Haigh Quarry

To drive to Haigh Quarry for Sea Lions dive Center take either I355 or I294 south to route I80. From I355 go east or west from I294 to I57 south. Take I57 to exit 315 State Rout 50. Turn right and go to North Street. Left on North Street about a mile. You will go through a corn field come to a group of farm houses. The sign in on the right. If you pass the houses and enter a second corn field you went too far.

The entrance road is paved asphalt and you will see a number of plastic flamingos.

If you are dong your open water certification dive you will do you skills such as removing you mask on platforms specially made to keep you off the bottom. There are a number of these platforms with buoys to mark their location.

There is a beach area with an easy walk in entrance. You will likely do at least your first dive from the beach to check your weights and gear. On the map above the beach area is marks with the hatched lines.

To the north (left on the map) the quarry is about 20 feet deep. There are a number of remnants of the days when the quarry was active including a rock crusher (see picture) and drills. You will also see bowling balls. Try picking them up and give them a toss. With the additional buoyancy they are like beach balls.

In the north east corner there are fish cribs and a large number of bass, blue gill, crappie and perch. Swim slowly and you will see northerns and if you are lucky a paddle fish.

There are many fish at Haigh Quarry. Visit our Fresh Water Fish ID Site for a complete list. All the fish on the site except the invasive round gobbie can be found at Haigh.

The south side of the quarry averages about 50 feet deep. One dive you may try is to enter the water from either floating platform and follow the wall south. If you follow the wall out at near or at the bottom and keep track of your time you can turn around when you have half a tank of air left. If you return at a shallower depth, say 25 feet, you will have plenty of air to return to your entery point because you are using less air at the shallower depth. If you noted you time at the turn around you should make the return trip in close to the same time.

Another dive plan is to take a compass reading to on of the boats either the Flamingo or the Larc. When you enter the water follow the down line on the corner of the platform to the bottom and swim to the boat. Each of the items in the quarry have compass heading to the other underwater features. Explore and have fun.

If you get lost just head west to the return to the beach or the walls by the platforms or head north to find shallower water.

You can also practice your buoyancy on the buoyancy course.

Make sure you see the new simulated archaeological site and anchor alley.