New Dive Quarry in Illinois....Coming This Season

[Dive Right In Scuba]

OK, this is early, but I wanted to get this out there for people and start to get a feel for those interested. We will be obtaining a contract for a local quarry in Bolingbrook, IL. This is an 85 acre quarry, that is approximately 85+ft deep.

We have not had the opportunity to get in yet as all the details are being worked out. This, for now, will not be open all the time like other local quarries. Its to be shared with other events(fishing, etc), but no other events would be out there the dates we are diving. This could easily, with diver support, develop into a dive quarry only that has a more wide open dive schedule. We just have to wait and see how its accepted and grows. As long as their are no issues, people are wanting in, and so on, I see no reason it wont develop into a dive only quarry.

The plans:

- Get in ASAP and map the bottom and see what can really be done with it(stuck in politics right now and they want the Xs and Ys in place before we get in)
- Get some platforms for training. We will build or buy or accept donations for these or barter for entry. Buoys will also be needed.
- We have a Bus that is already donated for sinking, and will be looking for other things to slowly purchase and or be donated or bartered.
- $20 entrance fee will go directly into building this up as a dive quarry. The money will go into Platforms, Building for compressor( we currently have an extra compressor), underwater speakers, other structures/vehicles/etc to sink and explore. All the proceeds made, will go directly into making this a great dive opportunity! Im thinking it will grow pretty fast as our divers in the midwest love new dive exploration opportunities.
- For the time being, as it grows from its first baby step introduction...Tickets for entry will be limited and only sold on our website or in the store. How limited Im not sure yet as we are still in talks with parking and such. We also will require liabilities to be filled out either at store or online when ticket is purchased. This may change, but until we know if/when we can put a building up, this will be required
- Instructors will get in free when working with students, reduced rate when pleasure diving(unless otherwise worked out by mapping, developing, helping with quarry) The reason we feel they should pay if pleasure diving is that we want to build this quarry up and we need help! If your helping, fees can be waived...if your their for pleasure and just want to dive, you can be helping financially like everyone else to make a better dive quarry

I know there will be alot of growing pains and red tape in the beginning. Trust me, I dont want it either. But with the right support of volunteers, divers, donations, etc, we can have another dive destination in the midwest!


I look forward to any and all support in this venture! Feel free to contact me if your interested in helping, donating, volunteering in any way shape or form!

Feel free to respond in this with any insight, ideas, criticism, etc that you may have. The above are just a few brief guidelines that we have based on what we know so far.

The current dates we will have open for diving for the 2009 season( Im working hard on adding alot more, but its still early in this process so Im excited with what we have so far):

Sun, July 12
Sun, July 19
Sun, Aug. 2
Sun, Aug. 9
Sat, Sept. 12
Sun, Sept. 13
Sat, Oct. 3
Sun, Oct. 4 (full moon)
Sat, Nov. 7
Sun, Nov. 8
Sat, Dec. 12
Sun, Dec. 13

Again, remember this is the beginning and as the program grows or has alot of response and eager divers, it will grow!!

[BasilHaydens]

Well, if there's anything you need help with, please let me know. The place I think that this is going to be setup is only a few blocks from my house, so I'd do anything to help get this up and going.

[DeepDiverBob]

I'm all for a new place to check out. However, in my opinion, 20 bucks to get in is a little steep in price when there is nothing to offer as of yet. A place opened here in 08, and although the guy running it is a hell of a nice guy, he was charging a little more than you are planning to, and doesnt offer air fills, or much of anything to look at underwater. In my opinion, I think there would be better chance of getting more people in, by charging less. If this guy would have charged 15 to get in, and to get the place running, I think he would have fared a lot better. But then again, I'm not a business major, so I could be wrong.

[theskull]

Bob has a point. I would gladly pay $20 to get in once, as I did at the other new quarry Bob referenced. However, unless it knocks my socks off, I won't pay that steep of a fee for any return visits.

"If you build it they will come" only works if you build it first! Until there are sufficient amenities to justify the cost a more attractive entry fee of $10 or $15 might generate more traffic, more interest, and return visits.

theskull

[skdvr]

A place opened here in 09, and although the guy running it is a hell of a nice guy, he was charging a little more than you are planning to, and doesnt offer air fills,

Just as an FYI he does have a compressor out there now and is doing fills....

Phil

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Bob has a point. I would gladly pay $20 to get in once, as I did at the other new quarry Bob referenced. However, unless it knocks my socks off, I won't pay that steep of a fee for any return visits.

"If you build it they will come" only works if you build it first! Until there are sufficient amenities to justify the cost a more attractive entry fee of $10 or $15 might generate more traffic, more interest, and return visits.

theskull


I agree, but I cant get anything in there without some support.....If I can charge $20, which is what my locals charge, I can keep getting more and more things. This means, everytime you come back, you see your money working for you....Its not going to be going into my pocket, it will be going into YOUR dive quarry....your investing in what you will be diving in....The plan is that after we get most of the basics and get going, to drop the price to $15 as a thank you for a year....then back to $20 and keep adding and upgrading things to keep it as one of the best....

Would that change your mind?

[theskull]

It's a plan. I'll try it once.

As a diver, even more than the amenities, I'll be interested in variety of terrain, number and variety of fish, natural beauty of the rock walls, temp & visibility. If it's a pretty lake, you will get my return business.

If you're trying to attract classes, then it is more a matter of having plenty of shallow platforms to kneel on, a large area of 20-30 ft. deep, and some picnic tables.

Either way, air fills will be important. If you're trying for divers rather than classes, then O2-clean air will be a big plus.

I definitely wish you luck. We can certainly use more midwest dive sites.

theskull

[Dive Right In Scuba]

It's a plan. I'll try it once.

As a diver, even more than the amenities, I'll be interested in variety of terrain, number and variety of fish, natural beauty of the rock walls, temp & visibility. If it's a pretty lake, you will get my return business.

If you're trying to attract classes, then it is more a matter of having plenty of shallow platforms to kneel on, a large area of 20-30 ft. deep, and some picnic tables.

Either way, air fills will be important. If you're trying for divers rather than classes, then O2-clean air will be a big plus.

I definitely wish you luck. We can certainly use more midwest dive sites.

theskull

You be the judge:

Click on the link, click on "A" then zoom in
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&fkt=1204&fsdt=3543&q=whalon%20lake%20bolingbrook%20IL&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

The plan, in time, is to have classes north, students muck up the bottom and its protected in that area by the islands. Thats a huge area if you look at the scale. Numerous platforms will make this good for training. South, will be all the fun stuff and hopefully better viz, it was a limestone quarry, so it should look cool, and hopefully the bottom will be friendly as far as depths and not just be 85ft the whole thing. In time, O2 would be out there and possibly trimix, but that all costs more money....hence entrance fees and donations to get it quicker ;) We do have O2 at the shop, about 10 minutes away, but it will be much nicer when its there.

Im hoping to get in there in Feb. and start the mapping under the ice...hopefully viz will be immaculate and we will be able to see far and help it go faster

[theskull]

Sounds good.

I was apparently not clear, though. I don't think having O2 on site is important . . . at least not for sale . . . emergency O2 is very important!

What I was referring to was air that is O2-clean; in other words, that is OK to put in our Nitrox tanks without messing them up.

theskull

[theskull]

You be the judge:

Click on the link, click on "A" then zoom in
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&fkt=1204&fsdt=3543&q=whalon%20lake%20bolingbrook%20IL&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl



Your link is trying to send me to a Whallon Creek in California!

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Not sure, I click the link you have in the quote, and the first one is bolingbrook IL...

[theskull]

That time it worked for me, too. Don't know what happened before. Sorry.

[scububa]

I agree, but I cant get anything in there without some support.....If I can charge $20, which is what my locals charge, I can keep getting more and more things. This means, everytime you come back, you see your money working for you....Its not going to be going into my pocket, it will be going into YOUR dive quarry....your investing in what you will be diving in....The plan is that after we get most of the basics and get going, to drop the price to $15 as a thank you for a year....then back to $20 and keep adding and upgrading things to keep it as one of the best....

Would that change your mind?

Sounds like you are starting a CO-OP. Are you selling shares?

[M&P+4]

$20 does seem a bit steep - but I belly ache because it cost $10 to get into Wazee. I guess what burns me the most is that you can bring a bus load of swimmers in for the $3 vehical registration, you can fish for the $3 registration, but as soon as you strap a tank to your back it's $10.

I still hope it works out - more places to dive is always better.

[skdvr]

$20 to me seems to be the going rate... Even though places like Mermet charge $20 and have lots to see in the water and topside amenities, like bathrooms and showers. They had to start somewhere and a lot of that stuff does not come without money coming in (and going back to the quarry) and volunteer help with building things, or donating objects for the water. It is a little far for me to go to all the time but I would have no problem spending $20 each time I do make it up there to help get more dive friendly places up and running.

Phil

[BasilHaydens]

What I'm happy about is that it's 3 miles from my house! I always drove by there thinking how awesome it would be to be able to go diving there!

[nauifins73]

I would pay the $20.00 fee knowing it was going for upgrades. I envy you Mike K.

[MgicTwnger]

What I'm happy about is that it's 3 miles from my house! I always drove by there thinking how awesome it would be to be able to go diving there!
The only thing three miles from my house is Lincoln's tomb. Diving there sucks.

[BasilHaydens]

I would pay the $20.00 fee knowing it was going for upgrades. I envy you Mike K.

Thanks :) I hear ya about the $20, as long as it's going to make it a better place to go diving, I'm all for it.

The only thing three miles from my house is Lincoln's tomb. Diving there sucks.

Yeah, I'd imagine you don't have a lot around you to go diving at. Of course I'm still a newbie in the diving world, I just got certified in '07 and around 28 dives under my belt, so not really sure where there's diving besides the 2 places I've been to in Illinois, Kankakee and the lake my parents have a summer place at.

[MgicTwnger]

so not really sure where there's diving besides the 2 places I've been to in Illinois, Kankakee and the lake my parents have a summer place at.
Errrr.....I hear there's a REALLY BIG LAKE around Chicago.

Seriously, there's also Pearl lake, and and a number of places in Wisconsin.

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Errrr.....I hear there's a REALLY BIG LAKE around Chicago.

Seriously, there's also Pearl lake, and and a number of places in Wisconsin.


Yup, we have a lil pond called Lake Michigan, Pearl Lake in South Beloit, Haigh Quarry in Kankakee, and Mermet Springs in the home of Superman...Metropolis Illinois. Other than that, there is nothing dedicated to scuba.....and coming soon Whalon lake :) The biggest, outside of that lil pond Lake Michigan

[BasilHaydens]

Errrr.....I hear there's a REALLY BIG LAKE around Chicago.

Seriously, there's also Pearl lake, and and a number of places in Wisconsin.

LOL, Yeah, I know. I've never dived there, never really think about it when I think about diving around here, dunno why. I'll be more interested in there when I become wreck certified :)

[b1gcountry]

I'll be more interested in there when I become wreck certified :)

Wreck certification shouldn't stop you. You can swim around any wreck exactly the same as any reef you might have dove.

Tom

[BasilHaydens]

I know, I'll make it there one of these days.