Willow Springs Park

Diving Pennsylvania Dutch Country

By Linda Lee Walden

Welcome to Richland, a rural southeast Pennsylvania community whose local swimmin' hole is well on its way to becoming a major regional scuba diving destination. The town is aptly named. Located only two and one-half hours from Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and Wilmington, Richland is surrounded by gently rolling farmlands and grassy pastures dotted with herds of black-and-white dairy cattle , indeed a "rich land." Visitors come for the scenery, the Amish heritage , and the diving.

Nestled among thick stands of willow, maple and sycamore, the 47-acre park bears little outward resemblance to the 19th-century limestone quarry that underlies the sparkling water. Abandoned in 1929 as a result of the Great Depression, the spring-fed quarry soon flooded, creating a 26-acre lake that became a favorite swimming spot for residents of nearby towns.

In the 1940s an area group called The Lobster Club built a swim raft and a concrete dock that is still in use today. Willow Springs saw its first divers as early as 1963, when the property was leased by a local couple, Nathan and Leesa King, for development as a commercial swimming and scuba diving park.

To attract divers, the Kings placed a number of underwater attractions in various parts of the lake, including several boats, a train caboose, a fire truck and a school bus. Scuba training platforms were installed at a depth of 25 feet/8 m so instructors could position their classes above the silty bottom for skill evaluations.

Topside improvements included a snack bar, several camping areas, picnic tables and a large pavilion. A concrete block building incorporated restrooms and changing areas, outdoor hot showers and a meeting room. The owners even created a grassy beach along a portion of the shoreline for use by swimmers and sunbathers.

In the 1970s a group of researchers from Penn State University sank and reportedly spent a week in an underwater habitat created from an inverted milk tanker. Today, divers can surface inside the air pocket and shine their lights onto posters and bumper stickers stuck to the sloping ceiling by previous visitors.

The most outstanding underwater feature in the quarry is the Quest, a 72-foot/22-m vessel with a colorful past. Beginning life as a racer, she served as a submarine chaser during World War II and afterward as a fishing trawler before sinking at anchor in a New Jersey harbor. She was later salvaged and reincarnated in Philadelphia as a land-based "ghost ship" attraction during the 1976 Bicentennial. After the celebration, a group of divers from the Richland area had the Quest cut up and trucked to Willow Springs, where she was reassembled and sunk as a training aid for wreck divers. Her sinking was a media event, attracting national television, newspaper and magazine coverage.

When the Kings retired in 1987, Willow Springs was bought by a consortium of businessmen, who sold the property in 1998 to John and Valerie Stokes. Born and raised in the Richland area, the Stokes had swum in the lake as children. John, a general contractor for 30 years, had actually built many of the structures at the park. They immediately set out to update and refurbish the aging facilities, fulfilling John's lifelong dream.

In the two seasons the Stokes have operated Willow Springs Park, much has been accomplished. The four entry areas have been upgraded and several more underwater features added, including a 32-foot/10-m cabin cruiser. A small plane was lowered onto a platform in shallow water so that public service rescue-and-recovery trainees can actually practice raising it.

Several underwater features are connected by nylon line, creating a navigation trail beginning at the "Lobster dock" entry area. Just off the "Concrete dock" in 25 feet of water lie four 16-foot square/5-m by 5-m training platforms, also connected by line to each other, as well as other underwater features. Marked surface buoys indicate the location of most of the sites, including a buoyancy practice course.

The Stokes' commitment to creating a first-class inland dive destination is remarkable, considering neither is a scuba diver. They rely on a cadre of dedicated local scuba enthusiasts to prepare and place underwater attractions, while handling above-water construction and administration themselves. A new pavilion graces the upgraded picnic area. The camping, which is open only to divers and their families, has been expanded to four large sections. The warming hut located adjacent to the Lobster dock has recently been outfitted with a wood-burning stove that the staff lights on cold days for the divers' comfort.

