Ohio might not be the first place that comes to mind for scuba diving, but with Lake Erie and numerous former quarries turned dive sites, the state has developed a solid reputation among enthusiasts. For Rich Synowiec, it’s become his life’s work.
Rich Synowiec took his first breath underwater in 1979, when he was 10 years old. Later, when he needed a summer job in 1988, he started working as a stock boy at a diving school and quickly took the opportunity to become a certified diver.
As it turned out, that summer job would eventually become his career. He became a certified scuba instructor in 1990 and began managing dive shops almost right away. He soon purchased Divers Incorporated and in 2007, took over as scuba concession contractor for White Star Quarry in Gibsonburg, in Sandusky County.
White Star Quarry is a popular diving destination in the Midwest for its unique underwater landscape.
“I was going through college and never finding exactly what I really wanted to do,” Synowiec says. “I was an early entrepreneurial spirit and I wanted to do something that I would love to do — not necessarily something I would make a million dollars doing, but I never wanted to hate my job.”
For decades, quarries around the country provided the building blocks of the cities they served. Over the past half-century, as quarry operations gradually ceased, those leftover deep pits almost immediately filled with water. It wasn’t long before scuba divers noticed what had become ideal settings for their hobby, and soon enough, began to see their recreational potential. White Star Quarry, for example, offers a unique experience that attracts divers from throughout the Midwest.
Divers can explore sunken boats, vehicles, and various structures placed to create an engaging underwater landscape, and the quarry is home to a variety of freshwater fish species including bass, bluegill, catfish, and koi.
One of its most appealing features, however, is its water clarity. Visibility can range from 30 to 50 feet on a good day, making it an ideal spot for underwater exploration. The quarry’s maximum depth reaches about 75 feet, with plenty of shallow areas for novice divers and deeper sections for those seeking more of a challenge.
Synowiec’s on-site dive shop offers rental gear, air fills, and a range of diving accessories. Several local dive trainers conduct classes and certification courses on-site, providing a safe and controlled setting for learning the basics or advancing skills.
In his position today, Synowiec says he sees a gap in the demographic for scuba diving, typically between the ages of 20 and 40, likely because of when divers begin to have families. However, he encourages young people to bring their families out to enjoy the surrounding park’s numerous on-shore amenities.
White Star Park offers a range of recreational activities, including hiking, fishing, and picnicking. Families and guests can enjoy the scenic beauty of the park while divers explore the underwater world.
“White Star Park is a really family-oriented park that has diving as just one of its opportunities,” Synowiec says. “Diving only takes an hour, but there are so many other areas to explore.”
Whether you’re a seasoned diver or just starting, this unique diving destination in Ohio offers a memorable experience with its clear waters, intriguing underwater attractions, and aquatic life.
Synowiec is now married with two daughters, and diving has become a family affair over the years. Meanwhile, Synowiec admits his own parents still wonder when he’ll get his “real job,” but 34 years later, he still loves what he gets to do every day.
“Every single person on the planet should try scuba diving,” Synowiec says. “They get over the fear of being underwater because they are replacing fear with knowledge. They are replacing apprehension with skill. They are replacing timidity with perseverance. And when you look at that kind of a level of what people are able to do, it becomes something spectacular.”
Ohio diving
A selection of other spots around Ohio to scuba dive:
Gilboa Quarry
3763 Old State Route 224, Ottawa, 45875
- Maximum depth: 120 feet
- Average visibility: 26–30 feet
- Attractions: Underwater private jet, helicopter, tower wreck, rainbow trout, paddlefish, and an underwater wall for rappelling to depths below 100 feet.
North Point Quarry
1500 Mt. Vernon Road, Newark, 43055
- Maximum depth: 31–35 feet
- Average visibility: 5–10 feet
- Attractions: Paddlefish, catfish, albino catfish, bluegill, bass, and some fresh water clams. There are sunken boats, an ambulance, a bathtub, a toilet, various skeletons, an underwater platform, and more.
Lakeview RV Park
2715 Sugar Grove Road SE, Lancaster, 43130
- Maximum depth: 60 feet
- Visibility: 10–30 feet, depending on weather
- Attractions: A tranquil scuba diving experience in a 16-acre, reasonably deep spring-fed quarry. Many underwater attractions — twin engine airplane, Frito Lay truck, car, boat, weed bed reef, etc. — are strategically placed at various points throughout the lake.
Natural Springs
206 South Washington Street, New Paris, 45347
- Maximum depth: 40 feet
- Average visibility: 11–15 feet
- Attractions: Variety of wildlife including bass, catfish, freshwater jellyfish, and grass carp over 4 feet long; several sunken cars and boats.
Lake Erie
- Lake Erie is a vast dive site rich in history, ideal for experienced divers to explore its many shipwrecks. Many dive shops around the state offer diving excursions.
Ohio state parks
- Numerous Ohio state parks allow scuba diving in various lakes, as long as divers check in advance with the individual parks. Visibility at most, however, is limited.
