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I'm stealing an idea from some of the other dive clubs, and am creating a sticky thread for the purpose of gathering information.
Example:
-Divesite XYZ
-Divespot (full address if possible)
-GPS Coordinates (if available)
-2 Sentence overview of site.
-Type of diving, boat, beach, cavern, cave, spring...
-Directions to Site, the more the better
-What to expect at the dive site: bottom, structure, spring, fresh/salt water, lots of wild life/vegetation/fossils, costs or fees if applicable.
-Where to park, parking restrictions or cautions..i.e.. they like to give tickets so make sure you bring quarters
-Amenities (showers, bathrooms, restaurants, dive shops)
-Pros and Cons
-Most recent date visited
-Pictures if available
PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD TO DIVE SITES ONLY
Last edited by HammerNoMore; August 20th, 2004 at 12:08 PM.
Type of diving: Spring fed stone quarry located just east of Rolla, Missouri offering divers a quick escape to get wet! Typically used as a training facility.
Type of diving: Shore dive
Directions:Map
I-44 to Exit 189 (Highway V) South.
Take first right and cross over railroad tracks.
Make a right turn on to Chester Green Road (3060).
Go 1 mile and turn left on to Quarry Road (3030).
Go about 1/2 mile to a small drive on the left. The entrance is typically marked with a dive flag.
What to expect at the dive site: There are several training platforms from 15 to 25 feet deep. Divers can explore a sunken speed boat, jon boat and jet ski as well as pay homage to the Christmas tree (with ornaments!) and brave the cold down to the spring that feeds the quarry. Entrance fee is $10 per diver per day. Valid C-Card required. No solo diving or fishing.
Where to park: Plenty of parking is available at the site. Many allow you to back up to within a few feet of the water.
Amenities: Portable toilet facilities and changing rooms are located on site. Air fills are available for $5 a fill. There are no concessions on-site; however, Rolla, only 10 minutes away, offers numerous dining options.
Pros and Cons: Only a 90 minute drive from St. Louis. Not very deep an cold below the thermocline. Visibility ususally runs between 2 and 15 feet.
Bonne Terre Mine
Dive Spot:
39 Allen Street
Bonne Terre, MO
Type of diving: A unique experience to dive open water under the ground. Gin clear water with no thermoclines.
Type of diving: Shore dive
Directions:Map
I-55 to Exit 174, US-67 South.
Take the MO-K/MO-47 ramp toward Bonne Terre.
Turn right onto MO-47.
Turn left onto Allen Street.
What to expect at the dive site: From the BTM website (www.2dive.com): The Billion Gallon Lake is illuminated with over 500,000 watts of lighting, a total of twenty-four dive trails have been laid out in the lake, taking the diver through mammoth archways, past beautiful calcium falls, around gargantuan pillars and to the many abandoned mining artifacts. Depths of the dive tours average between 40 to 60 feet. Divers are toured through the mine in groups of ten by two specially trained dive guides. Super 80 cubic ft. aluminum tanks are provided each diver. Dive lights are not permitted in the lake, because they detract from the natural beauty of the illuminated surroundings. Power inflator are required on all BC's. Billion Gallon Lake is 58 (Degree F) and not affected by outside temperatures, there are no thermo clines. Air temperature is 62 (Degree F) year round. Lighting on the rock formations is spectacular. One can descend to 80 feet and look up to see divers silhouetted against a rainbow. Man carved pillars grace the entire Billion Gallon Lake. The 200 foot solid-rock pillar rising from depths and mining artifacts on the walls and floor make for spectacular underwater photography. C-Cards & Log books required. Minimum age is 12. Cost is $65 per dive. No lights or knives allowed.
Where to park: Plenty of parking is available at the site.
Amenities: Rest rooms and changing rooms are located on site. There is a general store at the site and Bonne Terre offers numerous dining options.
Pros and Cons: Only a 75 minute drive from St. Louis. Gin clear water with consistant conditions year round. Expensive and has a lot of rules. Water is cool (56 deg F). A bit of a hike involving stairs to get to the dock.
Attached is a map for Blue Springs, Waldren Indiana.
Type of diving: stone quarry located just south-west of Indianapolis Indiana.