Willow Springs Park's outstanding diving and support facilities attract divers from several surrounding states and Canada. The entrance sign proudly proclaims that over 600,000 divers have enjoyed the lake's waters, both for training and recreational dives. On a summer weekend it is not unusual to see 300 divers per day from every corner of Pennsylvania, plus Maryland, Dela ware, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Ohio. With four entry areas, crowding is not a problem.

A significant number of divers camp for the weekend or longer. Topside amenities include volleyball, horseshoes, disk golf, swimming, fishing (in restricted areas) and a snack bar/grill (summer only).

Stokes estimates that about 75 percent of Willow Springs' divers are completing some level of training. In addition to groups from regional dive centers, many are students from Penn State, the University of Maryland and Gallaudet School for the Deaf. Because of its relatively shallow depth , averaging 40 feet/12 m with a maximum just over 50 feet/15 m , Willow Springs is considered one of the safer quarry sites. With the exception of deep diving, the facility conveniently accommodates teaching of most advanced and specialty courses.

In addition to the more than two dozen manmade underwater attractions, Willow Springs Lake is home to a wide variety of freshwater life. Divers have a good chance of spotting carp, yellow perch, bluegill and crayfish. Bass and a few koi (large ornamental goldfish) have also been sighted. Eels up to 6 feet/2 m long provide a special thrill, as do the nonstinging jellyfish that emerge at night. Small sponges adorn navigation lines and attractions, and the sunny north side of the lake supports thriving grass beds in the summer months.

With five springs pumping 44,000 gallons/167,000 liters of water per minute into the lake, the water remains clean; nonetheless, it is tested weekly for contaminants. Visibility ranges from over 30 feet/9 m to a low of 5 feet/2 m during the late-summer algae bloom. Surface water temperature can reach the 70s F/20s C by September, but count on the 50s F/teens C at diving depth year 'round.

In addition to training and just-for-fun dives, Willow Springs hosts a number of special events. There are pumpkin carving contests, Easter egg hunts, treasure hunts, and a fashion show sponsored by area dive centers and clubs. The annual New Year's Day polar bear swim attracts upwards of 100 scuba divers. Twice a year the Northeast Working Equipment Group, comprised of members of the Historical Diving Society, holds a three-day rally at the quarry. Attendees have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with and dive various vintage and modern commercial diving gear.

In the unlikely event of an emergency, the local emergency medical services team can respond within five to 10 minutes. Lebanon Valley General Hospital is only 8 miles/13 km away, and oxygen is available on premises.

Up until this spring, Scuba Venture dive center, headquartered 14 miles/23 km away in Sinking Spring, maintained a full-service satellite store across the road from the Willow Springs entrance. This season, however, the Stokes have enlarged their front office building, allowing the dive store to relocate on site. The new facility offers air fills, gear rental and sales, and instruction.

Although it's not easy to spot on a map, Richland is centrally located just a few miles from a number of popular tourist destinations: 18 miles/29 km north of Lancaster, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country; 14 miles east of Hershey, famous for its chocolate factory and theme park; and 36 miles/58 km east of Harrisburg, with its historic homes. It's the perfect Pennsylvania Dutch country vacation , take in the sights, sample the homemade treats, and throw in a few dives for good measure.

Willow Springs at a Glance

Description: 26-acre spring-fed lake containing more than two dozen underwater attractions and complete topside facilities for students as well as recreational divers.

Getting There: From Philadelphia, take the Pennsylvania Turnpike to exit #22, Interstate 176 north toward Reading and Routes 724 and 422 west to Richland. From Allentown or Harrisburg, take Interstate 81/78 to Bethel and south on Route 501 to Route 422, then east toward Richland.

From mid-May through Labor Day, the park is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until 9 p.m. on Fridays. Fall and spring, it's open weekends, and in winter by appointment only. The charge for divers is $17 per day, and $120 for a season pass.

For more information, contact Willow Springs Park, 199 Millardsville Road, P.O. Box 629, Richland, PA 17087-0629; phone: (717) 866-5801; Web site: www.willowspringspark.com.