Dutch Springs

This location is setup for diver training and enjoyment. A lot of divers come here on the weekends but weekdays are quiet. Parking is great and right next to picnic tables to gather by and begin your dive prep. The water is just a short walk away and entry is by concrete ramps with floating piers to make putting gear on and off a breeze. Floats mark the dive platforms just off-shore as well as sunken attractions. Get a dive slate of all of them at the gift shop. Did 4 dives on a July weekend and temp was upper 60's at surface but really dropped when you got deeper. As it is a quarry there is thermocline here and it is cold at the bottom. Not much for wildlife or reef but the attractions are cool, check out the fire truck or airplane.

As an instructor I used to take my students here for open-water dives. The facilities are excellent, and one of the owner's top concerns is safety. Rafts suspended 10 to 15 feet under the surface make for excellent platforms to work on skills. Because of Dutch Spring's proximity to Philadelphia, New York and the Lehigh Valley, it tends to get crowded, especially on summer weekends. The earlier you get into the water, the better visibility will be. If you get away from the muddy flats and follow some of the walls along the side of the quarry, visibility can be about 40-50 feet, even during the peek diving time. Trout, bluegill and bass are common. In fact many bass will follow divers hoping they will stir up a crawfish or two. Several interesting things have been sunk in the quarry, including a helicopter, a fire engine, a van and several boats. Also some of the mining equipment is still visible in parts of the quarry.

Bottom temps can still get cold even in late Summer. It is an excellent site for instruction if the diver has anxiety about boat diving.

Awesome dive location. Lots to see. I have been there probably 12 or 13 times in last two years, still not old.

Dutch Springs is a first rate easy fresh water dive. The viz has improved significantly, especially in the fall, so that 60 ft. is not unheard of. I particularly enjoy diving along the walls and to the left of the student area where the old pumping station is. Changing facilities, access, etc. are terrific.

My wife and I have logged about 25 dives here in the last two years. It's a great place to learn and practice with new gear or skills. Located about 2 hours from NYC in Bethlehem, this privately owned quarry charges (I believe) $22 for a day of diving. The topside facilities are great with ample restrooms, air fills, basic food, picnic areas, and parking. The water facilities include many training platforms located around the waters edge, sunken cars, planes, trucks, helicopter, bus, crane, and more. Fish life is limited in this fresh water quarry but you may see small to medium size bass and more. No current or surf to worry about ever in this controlled environment. Visibility ranges between 20-50 feet depending on number of classes but you can always get away from the crowds because this place is pretty big. The water temps are very chilly ranging from 40-70 degrees depending on depth and time of year. You can almost always count on temps below 55 degrees once you hit 40 feet for most of the year. In the summer, temps peak in the 70's from the surface down to about 25 feet. Weekends are busy and weekdays are dead. A great place to meet other divers! Hours change as winter approaches so contact the park for more info. WWW.Dutchsprings.com.

The Disney Land of the east cost for divers. Great place to learn to dive or for advanced divers to get wet and try out gear for their next big dive.

Dutch Springs is a great place to dive locally. Conditions can sometimes deteriorate early in the morning due to training classes conducted almost every weekend. Diving on weekdays is the best, if you can get some time off!