Bonne Terre

[skybird]

Hey Skybird-

Where you at in Alabama? There is some good spring diving in the panhandle, Vortex springs is just outside of Ponce De Leon, FL and they have a nice shop and campground. Decent diving there, and plenty of other springs around that can be dived. And its only a couple hours from Montgomery

Just an alternative, I've not made it to Bonne Terre yet mostly due to the costs. I know several folks that can't wait to go back though. *Shrug*

Chris

unfortunately I am in North Alabama , close to the tennessee line. Would be a several hour drive for me....hope to make it down sometime during the winter but won't be a regular thing.

 

[tstonedvr]

I am also from NA and you are looking at a 5to 6 hour drive....I went in August a few years back and it while a tad costly is a nice trip once anyway...Don't know how they do it now but you enter via the mule room and it's a walk down which is also a walk up so don't carry a bunch of gear you don't need...as a bit of a hijack...check out www.divesports.com in Decatur they run a lot of good trips to the gulf and the Tortugas as well...

 

[TheRedHead]

unfortunately I am in North Alabama , close to the tennessee line. Would be a several hour drive for me....hope to make it down sometime during the winter but won't be a regular thing.

Skybird,

I'm right above the Tennessee so all diving requires travel and hotels. For a small amount more, I can fly out of Memphis to Florida almost as cheaply as driving there. For example, a weekend in West Palm Beach for $430 (air plus hotel). Long weekend in Cozumel (4-5 days) $550. I've been to Cozumel 5 times this year.

West Palm/Ft. Lauderdale offers excellent diving and you can always find great deals on hotel plus air plus car. Just about anyone can save $50 a week if you really want to. Even people on modest incomes can save enough each year to finance 6 diving weekends per year in places like Ft. Lauderdale and Cozumel.

Why not set your sights a little further and get more quality diving for the dollar?

 

[skybird]

I am also from NA and you are looking at a 5to 6 hour drive...

Nice to meet another N Alabama diver. I am in the AThens area....maybe we could dive together sometime.

SkyBird

 

[skybird]

Skybird,
Just about anyone can save $50 a week if you really want to. Even people on modest incomes can save enough each year to finance 6 diving weekends per year in places like Ft. Lauderdale and Cozumel.

Why not set your sights a little further and get more quality diving for the dollar?

It might surprise you that not all of us can save $50 a week all of the time. I am attempting to save for a dive weekend, but also need to have a buddy who can go at the same time. Sometimes life interferes with saving for a dive trip.

 

[aaarnt57]

dove the mine 2 weeks ago, as a last minute alternate to the "blue hole" that was closed . dove 5 times loved them all especially the last one, air temp in the cavern is 61 and the water was 58 vis 100+ and ya its not "free" allthough I found it well worth it thay have a large professional staff, one of witch saved the dork that wouldn't check his own air and ran out at 40 feet, panicked dumped his wates and corked to the surface where he was promptly saved. am going back the middle of january and march

 

[mavone]

Great weekend getaway! Did it this weekend.Good dive guides concerned about safety. They keep track of group no matter of skill level. You will never see anything like this, hugh columns, tunnels to who knows where, ore carts, drills, rock formations, tools everywhere and they let you play with them! Going back again, want to make it thru all 24 trails.

 

[hopeitsapar]

Hi, an Alabama diver visiting your site. Just found Bonne Terre Mine on the web and it looks like a great place, though a little expensive. Is it as great at it looks? I am a new diver who hasn't been anywhere so far except my local quarry.

SkyBird from Alabama

If you are a new diver and have only been to local quarries, get a little more experience before you go, I did the same thing you are considering, and I found it a bit eerie at times as you go from being above bottom to having nothing but walls around you. It is a great dive, but would not do it without a little more experience only due to comfort/discomfort that some areas can create.

 

[diveright]

I did my ow certs there in 05 and it was awesome!! I was planning on going back this year till I got hurt at work over the winter. When I go back it will definitely be dry though. There are some really cool things to see even on trails 1-4. Hope you make it down there.

 

[hopeitsapar]

Hi, an Alabama diver visiting your site. Just found Bonne Terre Mine on the web and it looks like a great place, though a little expensive. Is it as great at it looks? I am a new diver who hasn't been anywhere so far except my local quarry.

SkyBird from Alabama

Not a good place to dive if you are a new diver. Learned this from personal experience. It is nice to do once. Even on the "easy trails" you will be in pretty confined spaces which can be a bit uncomfortable. Nice dive to do once or maybe twice, but not as a novice.