Story and Photos by Paul L. Miller
The TNI’s (Thursday Night Irregulars) are not a dive club or formalized group of any kind but just an informal group of friendly divers who enjoy local diving on Thursday evenings at Willow Springs Park near Richland PA and encourage local divers to participate. Some of us are more irregular than others. Some of the group tends to dive irregularly every week, some every other week and yet others as the schedule or mood strikes. The group has been diving Willow Springs for many years on Thursday evenings. It is somewhat uncertain of the origin of the name Thursday Night Irregulars or TNI’s for short. Some thought it was from a former park owner while others thought it originated within the group. The group evolves with departures, newbies and many individuals who have continued to be part of the group for many years.
Willow Springs was a former limestone quarry that flooded with water around 1929 – 1930 after large springs were struck creating the lake. It was opened to divers in 1960 by Nathan King who originally developed the site and was a long time operator. A memorial to Mr. King rests by the quarry’s edge. It is a well-known local PA dive site with many underwater attractions. Some are original to the site such as a large iron steam shovel that couldn’t be removed in time, railroad tracks that are now used for navigating the bottom and a wooden underwater staircase. Many are connected by lines for ease of navigation.
Divers can ‘drive’ attractions such as a school bus, fire truck, cement truck and other vehicles, small plane, caboose or tractor trailer cab although most are rather difficult to ‘start’. Perhaps too much water in the carburetors? They can dive on ‘ship wrecks’ such as the 72 foot former fishing trawler, Quest, and assorted other boats, explore a suspended air filled milk truck tanker and, if nature calls, stop by the two seater outhouse.
Many local fish such as perch, bluegill, pickerel, carp, bass, trout, catfish, eel and an occasional koi can be spotted. Average depth is approximately 40 feet so it’s great for beginners. Bottom water temperatures can range from the low 40’s in winter to upper 50’s in the summer so many use a drysuit although I prefer my wetsuit during temperate months when upper level temperatures are much warmer. Due to the fact that the former quarry is spring fed and has a high volume of exchange, it never freezes over so can be dive able year round. Visibility varies depending on season.
The TNI’s have included, over the years, a diverse assortment of divers ranging from seasoned tech divers and rebreather users to novices just looking to build their skills and experience. They come from many different walks of life and professions. This serves as a great time to keep your skills from getting rusty, hone your skills and practice compass navigation and buoyancy, tryout new gear and configurations or just get wet. The group dives year round and some of the members dive throughout the winter and have been known to meet in the snow and inclement weather. At that time of the year, be sure to keep moving after exiting the dive so as not to freeze fast to the wooden dock! The group has participated in other events at the park including a TNI initiated underwater egg hunt, underwater pumpkin carvings (usually sponsored by local dive shop Scuba Venture) and the annual Polar Bear dive on New Year’s Day (along with a swim) sponsored by the park but Thursday night diving remains the TNIs focus.
The ‘lobster shack’ next to the ‘lobster dock’ provides a refuge from the weather. The world’s largest woodstove, as it is known, creates a toasty atmosphere during cold weather to thaw out and change. Picnic tables inside and outside provide a place to relax and eat. TNI’s often bring and share refreshments after the dive which provides time for fellowship to discuss nothing other than “diving”. There is a lot to be learned from other people’s experiences in diving. Over the years, the group has helped with adding larger underwater attractions, along with swim throughs, platforms, and smaller items such as a patio table and chairs complete with dishware. Recently, a number of small statuary were rescued from a lawn and placed at strategic locations on the bottom. Due to recent unusual flooding conditions throughout the park created by tropical storm Lee, some members pitched in to help clean up, scrub and check out underwater lines and attractions for safety.
Late spring, summer and early fall are enjoyable times for a relaxing evening dive with plenty of light while the dives during the rest of the year end as, or begin with, night dives. A perfect ending to the dive evening is when the moon is shining on the water with the stars lighting the sky. If you’re looking to get wet and are a little irregular like the rest of us, come on out and join the fun. The dive park is owned and operated by Tom and Joya Morrissey. For more information on diving the park and dive arrangements, contact Willow Springs Park at 717-866-5801 or check out their website at www.willowspringspark.com.
