What do a delivery truck, a stone crusher, multiple sunken boats and a motorcycle have in common? They can all be found and explored by recreational scuba divers at the bottom of White Star Quarry, located at White Star Park in Gibsonburg, Ohio. Before we “dive” into the experience (pun intended), let us first start with the location.
White Star was once the location of a local dolomite aggregate mining operation and the Pennsylvania Railroad hauled the aggregate to its final destinations. Quarry operations were terminated around 1975-1976 as the quarry began filling up with water. Ultimately, this makes White Star Quarry a 15-acre unintentionally man-made lake with an average depth of 40 feet with the center of the quarry approaching 50 feet. There are two “holes,” one near the wall close to the main diving entrance and the other at the bottom of a stone crusher that are 60 and 80 feet respectively.
White Star Park is owned by the Sandusky County Park District (lovemyparks.com), but all scuba diving at White Star Quarry is operated by Divers Incorporated (whitestarquarry.com). The quarry is spring fed and offers an incredible diving experience with visibility that averages 30-40 feet. In addition to scuba diving, White Star Park spans across 800 acres and has a public swimming beach, public fishing, hiking, mountain bike trails, camping and plenty of places to enjoy nature.
With so many things to see and do, White Star is a great location for divers to bring non-diving family members (even your dog) so they can enjoy one of the many other activities then come together around the picnic table to share stories of their experiences as a family.
White Star Quarry is known to be one of the best inland diving spots that Northern Ohio has to offer. It has been a popular destination for scuba divers for decades due in part to the sapphire blue water and the many underwater artifacts that divers can explore make diving the quarry an adventure.
The park is open for scuba diving April 1 – December 31, 8 am until dark. The scuba concession is open on scheduled days and weekends from May 1 – October 31. The diving concession at White Star Quarry is to be operated under the current contract with Divers Incorporated through December of 2021.
The rate for diving is $20 per day per diver, and the concession offers Air fills and Enriched Air Nitrox fills during regular hours. According to the Divers Incorporated website, there are plans for a few new dive sites, underwater trails, a buoyancy course, and more training platforms for divers to practice their skills.
In addition to White Star Park, the Sandusky County area has so many other adventures and attractions just waiting for you to discover. Find out more or plan your visit today at sanduskycounty.org.
Scuba Diving White Star Quarry
