Back in 1987, no self-respecting diver would have dipped so much as a fin tip into the old clay quarry just a few blocks from downtown Athens, Texas. The water-filled pit and surrounding woodlands were just a convenient dumping ground for unwanted items, including a graveyard of 1,000 discarded refrigerators. Calvin and Shannon Wilcher looked beyond the mountains of trash and debris, and saw instead a seven-and-a-half-acre lake bubbling with divers. Two years of hauling, landscaping and building later, the Texas couple opened Athens Scuba Park. With a location convenient to Dallas/Fort Worth, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, the park has gained popularity with divers for its excellent water clarity. The underlying clay, which had been mined for bricks, has a high pH level that keeps algae from growing, and the spring-fed waters boast an average visibility of 35 feet that can peak at 70 feet. Along the shore, 10 entry-exit docks launch divers toward 33 attractions that run the quarry- gamut from the first Greyhound bus that country singer Ray Price toured in, to the Take Two, a triple-deck houseboat once used as a party barge by Clint Eastwood and the film crew of The Dirty Dozen. Airplanes, motorcycles, boats and VWs round out the menu of playful quarry attractions, offering divers hours of enjoyment and underwater photographers a wide variety of unusual backdrops. Trains that occasionally rumble down the nearby railroad tracks send eerie sounds and vibrations reverberating through the lake, adding an air of otherworldliness for divers, especially at night.

The lake varies in depth from 24 to 35 feet and the park facilities are designed for maximum safety and enjoyment for divers. There are no boats, jet skis, fishermen or, for that matter, anything that can entangle or cut you. Several carpeted underwater platforms provide a safe area for underwater training. Look around while you're here. From the beach volleyball court to the full-service dive shop, you'll be amazed at what's been done to the place. Athens Scuba Park is located 275 miles southwest of Ft.Smith. Take Hwy. 271 South from Ft.Smith to Paris Texas and then take Hiway 19 South to Athens. Take a left at th first light in downtown Athens (Hiway 31 East) and another left (north) at the second light onto Murchison. The park is about three blocks down on the right. The park has a full-service dive shop, 35 acres of free campgrounds, 30 RV hookups, bathrooms and hot water showers. A basketball court, regulation sand volleyball court and horseshoe pits offer visitors a break from diving. Wednesday to Friday, the park is open from noon to 6 p.m.; on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to dark; and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. During winter, the park is open from noon on Friday to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Cost is $20 per day for diving, which includes free camping for divers. Night diving is $5 and air is $5 per fill. Night diving is allowed on weekends from dark until 11 p.m. Campgrounds are open 24 hours on weekends. Water in the summer can reach 90F, dropping into the low 50Fs in winter. Climate extremes in East Texas range from sweltering summer highs of 100F to below freezing in the winter, so call for equipment requirements and weather conditions.