My dive buddy Jess, wife Ann and I headed down to Bonne Terre last weekend for some diving. Even though the lakes in SE Wisconsin are now ice free we really had a blast last year on our first trip to Bonne Terre and decided we'd do an annual trip down there. Last year we went in early March, scheduling conflicts pushed it back this year and I'm glad it did. Weather was fantastic save for a downpour the night we arrived. We stayed in Farmington at the Holiday Inn Express. Great location, lots of decent food choices around there - even within walking distance. Well worth the $40/night upgrade from the Super 8 in Bonne Terre!! Only complaint was the fitness facility being small but really a nice hotel and great breakfast!
We started early on Saturday and planned on doing trails 5, 8, 7 and 6, 7a on Sunday. We checked in, did the paperwork, handed our C-card and nitrox card and got geared up to meet by the entrance to the mine after a typically thorough briefing. There were 3 others that joined Jess and I for the weekend. Was happy to see we had a small group. Last year on trails 1 & 2 we were part of a VERY big group which limited the quality and experience - but I'm glad it didn't dissuade us from coming back. Sherri was our guide last year and this year she teamed up with Katy as our guide / safety. Our dive on trail 3 with Sherri last year was the highlight of the trip and the main reason we came back.
After the trek down to the dive platform and getting geared up Katy did a gear check and we got in the water. Last year Jess and I were in 7mm wet suits, this year we dove dry. Boy am I glad we went dry!! Water temp was 57 but I was comfy even with a bit of a neck seal leak. We surface swam over to the "saddle" and dropped in. 42 minute dive, a couple air checks, max depth 85 feet. This was a fun dive but in retrospect more of a "get acquainted" dive. Sherri and Katy getting used to us and seeing how we were on air, buoyancy, etc and us getting used to the mine again. I really appreciated it more this time. I don't know if it's because last time here it was dives 21-24 for me and this time it was 87-91 and I've spent about 60 more hours underwater or what but it was much cooler this time and I was much more relaxed - which showed in my SAC rates, consistently a full .2 ft3/min better than last time I was there.
We had a long surface interval before trail 8 which allowed me to dry my undergarments - gotta get that neck seal fixed! Trail 8 was great fun and very visually appealing. Lots of tunnel and cavern swim throughs, the "redwood forest" and mine "ghosts" were fantastic! One of the other divers wasn't feeling good so he bailed the rest of the weekend so we were down to four plus Sherri and Katy. This was a 64 minute dive, max 48ft, avg 21. Quite a bit of up and down on this one but stayed mostly between 15 and 35ft.
After another longish (2 hour) surface interval, lunch and more undergarment drying we were back and geared up for trail 7. Surface swim back over to the saddle, dropped down and spent about 20 minutes poking around about 70', then up a gradual slope, which was a calcified waterfall at one point to about 20' for another 20 minutes, then back down and around to the safety stop. This dive was more about looking at remnants left in the mine, cool rock formations, quartz, etc. A really fun dive and a great way to end the day.
Got back to the hotel about 5:15 or so, changed and headed off to the Chaumette Winery about 20 minutes or so from Farmington. Chaumette Winery and Vineyards What a beautiful place! Seemingly in the middle of nowhere it's a fantastic piece of property. Had dinner reservations at 7 but tasted wine for a while, our first host was the owner! We found a bottle we could all agree on, went out to the deck for a couple apps and the bottle before we headed in for dinner finally at about 8. Watched the sun set over the vineyard, it was such a great way to end the day. Dinner was SPECTACULAR! The chef there is really something else. We had Veal Osso bucco, a snapper special and hand made chicken ravioli. All were wonderful. The brownie and homemade custard for dessert put us all over the edge - but it was SO good we couldn't stop!
Sunday AM back at the mine, met, did the briefing, headed down into the mine to do trail 6. We dropped in this time where trail one starts and then broke off to #6. This was another nice long dive, 55 minutes, with some single file swim throughs, lots of mine remnants, and a lot of buoyancy challenging passages. I love dives like this!
Quick surface interval this time and I had to run back to the hotel, check out and pick up my wife for a boat tour of the mine - which by the way she LOVED! We joined up with parts of another group for our last dive because parts of all three groups only did 4 dives so we had about 10 on this dive but it ended up being the best of the weekend. Again, surface swim over to the saddle for a "modified" trail 7. What a blast! Even more single file swim throughs, buoyancy challenging ascents up more calcified waterfalls, investigating tunnels and larger rooms. This group was really good - never silted up any of the areas, well spaced, no one running into anyone. And the guides clearly knew how to show us a great time knowing the ability of the group. A great, relaxing Sunday dive and my best SAC of the weekend. 53 minutes, max depth 78', avg 32. There were some really shallow areas in there and we got to see the redwood forest again.
