Site: Dutch Springs Recreation Area
Location: Bethlehem, PA - located off U.S. Route 22 a few miles north of Bethlehem, about a one-hour drive from Philadelphia and two hours from New York City.
Dutch Springs is privately owned and has been set up exclusively as a dive training facility.
Dive Type: 50-acre Lake, spring-fed from an underground aquifer that filters through limestone Office Phone: (610) 759-2270 Associtated Costs: Fees are $25 for divers and $17 for nondivers. Season and group passes are available. Please check out their rate page at http://www.dutchsprings.com/rates.htm
Depth: 100' + Temperature: 60°'s F - 70°'s F Visibility: 15' - 40' Things to see: 16 large wooden platforms have been suspended at a depth of 25 ft. Entries and exits
are made from four wooden docks and a wide, pebbly beach, plus a surface platform with a ladder to simulate boat diving.Underwater attractions:
Boats are all connected to the training platforms by lines to facilitate navigation, and located at a depth of 60 ft or less.
- airplane
- fire truck
- several boats
For advanced and specialty divers, there are similar attractions placed at 70 to 90 ft, as well as an area suitable for fish photography.Dutch Springs is also the location of an official Diamond Reef buoyancy skill course.
Diving Hours: Open weekends from April to December plus weekdays from Memorial Day through September. Air Fills: Yes -on site, $3-$8 Camping: Topside facilities: heated changing building with restrooms, an enclosed picnic pavilion
and an air fill station. To encourage families of divers to participate, kayaks, paddle boats
and aqua cycles can be rented, and camping is allowed on weekends. A mobile food
stand and picnic tables are provided. Dutch Springs offers no scuba sales, rentals or
instruction, but three retail dive shops are located nearby.Website: