Blue Springs:

Indiana's Rising Star

By Linda Lee Walden Photos by Lynn Laymon

The Midwest is liberally pockmarked with former limestone quarries excavated during the construction of the interstate highway system between the 1950s and 1970s. Abandoned as nearby roadwork was completed, they soon filled with groundwater, creating numerous ponds and lakes within a mile or two of every major thruway.

Many are mere puddles, but a few are deep enough and sufficiently accessible to be suitable for scuba diving. Accessed over the years with or without the owners' permission, they are, for the most part, minimally developed and relatively unknown except to local divers.

Until recently, Blue Springs was one of these. Then three years ago new owners revitalized the diving
operation, jump-starting its reputation as an up-and-coming regional destination for scuba training and recreational diving. As the word spread, as many as 500 divers per week began visiting Blue Springs from Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and Michigan.

Blue Springs is just west of Interstate 74 in the tiny southeastern Indiana town of Waldron (exits 119 or 123). Owned by Seastrom Corporation, it was mined until the '60s, when it was shut down, remaining closed for 15 years. The Seastrom family then developed it as a recreation site. They allowed fishing and swimming as well as scuba diving, and area police and fire departments used the quarry lake for water rescue and recovery training.

Due to lack of supervision, Blue Springs became a hangout and party site, and inadequate maintenance led to the deterioration of the facilities. Tiring of the extra work involved for little return, the Seastrom heirs finally sold the property. In 1997 two local businessmen bought the former quarry at auction, intending to make it a private retreat for fishing and horseback riding.

The new owners, Jack Kesler and Rick Sandefur, thinking they had purchased 100 acres of undeveloped land with a 12-acre lake, were surprised to learn that Blue Springs had actually been partially developed as a recreational site. An even greater surprise was that it came with a live-in "caretaker." Since they weren't in the market for another business venture, and neither was a diver, the pair at first let things continue as before.

Sandefur, however, began to talk with the scuba divers that still used the facility. According to Cincinnati, Ohio, scuba instructor Lori Allen, "He listened to what we told him would make this a first-rate diving destination."

By 1991, Sandefur decided that he'd take on the project of resurrecting and improving Blue Springs for use by divers. He fired the caretaker and set about cleaning up the place. Underwater training platforms were refurbished; six porta-potties, two double changing rooms and two shelters were added. Eight wooden docks spread around the shore of the lake were repaired and refloated.

Sandefur turned Blue Springs into a scuba-diving-only recreation site and enlisted the aid of dive centers and clubs to place underwater attractions. Says Sandefur, "I've had the best time of my life this past year or so. I love the divers; they are like family."

And the divers seem to appreciate the effort. "So far he has followed through with everything that he said he'd do and continues to listen to our suggestions," Allen said. She and fellow instructor Ken Metz not only bring classes to Blue Springs, but also drive the 80-mile (128-km) trip from Cincinnati for occasional pleasure dives.

Scuba instructor Stephen Oborn, who teaches with a dive center in northern Kentucky, brings students to Blue Springs because of the convenience and the facilities. "It's so easy," he says, "because we can park right near the water." The two metal-roofed pole shelters, which Sandefur calls "cabanas," are large enough to accommodate two classes each, and have even been divided down the middle with a plywood barrier to provide privacy and sound reduction. In the winter months plastic siding sheets are attached to provide protection from the cold and wind.

Of the eight entry docks, two are configured with center wells for deep-water entries. Wide concrete steps on the near side of the lake provide easy walk-in entry for a whole class. At other points along the shore, a shallow rock ledge allows convenient entry and exit without stirring up the bottom silt.

The underwater features are also appealing to divers. Catherine Barrie of Indianapolis, only 40 miles (64 km) northwest on Interstate 74, points out the golf carts and numerous small statues. Alligators, dogs, even the Virgin Mary,  about 30 of these concrete garden ornaments in all , are scattered about the bottom. Several boats of various sizes, plus a Chevy Suburban, a van and a hatchback lie at depths ranging from 30 to 50 feet (9 to 15 m).

Perhaps the most unusual underwater feature at Blue Springs is a coffin. That and a nearby dentist's chair rest in only 20 feet (6 m) of water for the dubious pleasure of open-water students. For more advanced divers, two 6-foot (2-m) diameter Fiberglas tubes placed at right angles form a safe swim-through and buoyancy training tool. Last summer divers helped position an armored car in the middle of the lake. Instructors have begun to use its broad, flat top as a platform for skills evaluations.

Not all the lake's attractions are man-made. Bass, Kentucky perch and bluegill lead the list of common fishes. Turtles up to 18 inches (46 cm) long are routinely spotted and grasses cover the substrate.

Sandefur also holds events such as underwater pumpkin carving contests and treasure hunts for clubs and dive centers.

Blue Springs is like other Midwestern quarries in visibility and temperature. Visibility varies by time of year and weather. After a rain it can diminish to a few feet; in the winter it may be as good as 40 feet (12 m). Summer water temperatures can increase to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) at the surface, but even then the thermocline is encountered between 20 and 30 feet (6 and 9 m), with the water in the 50s F (teens C) at depth. In winter and spring it hovers in the 40s F (near 10 C).

Although the lake is fed by countless small springs, Sandefur has recently installed a valve at the largest spring, which feeds water into the lake at a rate of 500 gallons (1,900 liters) a minute. This should help stabilize the water level at a depth between 55 and 60 feet (17 and 18 m).

Many improvements have been made at Blue Springs, but Sandefur has plans for a lot more. This year he expects to add four more cabanas and two changing rooms. Primitive campsites are now available, but 40 electric sites are planned.

Three large steel-frame platforms have been installed two feet off the bottom for training. Three more are in the works. This spring an old limousine became the newest underwater attraction.

Beyond the hardwood forest that surrounds Blue Springs, the interstate cuts a concrete swath through Indiana farmlands. The rural setting lends beauty and serenity to the dive site, but increases the time it takes for emergency services to arrive. Emergency service response time can be up to 30 minutes. Air ambulance is available to the nearest recompression chamber, in Indianapolis. Oxygen is not yet available on-site.

As you drive past the large welcome sign and through the Blue Springs gate, the first facility you see is a large metal building, decorated festively with two huge, colorful fish figures. The air fill station is inside. Divers check in at the office, pay the daily fee and head straight for the water, parking only a few feet from a variety of entry points. Blue Springs is open 24 hours a day all year, but it is important to call first in the off-season (November through March) or when planning a night dive to ensure that the gate is unlocked.

Entry fees are $10 for divers, with discounts for dive professionals with students. For more information, check the Web Site www.bluespringsscubadiving. com or e-mail bluespringsscuba@lightbound.com. During the high season, April to October, Blue Springs maintains an on-site phone number, (765) 525-6214. At other times, call Rick Sandefur at (317) 398-2277.