Any Cave Divers in the MD/DC/VA Area?

[helodriver87]

Looks like I'm moving up to the DC area for work (for a couple years, at least). Hoping to keep making regular trips down to cave country while I'm there. Does anyone around here routinely make the drive/flight to north FL? What about year round local diving options? I've been spoiled going cave diving every weekend, but I'll take what I can get while I'm away.

 

[bamafan]

I was up that way for about a year. Sadly there isn't much diving in the area. There is some cave diving in Virginia but it is more sump diving and not open to the public. Get involved with some local grottos and you might make the right connections.

 

[helodriver87]

That's what I was afraid of. Oh well. Time to start saving up frequent flier miles I guess.

 

[tursiops]

Local diving is a selection of (within a couple of hours) quarries, some better than others depending on your needs/likes. Sometimes they are even open. They don't even have a thermocline in the winter.

Next closest is the Virginia and NC coast. Long drives (4-6h typical) and uncertain diving....the boat may not go out, due to conditions. I've noticed it is an even longer drive if you don't get to dive. The diving is pretty good, if you like wrecks, but it is a long boat-ride for a short dive.

It's 12h from here to cave country. I don't know anyone who does that regularly, maybe 2-3 times a year at most. This year's trip for MLK weekend was cancelled due to conditions at the caves.

It's 16-18h to Key Largo.

Flying? I'd rather fly to Mexico or Abaco.

 

[bamafan]

Yes when I was there it was cheaper to fly to Cancun than Florida most of the time.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

My recommendation is to check out Washington Area Scuba Club: A DC/VA/MD Scuba Meetup Group (Washington, DC). The group there plans local as well as out of the area trips. They've got a trip to NC planned for late may.

They're not what you're asking for, but below are some local "I just want to go for a dive" options.

Millbrook Quarry:

Millbrook Quarry (aka Lake Millbrook) - Haymarket VA | DiveBuddy.com

For Millbrook...the visibility is fairly bad. That and from what I've read, it never really warms up during the summer (unlike Lake Phoenix). Millbrook is deep though, unlike pretty much everywhere else in the area.

Lake Phoenix:

Lake Phoenix (previously Lake Rawlings) - Rawlings VA | DiveBuddy.com

I enjoyed Lake Phoenix (I did my OW dives there). It's a nice setup and the visibility is good, but distance wise...the juice just isn't worth the squeeze for a day trip from DC (to me, at least). Once it warms up and I can run down there after work on a Friday, camp out, and spend the weekend...I'll head back down there.

Rappahannock Quarry:

Rappahannock Quarry - Fredericksburg VA | DiveBuddy.com

There's sporadic access to Rappahannock Quarry (Fredericksburg). You would need to contact Scuba Shack in Fredericksburg and see what the schedule is.

I managed to get into the Rappahannock Quarry on New Years day when Scuba Shack held a fun dive. The visibility was pretty good (20'+), their DM/guide was a good guy, and I had a great time. I would definitely go back if I could get in there again.

I went out with Kent Island Scuba a couple times this past November. I had a good time, but I didn't see much...as the visibility was poor. Dives are out on the bay.

https://www.kentislandscuba.com/

On the WAY out of town options...I made the drive down to Florida the middle of January. It was quite a journey. It was ~15 hours down to Lauderdale By The Sea. I then went down to Key Largo (an hour and change), Pompano Beach, and back down to Key Largo.I intended to head home after Pompano Beach, but I had such a good time that I wasn't ready to go back home just yet.

I would definitely do that trip again, but it was quite a haul down there...so I don't see me making that trek more than once a year.

 

[helodriver87]

Awesome, thanks for the options! I'm thinking flights out for long weekends are reasonable on a monthly basis for me based on my schedule, but it'll be nice to have even a muddy quarry to keep the skills sharp on off weeks.

 

[Richard Alexander]

There’s a new quarry just outside DC near Frederick MD. Not very big but over 200 ft deep. Juturna Springs.
Pretty cool.
I do like lake Phoenix but for the same drive time my choice is Dutch Spring. Big deep lake. Cool deep rock canyons and submerged attractions

 

[tursiops]

There’s a new quarry just outside DC near Frederick MD. Not very big but over 200 ft deep. Juturna Springs.
Pretty cool.
I do like lake Phoenix but for the same drive time my choice is Dutch Spring. Big deep lake. Cool deep rock canyons and submerged attractions

Unfortunately Juturna Springs is closed for awhile, due to some zoning problems that we all hope will go away...
It is almost three times the depth of Millbrook, and about the same size. Somewhere around 60-70 ft there is a dense, dark layer, and it is a night dive underneath that.

 

[Richard Alexander]

Unfortunately Juturna Springs is closed for awhile, due to some zoning problems that we all hope will go away...
It is almost three times the depth of Millbrook, and about the same size. Somewhere around 60-70 ft there is a dense, dark layer, and it is a night dive underneath that.