Offset Mine - Clean-up, Exploration and/or Scuba

[RexRacer]

I have 3 people so far to do surface exploration and/or scuba at the Offset Mine at Mine LaMotte on Saturday.

My plan is to clean a large debris field in an area of the mine that is just inside the entrance near the dive shack on the right, then explore further on foot, using waders and an exploration line. Extending my map.

If we get enough divers, an open cavern dive in an area of clear water recently spotted would be fun.

So far going:
RexRacer
Fleep
non-SB guy

All are welcome as usual. The mine inside will be nice even if the weather is bad - unless storming.

 

[fleep]

I'll be there if I'm not werkin'!

Geno-can you call jerry & kenny to let them know we'd like to come out on sat? it might be huntin' season and they may not want us out there scaring off their deer. I'm happy to call if you give me the #s....

 

[ResQDiver]

hey guys.. I will forward you both contact numbers when I get a chance.. all of my numbers are in the car and its COLD... I will shoot em out tomorrow.
If I can get away I might come visit a bit.
cyall soon I hope..
Thanks for the help and keep up the good work
FLEEP>.. dry suit will be here on Friday.. THANK GOD!!!!

 

[skdvr]

So did you guys go out there this weekend??? I was up in Iowa sayign hello to the in-laws. Deer season will keep me out of there for a little while. Any weekend that I have off will be used for that right now. As soon as deer season is over I will be up for my dives and exploration down there...

Phil

 

[fleep]

Last wknd we brought ropes, lights, gloves and we spent ~5hrs walking, climbing and wading through the tunnels and rooms. After paying our entrance fees we drove around to the back of the mine and entered the 'lunch room.' From there we crawled over some rubble piles into various tunnels, some of which stayed high and dry, some of which were eventually blocked completely by rubble and some of which led down to the water. All of the water we found was connected to the quarry and could be accessed by a swimmer. The water clarity gradually improves as the distance to the outside quarry increases and natural light decreases. We found an area near the lunch room that had ~20' depth and decent viz so I will be checking that out next time I'm there. Climbing out from the various air shafts/ore dumps without ropes was fun and allowed me to get surface bearings every once in a while. Next we went to the dry swamp entrance (near ken's beach/diveshack) and we were able to walk about ~400' into the tunnel. We went as far back as the root column where the cieling meets the water, where ResQ and I turned around during our last expedition. There are definately some crazy crystals and shiny metallic rocks in that ground-I found a bunch of diamonds and silver (well, maybe it was quartz and pyrite, but it was still cool.) Weird sh-t in those rocks. I *believe* we have explored most of the above-water tunnels now, and while it's been a lot of fun poking around, I have yet to find a great cavern zone to dive in-it is all just shallow and/or 'mine la murk...' I suspect that I will need full cave gear and training before I can push much further, so my quest for cavern zones continues. I am going to check out bennett for the first time this sunday. Hopefully I can get some decent practice dives in a legitimate cavern!!

 

[skdvr]

Thanks for the report, and have fun at Bennett...

Later
Phil

 

[ResQDiver]

Great job fleep.. sorry we couldnt make it friday... here over our christmas break *sounds like were in friggin school**.. we will get some time in wherever... mine lamurk.. hahahahaha...
talk to you all soon

 

[RexRacer]

That one cavern area looked like it would be nice - right next to the quarry but blocked by a rock dam. Good vis and convenient location with a nice cavern overhead.