Casatilas Blue Hole

[caver]

Anyone heard of this ????In northern Ohio, It was a very popular park 30 to 40 years ago. It is now locked. I went by today and was wondering about it. As the legend goes, it is bottomless. I figure that was marketing. It is on what is called "Cold Creek" , which runs through the town of Casatias, Ohio. Near a fish hatchery that is ran by the ODNR.

[wingman]

Anyone heard of this ????In northern Ohio, It was a very popular park 30 to 40 years ago. It is now locked. I went by today and was wondering about it. As the legend goes, it is bottomless. I figure that was marketing. It is on what is called "Cold Creek" , which runs through the town of Casatias, Ohio. Near a fish hatchery that is ran by the ODNR.

wow, talk about childhood memories. I spent my early childhood near there and my parents used to take me there on trips to cedar point in sandusky. It sure impressed me as a child as i looked into what was susposendly a bottomless void. Haven't really thought about it since....will be interested to hear if someone has some real info. Bill

[teqdiver]

Anyone heard of this ????In northern Ohio, It was a very popular park 30 to 40 years ago. It is now locked. I went by today and was wondering about it. As the legend goes, it is bottomless. I figure that was marketing. It is on what is called "Cold Creek" , which runs through the town of Casatias, Ohio. Near a fish hatchery that is ran by the ODNR.

The name of the town is actually Castalia, Ohio. There are several springs in the area that pump a large quantity of water every hour. Blue Hole is the most noteworthy since from what I have been told, it was actually explored by Coustaeu and team way back when. Right in the center of town is Duck Pond which is a major head spring. The sink and spring can be seen right from the small parking area at the park in the town square. Another small spring is close by. The area around the Blue Hole and the fish hatchery is riddled with vents as I understand it, but I believe nothing penetrable has been found so far. A good friend of mine here in Columbus, Ohio is a freelance underwater videographer and he has been contracted by ODNR in the past to film and document the Blue Hole, hatchery area and surrounding springs. He (and myself as well as others) has not been successful in obtaining permission to dive Duck Pond in town. We have refrained from sneek diving to promote future permission to explore (also the town police department and town offices are within a one block eyeshot of the park). As far as Blue Hole - In the late 90's my friend put together a team from the central Ohio area which included Steve Ormeroid to explore and film. They found a "bottom" at around 25-30 feet as I remember. It was actually what he described to me as a gelatinous, undulating layer of sediment. They plummed the actual bottom and came out with a much deeper depth, as I rememeber, about 90 feet. I'm not sure, but I don't remember them actaully finding any diveable overhead environment, but my buddy has shot some really interesting film of an amazing site with chrystal clear water in all the springs and runs. On another note, I have dove a couple of times in a spring in NW Ohio and it may possibly hold some potential, but I won't know for sure until I can get permission to do some underwater excavating to find out. Also, some other local pals have been diving a sump cave in NW Ohio. It is an interesting project only open to about three guys for diving, but it is a very small sidemount cave with max depth of 22 feet. They have lined it very well and done a very complete survey and prepared a slide presentation of it. My pal the video man I believe is currently documenting it on film for them. It has walled out with a couple hundred feet of line layed in a small circuit. They are certain there is no more diveable passage. What is really interesting is this site was way back when a small show cave and now the current owners are building a house on top of the karst window and the dry portion of the cave will be their "basement" and the water will provide summer cooling for the home. Again this site is open so far to only a couple guys by invite only, so I wouldn't even think about this one. I will see if I can get the guys that are involved with these projects to do some posting here. I don't believe they are members here yet though. Safe diving everyone.
Ryan Parkevich
ps... Gilboa was awesome today!

[caver]

He (and myself as well as others) has not been successful in obtaining permission to dive Duck Pond in town.

When we drove through town, there must have been a million geese and ducks on that pond, it would sure make for a slippery entry if one did have permission for entry. :P