Need dive site in Missouri...

[Seabear70]

http://www.oronogo.com/oronogo.htm

This looks interesting, I'm not certain where it is in relation to you though.

 

[derekb]

Oronogo is just north of Joplin, so it's not in the ideal location for you. It's an old lead and zinc mine, really nothing to see there, either, unless you count the junk they've put in there themselves. I've dove it four times and only seen around three fish. It's good for a deep dive, just not alot of scenery.

 

[Seabear70]

Oronogo is just north of Joplin, so it's not in the ideal location for you. It's an old lead and zinc mine, really nothing to see there, either, unless you count the junk they've put in there themselves. I've dove it four times and only seen around three fish. It's good for a deep dive, just not alot of scenery.

I've never been there myself, but based on a conversation with a couple of other divers this afternoon, it sounds fairly decent for the midwest.

 

[diverbob]

A friend of mine told me he did his OW there...I need to get back with him and see what his opinion is of that place.

 

[Seabear70]

I'm thinking of diving Oronogo in a couple of weeks after I finis of this project I'm on...

trouble is, I don't have anybody that can go with me, are there normally some groups I could tag a long with there?

 

[Mick_O]

Oronogo is just north of Joplin, so it's not in the ideal location for you. It's an old lead and zinc mine, really nothing to see there, either, unless you count the junk they've put in there themselves. I've dove it four times and only seen around three fish. It's good for a deep dive, just not alot of scenery.

I did my OW dives (and a 100' dive) at Blue Water Lake (or Oronogo - same thing), and yes, it's pretty cool for deep dives, since the old mine access roads (easy to follow bottom) go all the way down to 210-230 feet (depending on water level). There's a few cars, and airplane (small two-seater), a gorilla (?), a small cave with an air-pocket, and a computer (an old Tandy) down there - the printer is out of paper though. Not having been anywhere else, it was pretty neat with a lot of objects to practice hovering around. I bet for more experienced divers, it wouldn't be the biggest hoot in the world.
I think it was awesome to go down to the plane @40' (just beneath the first thermocline, brr), drop off the left wing into the abyss, level out at 60', and after a couple of more thermoclines, end up at 90' (remember to use cold water rules!). There's an air shaft there, that you supposedly can swim up if you want (diameter averaging 6' or so), taking you from 90' to the surface. There are even some old pipes at the top of the shaft, giving you a good safety stop point.