The Midwest isn’t exactly a hot scuba diving destination, so one scuba-loving Kansas homeowner crafted his own. The 18-acre property sits on a network of water-filled tunnels designed specifically for scuba diving, and it just hit the market for $11.8 million, making it the most expensive listing in the state.
Crown Realty
As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the tunnels were carved into the property to allow the owner to dive in an outdoor pond. Accessed through a series of grottoes and pop-up holes, the tunnels lead to the pond, which the owners transformed into their own diving paradise with exotic fish, statues and fake fossils.
Father-daughter team Gary Hosack and Katie Casey of Crown Realty are the listing agents in charge of selling the property, located just outside of Kansas City, Kansas.
Crown Realty
Built in 1992, the home is known as the “Spirit of Avalon” and is inspired by the English legends of King Arthur. It is, indeed, rather castle-like; it’s built of stone, with stained glass windows and wooden doors decorated with custom dragon carvings.
Crown Realty
Owner Lyn Shaw and her husband, who passed away unexpectedly two years ago, spent many of their years together adding to the house. They built the tunnels on a whim, as part of a dream of being able to scuba dive in their pond, where they constructed multiple waterfalls, the tallest measuring 35 feet. A two-story library was added to the house in 2002.
The property has six bedrooms, several professional kitchens, a two-story office and a library. In addition to the pond, there’s a swimming pool, a sauna, a heated garage and an outdoor wet bar. According to the Journal, Shaw is selling the house to downsize after her husband’s death.
Crown Realty