Type of diving: Shore dive
Directions: Map
I-74 east to exit 119, Shelbyville. Turn left at the T ( church on your left)towards Waldren. Turn right on 600E, this is a tricky turn and don't try to take it at high speeds. I do believe this turn is marked but the sign is small. The next turn you can't miss. Look for the semi-trailor with Blue Springs painted on it. Maybe 100 yards after that is the dive park, clearly marked.
What to expect at the dive site: Most sites have a shelter to you can stay out of the weather. There are several training platforms 20' feet deep. Divers can explore small sunken boats of all shapes and sizes,the armored car, riding lawn mower, snow mobile, dental chair and the list goes on. Or just visit the animal zoo at 40 feet. Entrance fee is $10 per diver per day. Valid C-Card required. No fishing.
Where to park: Plenty of parking is available at the site. Many allow you to back up to within a few feet of the water. Sometimes parking water side is hard but you can always unload and park up the hill.
Amenities: Portable toilet facilities and changing rooms are located on site. Air fills are available for $5 a fill. Camping is available on site. There is a vending machine on site. Shelbyville is about 10 minutes away, offers numerous dining, hotel options.
Pros and Cons: Cheap, easy to find. Even when there are 6 classes there it is no problem with diving. Viz really goes down hill after a rain since it is feed mainly from run off.
Most recent date visited: Aug 28th-29th, 2004
Last edited by HammerNoMore; August 20th, 2004 at 12:08 PM.
-Divespots :
1) The 1A Wrecks 200 ft. North of 1A sign, flat gravel bottom, contains several small boats and one pontoon boat deck, normal depth is 25 ft.
(2) Rickety Wreck Stepping stone type wall. Here sits a 28 ft wooden cruiser.
(3) School Bus School bus attached to a steel barge. Once was unique houseboat.
(4) Cave Dive This cave goes back 100 ft. into a large room, then narrows.
(5) Blankenship Point Bottom strewn with giant square stones that create alley-ways that draw every species of fish in the lake.
(6) Playground Junior divers of all ages can play on the equipment found here.
(7) Sunken Ridge Sudden rise of underwater mountain top is in 15 ft. of water. Great place to see large schools of bass.
(8)Farm Site There is the foundation and cistern of three buildings located in 40 ft. of water. Hard to locate exactly, but can yield nice artifacts.
(9) Indian Island Was once an Indian campsite where arrow heads can still be found, ledges and overhangs hold lots of fish, favorite nite dive spot. Depths of 5 - 50 ft.
(10) Moody Homesite Cistern and stone foundation of old farm house. Located in 30 ft.
(11) Slo-Poke Cruiser Wreck of a 30 ft. cruiser in 40 ft. water. Also a nice flat 15 ft. bottom of shale rock.
(12) Campground Bluff One of the few shore dives. Good walls and steep slopes. Treasure hunting favorite.
(13) Bulldozer In 25 ft. of water sits a 1939 Caterpillar used in lake construction.
(14) Rock of Gibraltar Stone slab rising from 50 ft. depth to just 15 ft. below surface.
(15) Underwater Bluff A wall starts at 35 ft. and can go straight down 70 - 150 ft.
(16) White Bluff & Arch Tall limestone bluffs contain natural arch big enough to swim through. Also some very clear water. Ledges at 15, 30, and 60 ft.
(17) Tool Truck Panel truck that went down in 1955, loaded with tools. Rests on ledge in 70 ft. depth out from a mark on shore.
(18) Fruit Cellar Concrete bunker-like structure built in the early 1900's. Also homesite artifacts in 15 ft.
(19) Fireplace Intact fireplace with chimney and foundation of large home. Out from center of island in 80 ft. depth.
(20) Gypsy Boat Wreck 24 ft. wood cabin cruiser sits on flat gravel bottom at 25 ft. Nearby an abrupt drop of 150 ft. Tall pinnacle rocks, view large fish here.
(21) Fish Market Flat shale rock point has a large area of flat bottom at 15 ft. depth with nearby slope to deeper water. Good concentration of fish found here.
(22) Walleye Wall Short run of rock bluff with a steep incline. Wall type dive. Home of the lake's walleye population.
(23) Bunch 'O Boulders Very large, rounded rock formations in 20 ft. depth with gravel bottom.
(24) Don's Dynamite Shack This site once stored explosives during dam construction. There is an underground building made of railroad ties and covered with gravel. It has an air vent that looks like a dog house. Found in 40 ft. of water.
(25) Dam Corner This is usually the clearest dive on the lake. Nice cut stone rocks, steps. Has parts of wooden light towers lying on the bottom.
