Possible new Georgia Dive Site

[mikerault]

Oh, here is an overhead shot of the first quarry I talked about, I haven't gotten over to it to do some ground level shots yet. It is larger than I thought (assuming this is the same one, I won't be able to confirm that until I do a position check with my GPS).

 

[scuba4321]

I would be up for a local spot too.

 

[mikerault]

Well, the second quarry washed out...the owners don't want to do anything with it at this time. I will continue to look at the first one, but I am afraid it is just a miniture Lake Lanier. I did some looking at it s depth profile by using a dive computer attached to a rope (hi tech here) and tossing it in at various points I could reach around the shore...very disappointing in that the max depth I could reach was 14 feet...if it is as deep as rumored it must be out in the center and I will need to cart a raft over there to check it out. However, the temp was 47 degrees so definately not warm water...

Will keep everyone posted.

 

[CineDiver]

Did anyone else catch the news about the City of Atlanta looking into purchasing the 100 year old Bellwood Quarry? This would become a two to three year project to develop a new park & lake larger than Piedmont Park. The City will use the lake as a drinking water reservoir.

http://www.atlantaga.gov/media/medadv_beltlinequarry_011006.aspx
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/0111metquarry.html

Does anyone know of any other municipality allowing divers in a drinking water reservoir? I just finished the thread about the Madison Alabama Quarry. Hope that flies for them. That would certainly help our situation too.

I would be willing to help in anyway to start some sort of Scuba Initiative to help the City understand the need for such a place. I would have like to complete my OW cert without also getting a limited vis & night c-card also... LOL Yes that's right, I did it at Lake "Murk" Lanier.

33°46'48.24"N
84°26'6.27"W

 

[mike_s]

boy that's gonna be one deep quarry once they fill it with water.


how clear is the Chattahoochee? If I remember right it's pretty darn muddy.
that's where they plan on getting the water to fill it with according this this
http://www.ajc.com/search/content/auto/epaper/editions/yesterday/metro_34dcdeb1e00e904a1012.html

 

[diver5671]

I actually live in Rome. There is a "new" quarry in the area at the intersection of the Ga. 1 Loop (Veterans Memerorial Hwy) and Redmond Rd. The quarry was only filled in about 3-4 years ago and I have actually tried to get permission to dive it. It looks very clear but in places also very deep (400-500ft) from what Ive ben told. I'll try to enclose an aerial picture that I took during some flying lessons.

 

[500 PSI]

Mikerault:

I think you wisely recognized a need for more recreational use of old quarries for divers, especially around populated cities like Atlanta . I know several are used for diving up here in Wisconsin and other states.

How many million did you say you have to invest??? $25 million was paid for the Bellwood property owned by Vulcan Materials Co. This company is a huge, multi national corporation and selling old quarries to private individuals is most uilikey, unless you know the CEO.

I do love the idea, but the "devil is in the details".

 

[mikerault]

Very true...I was looking into a leas of the dive rights as a start.

Mike

 

[Clyderyde]

Mike,
I may have the answer for you a good friend of mine and diver is a quarry owner, his family has been in the rock bussiness for years. I'll try to get in touch with him. I know that he dives it himself and has invited me from time to time.

Also I'm glad to find this thread on local diving I'm from Athens and have started a local website to try to put divers in the Athens area in touch with each other.

Clyde
athensdivers.org
clyod@aol.com

 

[mikerault]

Clyde,

Sounds good! Let me know what you find out!

Mike