Bonne Terre here I come!

[techintime]

Been there...pricey, but loved it. Way worth it. Take a strobe for pictures if you have one or else your pictures are going to be pretty dark. 58 degrees last September. Not sure, but I thought they said it pretty much stayed about 58 F year round.

 

[soltari675]

Yeah it seems expensive, but looks really interesting anyway. It may be worth to try once and see.

 

[SoccerJeni]

$65 a dive with a minimum booking of 3 dives... personally, i'm not quite sure it's worth it. Never been there because i've never spent so much just to go dive for a day or 2

I don't think you have to book 3 minimum. I think you could do 2 if you wanted. We just wanted to do 3.



It's totally expensive However, it's the only place I can go in the middle of winter that doesn't require a plane ride, so it' way worth it to me.

It is 58 degrees all year round. I have worked in mines (without water in them) and it is a constant temp. all year round. It actually feels good in there when it's only 15 degrees outside.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Since Bonne Terre is a flooded mine, do you need to be cave or cavern certified to dive there?
Also, 58 degrees sounds cold. Do you dive dry? If not, how much wetsuit are you wearing?

 

[tstormdiver]

Since Bonne Terre is a flooded mine, do you need to be cave or cavern certified to dive there?
Also, 58 degrees sounds cold. Do you dive dry? If not, how much wetsuit are you wearing?

No, you don't need cave or cavern certifications to dive there. Bonne Terre is a flooded mine, but it is more like a huge lake in a bigger cavern. There are overhead areas that they will take some divers through, but those are on the much later & more experienced trails.

From the descriptions I've heard (never dove there myself- please correct me if I am wrong), it is $65/ dive- 2 dives minimum to dive there. You are taken on guided dives along several "trails". Dive lights are not allowed, as the palce is lit up anyway. Any "dive packages" they have comes when you stay in their lodging facilities. I think they have packages w/ lodging for 2- 5 dives over a few days. 58 degrees is definitely towards the drysuit side, but can also be done with a 7mm semi dry, or a 7 mm wetsuit. Mostly depends on how sensitive you are to the cold.

 

[ittyninja]

I'm so excited! I just booked a dive trip to Bonne Terre in the next two weeks and I just had to come here to share my excitement!

I'll be heading to the pool this weekend to try out my new BCD, then to Bonne Terre the next weekend. Yaaaay! It's been since mid-December since I dove and I'm starting to get the shakes from withdraw! Lol

(yes I used that on purpose) I'm looking forward to the dive. I really think you'll like the experience and the amazing perfectly clear water.

 

[SoccerJeni]

No, you don't need cave or cavern certifications to dive there. Bonne Terre is a flooded mine, but it is more like a huge lake in a bigger cavern. There are overhead areas that they will take some divers through, but those are on the much later & more experienced trails.

From the descriptions I've heard (never dove there myself- please correct me if I am wrong), it is $65/ dive- 2 dives minimum to dive there. You are taken on guided dives along several "trails". Dive lights are not allowed, as the palce is lit up anyway. Any "dive packages" they have comes when you stay in their lodging facilities. I think they have packages w/ lodging for 2- 5 dives over a few days. 58 degrees is definitely towards the drysuit side, but can also be done with a 7mm semi dry, or a 7 mm wetsuit. Mostly depends on how sensitive you are to the cold.

Yep, no lights are allowed because the guides communicate with each other using their lights. I am going to be wearing a 5mil farmer john. I hope it's warm enough I was in 61 degree water in a 5 mil (not a farmer john) and seemed to be alright. So, I'm hoping it's alright.

(yes I used that on purpose) I'm looking forward to the dive. I really think you'll like the experience and the amazing perfectly clear water.

Ahhhhh, I love cuddles from my dive buddy!!! LOL!

 

[Davemohio]

65 dollars is cheap when you are VERY landlocked and it is -1 degrees outside. IMHO.

Have fun and stay warm. Looking forward to your report.

Dave.

 

[kjvander]

No, you don't need cave or cavern certifications to dive there. Bonne Terre is a flooded mine, but it is more like a huge lake in a bigger cavern. There are overhead areas that they will take some divers through, but those are on the much later & more experienced trails.

From the descriptions I've heard (never dove there myself- please correct me if I am wrong), it is $65/ dive- 2 dives minimum to dive there. You are taken on guided dives along several "trails". Dive lights are not allowed, as the palce is lit up anyway. Any "dive packages" they have comes when you stay in their lodging facilities. I think they have packages w/ lodging for 2- 5 dives over a few days. 58 degrees is definitely towards the drysuit side, but can also be done with a 7mm semi dry, or a 7 mm wetsuit. Mostly depends on how sensitive you are to the cold.

A few of us dove there the Saturday after thanksgiving. As for the lights...you can have them, just not on the first trail. The normal sequence for the first day is trails 1,2,4 and trail 1 is mostly just to check you out and let the diver get acclimated to the environment. On trail 2 you do get a couple of short overheads as there are a few sw through that they take you through. It is a good time and I'm looking foreward to going back sometime. Don't evaluate the place based upon trail 1 alone. The cooler
stuff is on the trails as you go along. They want to protect the mine as to keep people from bouncing and running into things. About my only complaint with the dives is that there are too many people for each of the first trails. But I've heard that once you go back for the next set of trails the number of divers drop off and it is a lot better of a dive. My best advice is to relax, take it all in and have some fun.

On the water temp side. It was 68 when we were there. I did it in a drysuit with just a baselayer and one set of long underwear. Once you are moving it isn't bad.

Hope this helps.

 

[ScottUgly]

Never been there myself, but a buddy of mine went. They would not let him use his own camera. They did however offer to rent him one for $60 per dive.