(26) Devil's Backbone This site has long, shallow reef-like point formations. It looks like the giant skeletal vertebrae of some ungodly creature. 20 ft. depth.
(27) Thumb Print Homesite This site if in 60 ft depth out from mark on the shore. Very large foundation with inlaid intricate tile floor. Lots of artifacts.
(28) Hank's Bluff Long wall dive. Straight drops good for deep dives and exploration into the unknown.
(29) Jerry's Place A special collection of secrets.
-Overview of site, Lots of things to explore underwater like a dynamite shack, boats, tool truck, school bus and much more.
You can purchase a lake map with 29 dive locations and descriptions at Jordan Marina and Dive Shop.
-Type of diving, boat, beach, cave,
-Directions to Site, the more the better:
From Mountain Home , Ak. Take SR5 S. to Salesville, turn left on SR177 to Jordan Community. Turn Left on CR 64 follow signs to park.
-What to expect at the dive site: Nice ledges and Large boulders.
.
-Where to park= LOTS of Parking
-Amenities: Showers=No
Inground bathrooms,
-Restaurants. In town Mountain Home
-Dive shops. At least two, one on the lake and one in town
-Pros, Friendly people and cheap camping , 29 dive sites avaerage visibility
Egyptian Divers Underwater Education Corporation aka "EDs Pit
Location: South of Pinckneyville, IL.
Features: Strip pit with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water temps can be in the low to mid 80's in summer. Visibility runs around 10 to 15 feet.
Underwater platform at 10 feet, dock for entry, ladder and beach exit. Several boats connected by line.
The site is primative with no dive support and access must be prearranged with jnuss@hcis.net. I am not one of the owners but I'll open the gate and stick around as the instructor on site if needed. Entrance fee is $5 per person. It is a not for profit corp and we use the entrance fee to mow and do upkeep and pay taxes.
It is a nice place to to training like rescue or drysuit, or even basic scuba.
Divesite:
Captain John's Blue Water Lake, Oronogo, MO
Divespot:
302 MM Hwy
ORONOGO, MO 64855
GPS Coordinates:
Lat 37°14'35.83" N
Long 94°26'46.48" W
Overview of site:
Once the largest open-pit zink and lead mine in the world, The Oronogo (pronounced Or-or-no-go) Cirle mine is now a 14 acre, 230 ft deep lake.
Type of entry:
Shore dive, where the now concreted mine access road goes beneath the water surface.
Type of diving:
Blue Water Lake offers regular diving, but also deep diving, night diving and cave diving.
Directions to Site:
Directions are provided at the local website.
What to expect at the dive site:
Daily fees are $10 for diving, $5 for the swim beach, and $5 for camping.
Air fill is $4 (3kpsi)
Hours of operation:
Mon - Thurs: Closed
Fri: 4pm - 8pm
Sat - Sun: 9am - 6pm
Night dives can be scheduled in advance.
I do believe that the entire lake can be rented during Mon-Thurs for $100 per day. Arrangements have to be made with John ahead of time.
Divers are asked to follow cold-water table rules at all times - water temp varies between 70F at surface in summer, but rarely falls below 50F even in winter.
Where to park:
Parking area overlooks the quarry.
Amenities:
Captain John's has restrooms, (cold) showers and changing rooms. There is a gear rinse hose installed up front. The facility will fill air as well as nitrox and trimix per partial-pressure system. There are no restrooms, water or electricity hookup on the "camping grounds", which basically is located in the parking lot. You'll be roughing it.
Last edited by Mick_O; October 3rd, 2004 at 09:58 PM.
Reason: Updated information - I've actually BEEN there now.
I've been diving at Mermet for a number of years and can't think of anything negative to say. Lots to see, including a Boeing 727, railroad car, bus, ambulance, and lots more.
The staff is very friendly and safety-conscious. The site is very well set up for training at all levels. Definately my favorite quarry dive.
The web site describes everything better than I can.
The water temperature is around 50~55 degree. The 7mm wetsuit was OK with a hood and glove until 5 p.m.
Viz is around 15 ft.
There were around 20 divers.
P.S.
Thanks for the map. I just came from the blue spring. My buddy, my girl, complained a cold water though, I really enjoyed the diving. I want to go there thie Sunday, but I don't have a buddy at this moment. Yes, she is naging naging me a lot......
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