Many thanks to the all volunteer staff at Bonne Terre for making this a most memorable weekend and the best diving I've done since CoCo View last April and El Eden in December. Katy and Sherri in particular but Sherri's husband and son as well - hell, everyone, so personable and passionate about diving and safety and the mine. It was a pleasure getting to know you all better and making the 14 hours round trip in the car WELL worth it! We had so much fun that we're talking about trying to make this trek twice a year instead of just once!!
We started early on Saturday and planned on doing trails 5, 8, 7 and 6, 7a on Sunday. We checked in, did the paperwork, handed our C-card and nitrox card and got geared up to meet by the entrance to the mine after a typically thorough briefing. There were 3 others that joined Jess and I for the weekend. Was happy to see we had a small group. Last year on trails 1 & 2 we were part of a VERY big group which limited the quality and experience - but I'm glad it didn't dissuade us from coming back. Sherri was our guide last year and this year she teamed up with Katy as our guide / safety. Our dive on trail 3 with Sherri last year was the highlight of the trip and the main reason we came back.
After the trek down to the dive platform and getting geared up Katy did a gear check and we got in the water. Last year Jess and I were in 7mm wet suits, this year we dove dry. Boy am I glad we went dry!! Water temp was 57 but I was comfy even with a bit of a neck seal leak. We surface swam over to the "saddle" and dropped in. 42 minute dive, a couple air checks, max depth 85 feet. This was a fun dive but in retrospect more of a "get acquainted" dive. Sherri and Katy getting used to us and seeing how we were on air, buoyancy, etc and us getting used to the mine again. I really appreciated it more this time. I don't know if it's because last time here it was dives 21-24 for me and this time it was 87-91 and I've spent about 60 more hours underwater or what but it was much cooler this time and I was much more relaxed - which showed in my SAC rates, consistently a full .2 ft3/min better than last time I was there.
We had a long surface interval before trail 8 which allowed me to dry my undergarments - gotta get that neck seal fixed! Trail 8 was great fun and very visually appealing. Lots of tunnel and cavern swim throughs, the "redwood forest" and mine "ghosts" were fantastic! One of the other divers wasn't feeling good so he bailed the rest of the weekend so we were down to four plus Sherri and Katy. This was a 64 minute dive, max 48ft, avg 21. Quite a bit of up and down on this one but stayed mostly between 15 and 35ft.
After another longish (2 hour) surface interval, lunch and more undergarment drying we were back and geared up for trail 7. Surface swim back over to the saddle, dropped down and spent about 20 minutes poking around about 70', then up a gradual slope, which was a calcified waterfall at one point to about 20' for another 20 minutes, then back down and around to the safety stop. This dive was more about looking at remnants left in the mine, cool rock formations, quartz, etc. A really fun dive and a great way to end the day.
Got back to the hotel about 5:15 or so, changed and headed off to the Chaumette Winery about 20 minutes or so from Farmington. Chaumette Winery and Vineyards What a beautiful place! Seemingly in the middle of nowhere it's a fantastic piece of property. Had dinner reservations at 7 but tasted wine for a while, our first host was the owner! We found a bottle we could all agree on, went out to the deck for a couple apps and the bottle before we headed in for dinner finally at about 8. Watched the sun set over the vineyard, it was such a great way to end the day. Dinner was SPECTACULAR! The chef there is really something else. We had Veal Osso bucco, a snapper special and hand made chicken ravioli. All were wonderful. The brownie and homemade custard for dessert put us all over the edge - but it was SO good we couldn't stop!
Sunday AM back at the mine, met, did the briefing, headed down into the mine to do trail 6. We dropped in this time where trail one starts and then broke off to #6. This was another nice long dive, 55 minutes, with some single file swim throughs, lots of mine remnants, and a lot of buoyancy challenging passages. I love dives like this!
Quick surface interval this time and I had to run back to the hotel, check out and pick up my wife for a boat tour of the mine - which by the way she LOVED! We joined up with parts of another group for our last dive because parts of all three groups only did 4 dives so we had about 10 on this dive but it ended up being the best of the weekend. Again, surface swim over to the saddle for a "modified" trail 7. What a blast! Even more single file swim throughs, buoyancy challenging ascents up more calcified waterfalls, investigating tunnels and larger rooms. This group was really good - never silted up any of the areas, well spaced, no one running into anyone. And the guides clearly knew how to show us a great time knowing the ability of the group. A great, relaxing Sunday dive and my best SAC of the weekend. 53 minutes, max depth 78', avg 32. There were some really shallow areas in there and we got to see the redwood forest again.
Many thanks to the all volunteer staff at Bonne Terre for making this a most memorable weekend and the best diving I've done since CoCo View last April and El Eden in December. Katy and Sherri in particular but Sherri's husband and son as well - hell, everyone, so personable and passionate about diving and safety and the mine. It was a pleasure getting to know you all better and making the 14 hours round trip in the car WELL worth it! We had so much fun that we're talking about trying to make this trek twice a year instead of just once!!
