Is Bonne Terre worth it?

[trashman]

Bonne Terre Mine Trip Report: Arrived 6/11 {Friday Night} and had a killer pizza at Marios.Saturday Morning,after a short briefing with Bear, we were ready to start diving. The first dive was to the Pearly Gates.I like this dive.Its been 3 years since I did this dive and the gates have fallen down but its still a good dive.The next 4 dives were to the city.It is a real treat diving with Bear.He is just an all around great guy.I now have 47 dives at the mine and I will definately be back sometime this summer.Thanks Bear,John Donna and the rest of the gang.Scuba Steve

 

[jeepbrew]

Thanks for the update Trashman. I wanna get some dives in at Bonne Terre this fall/winter.

 

[SteveC]

Trashman,

What is the city like? Could you tell us a little about it?

Thanks

 

[kimbalabala]

I've been told that you have to carry all of your equipment down (and then up again) 10 flights of stairs. Is that true - and does it include tanks and weights? I'm 5' 0" and weigh in at 112 (oh, and I'm 50 and in average aerobic shape). I'd love to dive the mine, but not if it means I have to carry all that stuff up and down those stairs. Also, I have an 8/7 semi-dry suit - would that be sufficient? I'm dry suit certified but really don't like it.

 

[netmage]

I just found out about it in SportDiver magazine. It seemed like one hell of a diving experience. I was wondering if it would be worth a 14 hour drive from DC? I have the money to make one dive trip either to Florida or Bonne Terre. While I understand that the dives would not be what diving tourist would love to do ... sandy beaches, marine life, pina colada but if it could give me an experience I could carry with me for my life, I would gladly drive to Missouri instead of Florida.

Those of you who have been down there, please share what is it like?

Regards -

S-H

I went twice when I lived in Chicago. Can certainly trace those trips as fueling my desires to get into cave diving... 14 hours - I'd pass... If you were closer, or in the neighborhood - swing by... Better, less restrictive options in Florida... It gets to be harder and harder to progress in the trails without having a fairly large group of committed return visitors, so you end up doing trails 1-4 over and over.... Stupid rules...

Ya! Can you? And is there anything worth photographing?

Wet Rocks...?!?! Seriously - some mining gear, and massive rock columns... Reminded me allot of the visuals of the mines in LOTR.... The no lights rule really added depth and shading to the experience...

 

[SteveC]

It is a fair amount of walking, but you do not have to carry tanks, so it's not too bad. And if you want, you can rent weights at the bottom.
The water is about 57 degs. I dove it in a 7mm with no problem, but everyone is different. I saw a guy dive it with no wet suit at all, just swimming trunks! Not that I would recomend it.

I've been told that you have to carry all of your equipment down (and then up again) 10 flights of stairs. Is that true - and does it include tanks and weights? I'm 5' 0" and weigh in at 112 (oh, and I'm 50 and in average aerobic shape). I'd love to dive the mine, but not if it means I have to carry all that stuff up and down those stairs. Also, I have an 8/7 semi-dry suit - would that be sufficient? I'm dry suit certified but really don't like it.

 

[Ninja Diver]

Hi Kimbalbala,
I work at the mine am 52 years old and in average shape. When I'm working at the mine, we (the staff members) walk the steps at least 4 times a day. Someone gave your incorrect information. We do NOT have 10 flights of stairs. There are 68 steps. We've had divers of all ages and all shapes and physical conditions dive the mine. The walk (inlcuding the steps) is less than 1/8 of a mile. Even if you're diving for two days, you leave all yoru gear in the mine in between dives. the only time you carry your gear up is when you're completely done diving. I would recommend renting weights just so you don't add the weight to your walk back up.
We look forward to showing you a truely unique dive enviornment.

Steve

 

[trashman]

They have many ways to reach the city.Basically,the city is under the structure.My favorite way into the city is as follows.You go down a long tunnel which is at 50 ft. depth.You come out on a ledge and then drop down off the ledge to 100 ft. depth.This is very cool because it looks like you are floating in outer space.Once you reach the bottom there is a small row boat.You tie off to some rocks and go down a tunnel about 100 yds.You have now reached the city.In fact you are right below the structure.The city consists of buildings that have been carved out of the rock.They have metal fronts with doors on them.You can go in most of them and check out things like work benchs,tools furniture ect.Your technique has to be dead on because there is a thick layer of fine silt several feet deep.I really enjoy diving Bonne Terre Mine,so much so that I drive 500 miles at the drop of a hat to dive there.I haul my own weights and a 120 steel tank into the mine.Its not bad going down but you get a workout bringing everything out of the mine.

 

[trashman]

Also:As far as progressing up the trails.If you do two trips/year to the mine you should be ready to dive the pearly gates,rotator,and the city after 2 years.Most people only make a couple of trips and then give up.I am glad I stuck with it.The mine will make you a better diver.Its a great place to get proficant with your drysuit,air consumption and buoyancy.The first trip{Trails 1-5} can be a pain.This is because you are diving with 10-12 other divers who are all over the place.I tell people to just stay off to the side out of everyones way and concentrate on your depth gauge and air consumption.After you have been there a few times and are working on Trails 10-20 the crowds really thin out.Its not unusual to have 4-6 people in your group which makes the dive that much more enjoyable.

 

[SteveC]

Thanks for the report. It sounds cool. I have only dove the first 3 trails. I'm not sure if I'll get back enough to get through all the trails.
Is 100' the max depth you need to go for the city, and does this become a decompression dive?