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History Lurks Below the Surface of an Old North Carolina Quarry

May 13, 2009 at 10:11 AM | by kjb | 0 Comments

With the economy in the toilet, you might not have the funds to head out on once in a lifetime diving trip, and with that Swine Flu constantly lurking around every corner the only safe place is under the sea. That’s why we’ve compiled some strange SCUBA spots right here at home. If you’ve got a better one (or a worse one), please let us know!

Are you sick and tired of crystal clear water and colorful exotic fish? Then how does a murky, abandoned quarry just outside Raleigh, North Carolina sound? For almost 30 years, Fantasy Lake Scuba Park has been training new divers and giving experts something less exotic, but more industrial to look at and enjoy. You see, back in the day, quarry workers hit a spring and the place slowly filled up around all of the original quarrying equipment, which was just left in place. Their misfortune is now your reward.

Today you can enjoy some pretty clear water in the spring, with visibility in spring and fall around 40 feet. Once it gets warmer in the summer however, the algae start to take over and limit your view to about 10 feet. Go for an even denser, darker experience in the quarry's two deeper portions of 60 and 80 feet; just make sure you know what you’re doing beforehand.

If you’d rather see the park’s offerings at more reasonable depths, you’ll have no problem swimming among the quarry’s rock crusher, also left behind when the area was abandoned. There’s even a fairly intact VW Beetle to check out—just please don’t honk the horn. If you do, you'll scare the striped bass, turtles, and catfish that call the lake home.

The park is open 365 days a year, so if you’re bold enough, you’re welcome to test out the new scuba regulator that you got for Christmas. Divers will pay $15 per day to use the 50-acre lake, which apparently is the largest lake of its kind on the east coast. To get a feel for the quarry beforehand, Reef and Ridge Sports will be happy to help you obtain your open water certification for only $139.

Related Stories:
·Fantasy Lake Scuba Park [Official Site]
·Forget Chicago's Magnificent Mile And Dive Into Lake Michigan [Jaunted]
·SCUBA coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Fantasy Lake Scuba Park]

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