Getting my 4 AOW certs...

[newbie in TN]

This afternoon I take off for Bonne Terre mine in MO to get my 4 OW certs in preparation for when I have enough dives to get my AOW card!! I am taking navigation, night diving, deep diving and cave diving. I also get 6 logged dives at the mine...so only 16 more dives to go for AOW!!!

Shanna

 

[Wendy]

Do you mean cavern? What agency is this thru?

 

[TheDivingBear]

Awwww....do tell us how you liked it. My wife and I are talking about going after we get some more experience.

For those looking for more information on Bonne Terre Mine, just check out Bonne Terre .

Be safe,

Bear

 

[newbie in TN]

The mine was AWESOME!! I wish we could have had a few more "for fun" dives...most of the 6 we did were training. I did have trouble with my ears, got a block after the first dive and had to sit the second out. Then on the third dive I got intimately acquainted with my safe second when my mouth piece came off my reg! My first instinct was to grab for the second, though, so I feel good about that. Then on my fourth dive I could not equalize and had to come up. I also still have no clue on navigation and mapping...I'll have to work more on that. Now just waiting for that AOW card...

PS -- "bear" was the name of my instructor!!

Shanna

 

[ScubyDoo]

Congrats Newbie!!

Im hoping to check out Bonne Terre Mine myself someday. I have family in Jonesboro, AR so can stop by to see them and from there its less than a 5 hour drive up to Bonne Terre.

I'll be doing my AOW dives this coming weekend at Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs. Water temp. there is in the high sixties. One of my dives will be a deep dive though and Im sure the temp at 80-90 ffw will much colder!! Brrrrr!

Planning on heading up to Lake Norfork as soon as the water warms up a bit more. Its about 60 right now, or so the webpage I check says anyway. I understand lots of people from the Memphis area go to Norfork. Its the best diving spot in Arkansas for sure. Check it out sometime.

http://www.jordanmarina.com/index.html

 

[large_diver]

THe mine sounds like fun -- would love to try that dive someday.

Glad everything went well.

 

[newbie in TN]

Thank you for the dive site in Jordan, AR!! I'm always looking for sites closer to home. Please feel free to let me know if you are ever heading up that way and are looking for a buddy

Shanna

 

[Diversauras]

I don't think the mine is for everyone. I did three in a day last year, had the place to ourselves almost. I'm an instructor and the diver with me was at 300+. The water was clear and cold. They are more expensive than boat dives on real sites but we bit the bullet and said what the hey.

My problem with it was the no lights, treated like basic OW students and their attitude. I understand risk mitigation and responsibility, but I will never go back there because they have turned it from a dive site for divers into a do-a-I-say-do-as-I-do-follow-the-leader-suppress-all-thought sort of dive. Granted there is no risk, but there was also no fun.

The walk into the mine is good exercise tho...

 

[newbie in TN]

Yes, I would agree on that score. Being that I only had my 4 training dives logged before this weekend, it was enough adventure for me...but I can see how an expierenced diver may be put off a bit. Yes, the walk down to the dive site is bad, but back is worse!!!

Shanna

 

[TheDivingBear]

:updown:

No relation, I am sure.

I am in Indy.