Rummu quarry lake with its clear water and diverse lake bed has been attracting scuba divers for a long time. The former quarry houses a peculiar underwater museum, which offers a spectacular experience for scuba diving enthusiasts.
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Rum quarry former village buildings
The former Rummu quarry contains various buildings and garages that once belonged to the prison and the mine site, as well as various equipment used in the quarry.
The Estonian Rum Mine Mine was established around 1930 at the same time as Murru Prison and employed Estonian prisoners. The prison was infamous in Soviet times for its brutal treatment of prisoners. There have been "accidental" deaths here every year, but Rumum's name was more widely heard when the prisoners went on hunger strike because they saw no other way to end the inhuman treatment.
How to go to Rummu's career in Estonia
Using a car, the road from Riga to Rumma takes about four hours. You can also leave using a bus organized by the diving club "Diving".
Road to Rumma from Riga, on the way we meet cities - Saulkrasti, Ainaži, Pärnu, Marjama and Rumma.
A modern history of rum quarrying, which is of interest to divers
Nowadays, you can get acquainted with the evidence of the past using scuba divers' equipment and see both above-water and underwater objects. With the restoration of Estonian independence and the advent of new times, work in the marble quarries was stopped, the pumps switched off and the quarry quickly flooded, leaving underwater not only houses where you can swim now, but also barbed wire fences with light poles, quarrying equipment and a whole submarine forest, which is also the reason why this place is especially interesting for divers. In 2012, the prison itself was closed and the quarry was included in the list of mandatory adventures for travelers and scuba divers.
Diving and conditions in Rummu quarry
Scuba divers change clothes right on the edge of the quarry or in a car - it is worth adding that the Rummu quarry area has facilities only in the shallowest part, you have to dress carefully, because here you can easily come across pieces of barbed wire from the quarry prison. Although the water looks cleaner, various unusual scenes from ancient times appear. We meet other Latvian scuba divers who are in Rummu from Friday and are now going home. Right here, at the fence, we have a first walk in to see the remains of houses underwater.
How to apply for a diving in the Rum career
Scuba diving in Rummu's quarry with a Latvian instructor is possible in the summer season, follow the scuba diving club diving, notifications on Facebook. Photo gallery of our trips to Rum:
Pilot diving in Lake Rummu
We are responsible for health. We are often called and people ask for a trial dive in Rum's career. We always support all those who are interested in diving and with great responsibility for your health, we announce that you can look at Rummu's quarry as certified and trained divers. We recommend completing first level courses Open water diver (Open Water Diver), learn the basic steps of diving, manage your buoyancy to enjoy this unique underwater trip.
Risks. The truth is that the shallowest underwater part of the former prison, where beginners are placed, has wires, barbed wire, sharp and rusty pieces of metal that inexperienced divers with poor buoyancy skills can encounter. There is a high risk of damage to health, tearing of diving suits, injuring your hands, performing trial diving for the first time in Rummu's career, without knowledge gained from good diving courses.
We learn to dive before we visit Rumma. With the basic knowledge gained during the diving course, you will be able to safely swim through sunken buildings, swim obstacles, barbed wire fences at a safe height and get the best impressions of Rumma.
What can be seen in the underwater part of the Rum Quarry
The shallowest part of Rummu underwater - Underwater barracks, two-storey buildings, underwater fence with lamps, metal stairs, underwater forest.
In the deepest underwater part of Rummu - Submersible pumping stations, container houses, underwater forest.
How to apply for a diving in Rummu's career?
- Apply for scuba diving at Rummu Underwater Prison, with scuba diving club, here
- More information about Rum's career can be found in the article Diving in the abandoned Rummu submarine prison in Estonia.
