Dutch Springs - The End of an Era

Don't know how I missed this, but back in August, Stu retired and sold Dutch Springs to a developer who plans to put two warehouses on the property:

click to enlarge

As you can see, one warehouse fills the small wooded area (lower-left) that was basically unused, while the other obliterates the entire area between the quarry and the road. This leaves no room for parking or facilities. The property is approximately 95 acres, but more than half of that is water.

Sad, but Stu built the place and ran it for 40 years, and he has a right to retire. As we all know, anything having to do with diving brings insurance into the mix, and thus far no other solution has been found.

The quarry will be fenced-off, and Dutch Springs will enter the history books.

Zoom-out the map above - the entire area has become blighted with warehouses.

What I don't understand is why the cement plant doesn't get re-developed. My guess is that site is so contaminated that no one can touch it.

I think thousands of divers owe Stu and Jane a big Thank you! for all they've done for the diving community. Nothing lasts forever.

For those who want one last dive at Dutch, you might be able to get one in on December 31 for New Year's Eve.


Type:
shipwreck, schooner
Depth:
115 ft

The Happy Days appears to be the remains of a wooden schooner. The Happy Days sits in 115 feet of water just east of the G&D wreck. According to Jimmy Fazzolare this wreck consists of scattered wreckage with one mast stump sticking up. Jim reports that the wrecks bell was recovered by one of the Aquarians Club divers. Unfortunately, the bell did not have the wreck's name on it. Visibility here is often hampered by sediment from a silty bottom. Jim reports that this wreck is one of the best lobster wrecks in the area.

Printed from njscuba.net