Trip Report Bonne Terre Mine Report 2024

[BabyLitigator]

Just finished a two day trip to Bonne Terre mine and figured I would share (first dive trip since 2004!)

It was a quiet weekend. 8 people Saturday, 3 Sunday. Pretty much all folks on the way to Thanksgiving or somewhat local.

Everyone got their gear and we briefed on the surface. We then walked all our gear down to the dock and got tanks and weights.

The first dive was about skills (they tested weight, flooded mask, and remove and replace regulator). Once cleared, each dive had two air checks (you actually showed your spg).

Dives 1 & 2 were quasi-quarry dives, no lights allowed.

After the first two dives, however, things loosened up. Overhead environments every dive, a tight squeeze on one, and a lot more things to see. Lights allowed at that point as well.

Be warned, it was cold. Website says 60, but my computer said 57. I was diving dry and was fine, but the folks in wetsuits were very cold.

First day was longish surface intervals all the way on the surface. Second day was closely packed turn and burn (3 dives by noon).

Would definitely come again for the upper trails. The trails got progressively more interesting as it went on.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Thanks for the write-up. I hope your next dive trip will occur sooner than 20 years!

Were the dive operators actual sticklers to checking logbooks prior to diving the mines?

 

[BabyLitigator]

Thanks for the write-up. I hope your next dive trip will occur sooner than 20 years!

Were the dive operators actual sticklers to checking logbooks prior to diving the mines?

Got another one planned (ice diving!) for late January so hopefully not.

The dive operator glanced at my nitrox card, but that was about it (I had all my own gear). When I asked about future dives they said that they tracked everyone in their system, so there should be a record when I came back.

Overall, I found it MUCH looser, especially after dive 2, than previous posting on SB suggested.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Got another one planned (ice diving!) for late January so hopefully not.

The dive operator glanced at my nitrox card, but that was about it (I had all my own gear). When I asked about future dives they said that they tracked everyone in their system, so there should be a record when I came back.

Overall, I found it MUCH looser, especially after dive 2, than previous posting on SB suggested.

I think I understand how the operators think. They check the log to verify which trails each diver has done and not for verifying a diver's experience or for safety reasons.

 

[tmassey]

The first dive was about skills (they tested weight, flooded mask, and remove and replace regulator). Once cleared, each dive had two air checks (you actually showed your spg).

Dives 1 & 2 were quasi-quarry dives, no lights allowed.

Was Dive 1 an actual go-somewhere dive in *addition* to the checks? For $90, I hope so…

I certainly get the desire to make sure people are at least minimally capable. I just don’t want to pay full price for it.

After the first two dives, however, things loosened up. Overhead environments every dive, a tight squeeze on one, and a lot more things to see. Lights allowed at that point as well.

I’m glad you mentioned this: I was not planning on bringing my lights at all! Now I will.

Be warned, it was cold. Website says 60, but my computer said 57. I was diving dry and was fine, but the folks in wetsuits were very cold.

I asked about this and the owner said without hesitation: dive dry. For me, 57 isn’t too bad in my 7mm two-piece, and I’d prefer the simplicity and easier gear management. But he was pretty clear he thought we should be dry. So after your confirmation I’ll stick with dry.

Would definitely come again for the upper trails. The trails got progressively more interesting as it went on.

Yeah, that’s why our group of four has scheduled 7 dives: to see if future trips to get to farther trails are worth it. Besides: we wanted to maximize the cost-to-dive ratio…

I’m more curious about how many divers they need for further paths. We’re a group of four. On our next trip, is that enough to do 8-14? What if someone doesn’t come? And how are they going to get to be able to do 8-14 the following time if the rest of the group wants to continue with 15-21? (ETA: these questions aren’t aimed at you: you probably won’t know till next time like us! Just thinking out loud.)

It’s not an issue for this trip, but I’m curious how this is going to work out…

A couple more questions, if you don’t mind: what were the depths and bottom-time involved? And how was the Nitrox? Did you bring your own analyzer? (Doug made us upgrade to Nitrox on Sunday ‘because of the compressed dive schedule’. I don’t overly mind — it’s all I dove at home — but I’m just wondering how necessary it is. It’s not that expensive in the end, but again I’m curious.)

Thank you for the review! I’m glad to hear it was enjoyable.

