Located in the Lehigh Valley just north of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a 47 acre freshwater lake which has been configured specially for SCUBA diving. The Dutch Springs Diving and Recreation Facility built over the site of an old limestone quarry, is perhaps the best purpose-built Scuba Park on the East Coast that not only caters to scuba divers, but has equally as many activities for non-divers such as picnicking, boating, swimming, snorkeling and a water park. Dutch Springs is spring fed from an underground aquifer that seeps through the limestone, filtering it to provide 20 to 30-foot visibility, which makes it ideal for scuba diving.
In the early 1930′s The National Portland Cement Co. begin excavation of this limestone rich area for the limestone which is used as an ingredient in the manufacture of cement. As the quarry got deeper, it began to flood and they required pumps to keep the water out. By the 1970’s the depth of the quarry reached almost 100’ deep, when the National Portland Cement Company shut down the operations and turned off the pumps, causing the 47 acre quarry to turn into a lake. In the 1980’s the land was purchased and converted into a freshwater diving facility by the installation of one submerged underwater platform.
Today the Dutch Springs Diving and Recreation Facility has over 15 submerged dive platforms and many interesting artificial reefs for divers to explore. Almost everyone living in this area who is a certified scuba diver, the chances are that they certified at Dutch Springs.
One of the key artificial reef attractions for divers is the Dutch Springs Sikorsky S-56 Helicopter which was sunk here in 1995. The main engine and rotors are missing, but the helicopter suspended at 25’ from the surface still has its tail rotors intact, and one can easily penetrate and explore its massive fuselage. This heavy-lift helicopter is perhaps the biggest attraction at Dutch Springs.
Other key dive attractions are the tanker truck submerged at 70’, the ladder truck at 60’, the A single engine Cessna 150 airplane at 30’ ,a vintage fire truck, the Silver Comet 50′ metal pilot boat , the four wooden cabin cruisers ranging in depth from 40′ to 70′, and the School Bus at 50’. There are several other interesting artificially sunk features at Dutch Springs scattered throughout the lake, that divers can make repeated visits to explore the vast area.
Fish and marine life at the park include varieties of Sunfish, Redbreast and Pumpkinseed sunfish, Trout, Bass, Crayfish, Koi Carp, Perch and tons of Zebra Mussels that cover the bottom of every submerged pier and platform filtering the lake constantly.
Facilities at Dutch Springs are extensive and include scuba tank air-fill stations, scuba diving equipment rental stores, watercraft and boat rental services, and camping facilities for overnight visitors, night diving, and day picnic and party areas. Overall Dutch Springs is a great place to dive, not just for those learning to dive, but offers great sites for the experienced diver to explore, and also a great place for non-divers and family to spend the day.
photos from flickr by diametrik, andrewl04, and @kevinv033
