? I have heard that it has sky rocketed to $15.00 per day from $10.00. Is this true? Has anything new been added like bathrooms, running water, showers?

Thank you for posting your concerns about white star. I understand that you may feel that the price increase at the quarry was steep but it is our first price increase in nearly 10 years. When Divers Incorporated took over the scuba concession two years ago, Gilboa jumped from $10 to $15 and the camping at the quarry also took the same increase. Working the the park district, we were able to hold off the increases until this year. The cost of running the quarry has gone up over the past 10 years so now the price needs to go up. To answer PVTSTASH Portage went up to $12 and you have to pay to use thier toilet facilities, Gilboa is at $15 but you have to pay for parking, and at both of those quarries your friends and family have to pay to watch you dive. Our air and nitrox fill prices are cheaper still.

As far as the bathrooms, showers, running water etc. All of those things have been looked into, and the park district has investigated the feasability. Showers at the campsites were looked into and there has been running water there for two years. It would take a few more campers each year to be able to pay for the upgrade to a shower house. As far as the toilets go.. it would cost the entire annual 2008 budget of the park to put flush toilets in at the beach side of the quarry and 10 times that for the diving side since they would have to go around the quarry up the road in sink the sewer pipes in 6ft of lime stone. White star is different from the other quarries in that they have federal mandates that they have to abide by. The city sewers and water end at the train tracks in gibsonburg. The Cheaper option of a septic field cannot be done in the area of the quarry. I know they are looking at improvements in the current facilities but it will not include flush toilets... sorry.

we do have a couple of improvements planned and a couple completed. The old fence was removed at the diving side to improve access to the quarry. We have a "boat" entrance planned for mid July and there will be improvements to the north side entrance and another similar concrete entrance and exit due to go in this year.

I hope you will continue to support the quarry since it is the quarry fees that we all pay that helps fund the improvements we are able to get. The more divers that come to white star, the better it wil be.

Thanks for the support.

Rich

 

[deepseadiver7]

Correction.. Yes they have gone up to $12 but that is still 20% less than Whitestar. The main bathrooms at Portage do not cost anything. They are the same as White Star. The new bathrooms with flush toilets and Hot Showers are mainly for the campers and still do not cost campers anything. May want to check the facts first before misleading divers. The parking for the diving is free and right next to the water at most points. No big parking lot to have to carry your gear through. Air fills are $7 but the Nitrox is fifteen. Viz has been great at 50 ft. plus. 25- 30 even with students everywhere. And they have more underwater items than Whitestar and Gilboa put together. Camping is only $5 per night. So for 2 days of diving and one night of camping it is only $29. There are many events for divers through out the year such as Legends Weekend on August 7-9 ( This years headliners are Bob Mistrell and Dottie Frazier) number 1 male and female certified Instructors,Bob Croft, D.A.N weekend- July 18th , HSA weekend ( Handycap Scuba Association)- Sept 15th, Parrotheadweekend- August 1st(BuffettTribute Band), Country Concert weekend ( Tim Omark and Southern Justice - July 4th, Chris Guglielmo Photo Workshop Saturday, July 25 ,Sunday, July 26, and more. Go to portagequarry.com for a complete list. Anytime I mention White Star I check my facts first before I make a Quote. I would expect the same from anybody writing about Portage. And buy the way I do dive all three quarries.

 

[Divers Incorporated]

I check my facts first before I make a Quote.

Thanks for the correction but I did check my facts and I am willing to sign my name to my comments...

Portage has posted on their website that they charge $5 to use the facilities and their nitrox fills are only $12. I got my info from this link.

Recreation, Swimming, Concerts, Quarries, Volleyball, SCUBA Diving in Northwest Ohio - Portage Quarry

I am not trying to get into a titfortat with anyone... I support diving in Ohio and Michigan anywere there is water. For the record I have over 300 logged dives in Portage and as many in the other quarries... I hope people have fun diving this summer. We are doing our best to make White Star a great place to dive and bring your family. We also have a beach and groomed hiking trails, camping, equestrian trails, playgrounds and a place to walk your dog..... glad to read that you dive White Star, thanks for the support.

Rich

 

[Striker-1]

Hello Rich, we had a blast today! I came out with a friend who had completed his OW-certs, so now I have a dive buddy all the time, the water was warmer than we expected and vis was much better than thought! The $15.00 cost was not bad we got our money's worth! I will check on that plane for you and shoot you a PM with the details. Keep up the good work and I will see you a lot more now.:cool2:

Striker-1