 

[BabyLitigator]

Was Dive 1 an actual go-somewhere dive in *addition* to the checks? For $90, I hope so…



I’m more curious about how many divers they need for further paths. We’re a group of four. On our next trip, is that enough to do 8-14? What if someone doesn’t come? And how are they going to get to be able to do 8-14 the following time if the rest of the group wants to continue with 15-21? (ETA: these questions aren’t aimed at you: you probably won’t know till next time like us! Just thinking out loud.)

It’s not an issue for this trip, but I’m curious how this is going to work out…

A couple more questions, if you don’t mind: what were the depths and bottom-time involved? And how was the Nitrox? Did you bring your own analyzer? (Doug made us upgrade to Nitrox on Sunday ‘because of the compressed dive schedule’. I don’t overly mind — it’s all I dove at home — but I’m just wondering how necessary it is. It’s not that expensive in the end, but again I’m curious.)

Thank you for the review! I’m glad to hear it was enjoyable.

Dive 1 was 37 minutes, max depth 63 feet after the checks. So it was a "real" dive, just not nearly as good as the others.

For the remaining dives:
Dive 2 (trail 2) - 46 min, 71 feet
Dive 3 (trail 4) - 55 min, 52 feet
Day 2:
Dive 4 (trail 3) 80 feet, 40 min
Dive 5 (trail 5) 55 feet, 43 minutes
Dive 6 (trail 10) 85 feet, 34 min

They have their own nitrox sniffer - no need to bring your own. There was a bit of a range (31-34%).

As to subsequent trails, they just said to call and it would depend on guide availability. The guides are volunteers. I'm also not clear as to how strict the sequence is precisely after the first six trails.

 

[tmassey]

Dive 1 was 37 minutes, max depth 63 feet after the checks. So it was a "real" dive, just not nearly as good as the others.

Understandable, and works for me.

For the remaining dives:
Dive 2 (trail 2) - 46 min, 71 feet
Dive 3 (trail 4) - 55 min, 52 feet
Day 2:
Dive 4 (trail 3) 80 feet, 40 min
Dive 5 (trail 5) 55 feet, 43 minutes
Dive 6 (trail 10) 85 feet, 34 min

Those are some decent dives! 40-50 minutes runtime is plenty, and I’m going to guess that last one might have been shorter because of depth? The Nitrox will not go to waste — in fact, it makes me want my doubles.

As to subsequent trails, they just said to call and it would depend on guide availability. The guides are volunteers. I'm also not clear as to how strict the sequence is precisely after the first six trails.

Interesting, and good to know. Given they are volunteers, they might be willing to do it for a smaller number just for the experience. And maybe be more likely to do the higher numbered ones because they get done less?

Who knows. But I don’t have to worry about that for this trip.

Again, thank you for sharing your experience! I’m now a little bit more excited!

 

[h2o_hamilton]

Dive 1 was 37 minutes, max depth 63 feet after the checks. So it was a "real" dive, just not nearly as good as the others.

For the remaining dives:
Dive 2 (trail 2) - 46 min, 71 feet
Dive 3 (trail 4) - 55 min, 52 feet
Day 2:
Dive 4 (trail 3) 80 feet, 40 min
Dive 5 (trail 5) 55 feet, 43 minutes
Dive 6 (trail 10) 85 feet, 34 min

They have their own nitrox sniffer - no need to bring your own. There was a bit of a range (31-34%).

As to subsequent trails, they just said to call and it would depend on guide availability. The guides are volunteers. I'm also not clear as to how strict the sequence is precisely after the first six trails.

Why are they volunteers? Why don’t they get paid?

 

[tmassey]

Why are they volunteers? Why don’t they get paid?

Meh. If I was a local, I really wouldn’t have a problem meeting up with some people to take them through the mine on my own schedule when I wanted.

I mean, I do the same kind of things at my local river. I’ve never charged someone to dive with me… And I’ve done plenty of dives that I didn’t really wanna do but it helped somebody else out.

Especially in this situation, where your choices would be to pay to go in there, or go in there for free if you volunteer.

Something tells me they’re not making a ton of money on this entire operation to begin with, and it’s already pretty pricey for the divers. If me volunteering means I get to do some diving for free and other people get to experience a neat environment, I’d be willing to do it.

And my guess is the volunteers take them on the higher numbered paths. My guess is they have to pay people to take them on paths one through six…