stingray1
Contributor
Just curious....does anyone know of any other caves or mines to dive around MO?
Caves/Mines
- Thread starter stingray1
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Check out the Bonne Terre mine just south of St. Louis/Springfield. I have been past the turn off a couple of times but have never had the time to dive.
Some of the best cave diving in the world is in Missery- if you like cold, dark, low vis caves.
There is Mine Lamotte- which is an old mine- I've never been there. You might find mention of it recently in the Accidents and Incidents forum. :11:
Roubidoux Springs in Waynesville has a decent sized cavern zone, although it's hard to enter at times because of the flow through the entrance which is approaching a restriction. I think the best vis I've seen in there was approaching 20'-25'. Beyond the cavern zone, the cave gets dark and deep quickly, so it's certainly not a place to be fooling around.
I've never been to Cannonball, but I hear this is a nice cave with a long walk up and down a hill and has an entrance that is hard to find and considered a restriction.
Bonne Terre Mine is more like a guided tour through a mining museum that happens to be in an underground lake. For most of the tours, you can surface directly into the air above, which happens to be underground. It's lit from above and, the last time I was there, the management didn't allow powerful lights. I think this was to prevent people from wandering off on their own. The water is quite clear- I'd like to say that you could toss a quarter, in a hyperbolic arc, off the dock and see if it lands heads or tails- 100' below. The water temp is about 55' degrees year round which makes it downright cozy in a 7mm in the middle of winter.
It's rumored that Bonne Terre connects to other mines in other towns, so in theory, you could swim from one town to the other, although I've heard this entails passing through tight restrictions at 300' (read: take all your gear off!)
There is Mine Lamotte- which is an old mine- I've never been there. You might find mention of it recently in the Accidents and Incidents forum. :11:
Roubidoux Springs in Waynesville has a decent sized cavern zone, although it's hard to enter at times because of the flow through the entrance which is approaching a restriction. I think the best vis I've seen in there was approaching 20'-25'. Beyond the cavern zone, the cave gets dark and deep quickly, so it's certainly not a place to be fooling around.
I've never been to Cannonball, but I hear this is a nice cave with a long walk up and down a hill and has an entrance that is hard to find and considered a restriction.
Bonne Terre Mine is more like a guided tour through a mining museum that happens to be in an underground lake. For most of the tours, you can surface directly into the air above, which happens to be underground. It's lit from above and, the last time I was there, the management didn't allow powerful lights. I think this was to prevent people from wandering off on their own. The water is quite clear- I'd like to say that you could toss a quarter, in a hyperbolic arc, off the dock and see if it lands heads or tails- 100' below. The water temp is about 55' degrees year round which makes it downright cozy in a 7mm in the middle of winter.
It's rumored that Bonne Terre connects to other mines in other towns, so in theory, you could swim from one town to the other, although I've heard this entails passing through tight restrictions at 300' (read: take all your gear off!)
Brandon Belew
Guest
Then of course, there is Blue Water Lake in Oronogo, Missouri. There's several caverns to dive there.
OP
stingray1
Contributor
Just dove mine lamotte this past weekend and going back for further exploration. Been to Bonne Terre mine on the tour it looks like it will be good - don't much care for the price and feeling like I have to have a baby sitter, being a guided tour, I'm an exploror. I fully know my limits being primarily a solo diver but I also know (and have done so) how to properly stage a dive and also being a salvage diver I know all too well about deco diving, been there done that many times over. But I will dive it at least once this year. Never been to Roubidoux or Blue Water yet. Where can I find the best info on it at before I dive them? Any place else?
Hey Stingray,
I talked with you a few weeks ago at Mermet Springs.
Feel free to tell me to mind my own business; with that being said: Despite your varied dive experiences, please get cave training before diving in caves.
OP
stingray1
Contributor
How about that. Now that could of been said in a PM rather than on an open public thread. I'm not here to debate mine or anyone elses experience on anything they or I do. But, I will say this; If I choose to dive with someone it's because I'm either comfortable with their experience or I'm confident enough in my experience and equipment to not let them get me killed. I've solo dived most of my dive history, which I don't even bother logging, and I only go as far as I'm comfortable with. Besides who taught the first Cavers? Wreck divers? Or the first Tech divers? I've had suffieceint enough training and dishing out of money for classes that just gave me a official card for what I've always done. Is this for everyone, would I recommend it to anyone? Hell No. You see when I first started diving back in 89 I didn't even have a C-card. Surprised? Don't be. I was self taught and until a few yrs ago didn't have a problem getting my tanks filled. Which is the reason I even got certified. And the reason I even bothered taking any other specialties. And this will be an exact quote from my instructor when I went to him to finally get certified (after ofcourse telling him my history) and him telling me to suit up as I normally do: "Norm, I have nothing to teach you. I could very easily certify you today with a clear concious. The only thing that I can tell you is to loss a bunch of weight off of your belt for sport diving, which is of course fine for what you do as a working diver. And two, don't look at your pressure gauge when you turn on your air. They can and have exploded sending the glass at your face. Other than that, I'm just going to dive with you because your ready." I was configured for a single tank back then with a 13 cu pony bottle. When you seen me I was configured for independant double 72's. Not the best choice but, it's what I have for now until I get my new hp tanks in the next month. I change my configurations all of the time depending on what I'm doing. For the better part of the last several yrs I've been on surface supplied hardhat diving. Do I take anyone exploring with me for the first time - No. I go it alone. If I screw up... well then, I guess it just won't matter to anyone but my family. I'm assuming that you just didn't like my current setup. You haven't dived with me. I'ts a dangerous occupation and sport but, I'm safe..... as far as diving can be. There never any guarentees to any of us that dive, anything can happen to even the most experienced and best trained.
Speacial note to inexperienced or untrained that may be reading this post: Please do not do as I have done over the years and definately get the proper training before undertaking this dangerous sport. It can very easily kill you. I've been very blessed and fortunate to not having more than a slight case of the bends at one point very early on in my diving history.
Did I leave anything out? Oh well. Enough said.
No offense taken though.
Speacial note to inexperienced or untrained that may be reading this post: Please do not do as I have done over the years and definately get the proper training before undertaking this dangerous sport. It can very easily kill you. I've been very blessed and fortunate to not having more than a slight case of the bends at one point very early on in my diving history.
Did I leave anything out? Oh well. Enough said.
No offense taken though.
OP
stingray1
Contributor
I'll take care of my cavern cert when I go to bonne terre mine. I seen where I can do it as part of my dive weekend. Thanks for the forewarning. That's all I really needed to know. Where to go and what places require what.
Thanks
Thanks
ianr33
Contributor
Stingray: Dont even consider diving caves without the training.
No matter how great a diver you may be.
No matter how great a diver you may be.
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