Cavern Course at Bonne Terre Mine

[txapacheguy]

I am looking to take the Cavern Course at Bonne Terre Mine in November with West End Diving.

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I will be driving from Colorado Springs, CO the day prior, and returning on the day after the course.

Since I have never been diving in the Bonne Terre Mine, and have never visited this area, I would like to get some feedback about the shop that puts on the course there, and the mine itself as it pertains to a setting for the cavern course. I would also like to chat with the instructor(s) that give the course there if possible and anyone that has been cavern trained at the mine.

Thanks in advance!!!

Will

 

[Madcows]

Although I haven't done the cavern course there, I did my AOW in the spring of this year. I found the staff there quite helpful and willing to work with me. The AOW was quite intense as it is a three day course with eight or nine dives. The water there is 59 degrees. For me, the 7mm wetsuit was adequate but by no means warm. If I had a dry suit I definately would choose to wear that. I did find it difficult to warm up between dives, and of course the wetsuit never dried out. The air in the mine is quite humid, which I would expect.

It is a bit of a hike to the diving platform, especially with all your gear. They do allow you to leave the gear in the mine, so you do not need to drag it up and down the stairs. The water is absolutely clear. I am accustomed to diving in a quarry with anywhere between 5'-35', but this water must be 100'+ vis. Stunning

I plan to take cavern at some time at Bonne Terre. I believe they have the skills and facility to do a good job with this certification.

 

[gkb123]

I did the cavern course in Jan this year. Great course with experienced instructor. They task loaded us and challenged us as well. Use 7 mil or dry suit. Bring a real and a light. Good facility.

 

[txapacheguy]

Thanks for the feedback!!!

I am actually going to do my cavern and intro courses at a different location from a different operation at one of the caves in Missouri. I had a lot of people on other boards suggest that the mine is a less than perfect setting to conduct a cavern course. An opportunity presented itself to do both courses at the same time, so that is the current plan.

 

[CamG]

Greetings txapacheguy I agree that the mine environment is pretty cool and interesting but certainly not a natural cave setting.
I would love to dive in the mine but for me it is as reasonable to drive to north FL.
I would challenge you to save up and roll to FL for some cavern action, you will not be disappointed.

I look forward to hitting Missouri in the coming years.
My issue it is just to easy due to my location not to dive FL.
Hope to run into you sometime we can swap stories!
Dive safe, train well.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[techintime]

Where When Are you doing the course in MO? I'm looking to take the cavern and intro to cave courses but work and family demands make a trip to FL cave country difficult. I do get up to the Kansas City area almost monthly for business and might be able to tack on a couple of weekends.

 

[bl6394]

Where When Are you doing the course in MO? I'm looking to take the cavern and intro to cave courses but work and family demands make a trip to FL cave country difficult. I do get up to the Kansas City area almost monthly for business and might be able to tack on a couple of weekends.

txapacheguy and I will be doing the course with Ed Pavey of Ozark Dive Company (Ozark Dive Company) Dec. 12 - Dec 14 (or 15th if we need the practice). Plan is to start at Roubidoux for the Cavern zone - and possibly swing down to CannonBall - at Ed's discretion. Ed's a great instructor - and we're looking forward to the class. Not sure what the instructor :: student ratio will be for a combined cavern / Intro to Cave class - but if the logistics work out - we'd love to have you join us.

Bjorn

 

[techintime]

Can you give us a trip report? How did it go?

 

[bl6394]

Can you give us a trip report? How did it go?

We got lucky with the weather. We'd had some rain - but Cannonball wasn't blown out - though the conditions weren't great. Lake Wappapello was black water (6 inch vis. 47 degrees ) But once you found the spring opening - visibility opens up to about 20-25 ft with temps around 56 degrees. The spring was pumping - so had to claw our way in past the first restriction by kicking off the ceiling while clawing through the gravel...

Once inside the spring - the flow was manageable. Skills went well. Trim / buoyancy was good. Need to work on SAC and cave awareness. Lost line was easier than it should have been - since the flow blew me back into the line before I had to work that hard at finding it. Like to practice that a lot more.

Enjoyed the class and looking for an opportunity to take full cave in the near future. TxApacheGuy was a great dive buddy - look forward to diving with him again when schedules permit.

Bjorn

 

[Travis B]

i live a little north of you guys(Saskatchewan Canada), i am interested to know what cave systems are available in missouri, i have done bonne terre and it was neat but not a true cavern. i am making the trip to north florida in a few weeks and cant wait but i would like to know where i can get in some off season practice in the northern states.