My Bonne Terre Experience

[KJackson60]

Soccer Jenni,
Very nice report on your Bonne Terre mine experience. I wish your experience had been better. I have also been looking at them for a place to go diving during the winter. The great Lakes aren't all that much fun when the weather gets bad :shocked2:. You pretty much covered in your report the areas of concern that I have with going there. While I am not a brand new diver, I do dive with several people who are or do not have a lot of experience. I am sure they would have the same reaction to some of the conditions in the mine that your friend did. And, I am sure that I would react very much like you did.

From your descriptions this seems like a dive for more experienced divers, not ones who are freshly certified or who are not confident in their skills yet. Based on your observations I think I will wait on this one until my buddies are ready.

 

[Pappa John]

I just got back from diving Bonne Terre. I read all the posts on this thread before I went so I feel like I prepared myself for the worst. I was pleasantly surprised and I think Soccer Jeni would be all so. The dive team, Steve and Mike, prepared the group very well. They spoke of the environment very well with full discriptions, which I believe did not happen for Soccer Jeni. They even mentioned that with the big groups, which we had 13 and a total of 70 for the day, that dive trails might criss cross.

The environment was breath taking. Which might explain my air consumption.

The lead diver, Steve, and the safety diver, Mike, were both counting the divers throughout all of the dives.

Our group was "Group C" and we went through tails 1 & 2. We did the tunnels that Soccer Jeni mentioned along with the "key hole." I am 6 ft. and 205 lbs. The keyhole was a squeeze for me with the 100 cubic ft. tank. I didn't have any anxiety about it because my buddy and I have done caving before and needed to squeeze through tight spaces before and I had in the back of my mind the crew hasn't had anybody injured yet. (that I know of)

The only concerns that my dive buddy and I saw was the lack of communication top side. The "Dive Shop" door was locked more that it was unlocked. We feel that if you have divers in between dives let them in to discuss concerns, briefing/debriefing, or so on. They might have been understaffed though. On the dive deck the communication was top notch. Finally all of the "paper work" was actually paperwork. There was only one computer and that was for taking C-cards and driver's license.

We both felt that if there were computers being utilized it might be a little smoother, and a lot less paper being used.

In conclusion, would I recommend the dive? YES!!!!
If you do go I would recommend staying in Farmington and not the town of Boone Terre. There is nothing there and the Motel we stayed at in the town was a S#*T HOLE!!!!!!!

It was a Great Dive!!!!!!

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I do find Pete's comment about cave divers not being trained to dive in such open spaces hysterical. I understand the point he trying to make, but you have to admit, it's a total oxymoron!

Ditto...

It's just an underground lake with direct access to the surface, like swimming under a boat. And, it's safe for even the most inexperienced diver. But then suddenly, it's not safe for cave divers without a guide.

Can't have it both ways...

No one would ever say a cave is too dangerous for cave divers, and then simultaneously say, that it's safe for non-cave divers as long as they have a guide. To turn it around, it's no different than advocating guided cave dives for everyone, cave certified or not. I don't think many would defend that position. In fact, it's usually subject to harsh criticism on here and other boards.

 

[The Chairman]

Ditto...

It's just an underground lake with direct access to the surface, like swimming under a boat. And, it's safe for even the most inexperienced diver. But then suddenly, it's not safe for cave divers without a guide.

So, you've been there?

 

[fire_diver]

Oh lord, here we go again....

 

[Blu Diver]

Oh lord, here we go again....

LOL!!!!