Kansas man dies diving Bonne Terre

[Avonthediver]

I'll reply like I always reply to a dive of 50 f:$&n degrees : it's called a drysuit with some thick undergarments. I know I am less able to deal with a problem when cold. I know that panic is amplified when cold. I know that air consumption is increased when cold. I know that blood flow to superficial tissue is decreased when cold. I know that... Why the heck people would dive that type of environment wet is beyond me. Everyone I've talked to who have dove that mine has said they were very cold and say out the last dive or has been in a drysuit.

Yep I'm one of those dumbass' who dive wet year around. the coldest I have been in is 34 for a new years day dive. My buddy on the surface had his hand frozzen to my tank when he grabbed it! I hate drysuits with a passion so I go wet like a moron.

If I do multi dive's in a day I use two suits.

 

[Ayisha]

That's cold. I'd imagine most use drysuits?

Some use drysuits, some use full 7mm 2-piece wetsuits. I wore a wetsuit, hood, gloves, neoprene socks and boots and I was fine, but it was a little cool between dives in the mine. I only pulled the wetsuit down and didn't remove it completely or bring warm clothes into the mine or leave the mine (I would now), so I didn't fully warm up between dives. I was fine though and I did all the dives and enjoyed them all. I don't find 50F very cold, since I am used to much cooler temps here, but it was the cool clamminess inside the mine that affected my warmth between dives.

It all depends on your tolerance and what you're used to. For some a wetsuit would be fine, some would only do those conditions in a drysuit.

 

[nancynewbie]

Bonne Terre Mine Diving Death of Kansas Man

 

[SoccerJeni]

I'm curious about what you have said...you do three dives all on one tank? I have been their but never dove it so this is just me wanting info. But it does seem strange to do three dive's on one tank??? they must not be very long at all

No, you switch out tanks on each dive. You start with a fresh tank every trail you go on. So, for trail 1 you have a brand new tank, during the dive they have a place where they check everyone's SPGs for how much air they have left. Then there is a second location (still during the first dive) where they check people's SPG again. Then on the second trail you start with a new tank and the same thing happens where they check your SPG in 2 locations to make sure you have enough air to continue.

 

[SoccerJeni]

Wow, those were some unpleasant issues. With the visibility being mostly 75 feet and one trail being 30 feet according to my logs, I'm sure the visibility must have been very good while you were there. It's a wonder that no one saw your friend ascending.

It seems that both issues were buoyancy issues which seemingly should have been sorted out with the weighting check and check-out dive on the first dive.

Were you in a very large group? What was your setup regarding full cave divers and other safety divers? Just wondering.

It is surprising that preliminary information has not come out yet about the death...

At the part where my friend lost buoyancy and ascended there was a lot going on. It was on trail 2. Our group had turned left into a swim through, and at that point ran into another group. We had been hanging towards the back of the group so we wouldn't be close to other divers who might kick us. When we rounded the corner there was a lot of confusion. She was right next to me, so close I could touch her and I couldn't find her anywhere.

To answer your questions though, I would say there were about roughly 10-12 divers on our first 2 trails. There was one lead divers with 2 safety divers. I do not know any of their levels of certification. The only thing I know about them is that the rear safety diver mentioned to me that it was his first day diving dry.

 

[Avonthediver]

No, you switch out tanks on each dive. You start with a fresh tank every trail you go on. So, for trail 1 you have a brand new tank, during the dive they have a place where they check everyone's SPGs for how much air they have left. Then there is a second location (still during the first dive) where they check people's SPG again. Then on the second trail you start with a new tank and the same thing happens where they check your SPG in 2 locations to make sure you have enough air to continue.

ok that makes sense. Have you been back yet?
And one question more did you get some sort of card or a sign off to show what trail's you have been on?

 

[ff1diver]

Bonne Terre Mine entertains thousands of divers every year. It is still unclear why this diver died at the Mines. But no matter how deep, how clear the viz, how many C-Cards we hold or how many dives we have under our mask, treating a dive as simple or routine is a recipe for disaster.

I dove at Bonne Terre several years ago...and will not go back. I took a group of divemaster candidates. As an instructor, I teach my DM's how to be observant and to aware of the students and other divers around them. When we were getting ready and doing our predive safety check one of the Bonne Terre Mine guides came up to us and stated that we did not need to do that because they would do the final check. The guide also told us we did not need to buddy up because she was our buddy, she also tried to tell us to leave our dive lights in our gear bags....Sooooooo....

We did not listen to her...we still did our checks, we still formed our buddy system, and we put our dive lights in our BCD pockets.

We hung back from the rest of the group because they were beginners and we could tell they were listening and entrusting the guide for their dive....Needless to say...one of those divers BCD came undone (one of the release straps)and the diver was holding on to BCD with one arm with the regulator barely in her mouth. The guide had no clue what was going on and the "rescue diver" was tooling along behind us did not see what was going on either...Since the diver did not have a buddy the buddy system was nil. Two of the DM candidates assisted the diver with her BCD all was good and we kept diving....at least the new diver did not panic...and the guide had no clue that there was a potential problem.

 

[SoccerJeni]

ok that makes sense. Have you been back yet?
And one question more did you get some sort of card or a sign off to show what trail's you have been on?

I have not been back. I was there about 8 months ago.
I think they did sign off on my log book, and put a stamp in there.

Bonne Terre Mine entertains thousands of divers every year. It is still unclear why this diver died at the Mines. But no matter how deep, how clear the viz, how many C-Cards we hold or how many dives we have under our mask, treating a dive as simple or routine is a recipe for disaster.

I dove at Bonne Terre several years ago...and will not go back. I took a group of divemaster candidates. As an instructor, I teach my DM's how to be observant and to aware of the students and other divers around them. When we were getting ready and doing our predive safety check one of the Bonne Terre Mine guides came up to us and stated that we did not need to do that because they would do the final check. The guide also told us we did not need to buddy up because she was our buddy, she also tried to tell us to leave our dive lights in our gear bags....Sooooooo....

We did not listen to her...we still did our checks, we still formed our buddy system, and we put our dive lights in our BCD pockets.

We hung back from the rest of the group because they were beginners and we could tell they were listening and entrusting the guide for their dive....Needless to say...one of those divers BCD came undone (one of the release straps)and the diver was holding on to BCD with one arm with the regulator barely in her mouth. The guide had no clue what was going on and the "rescue diver" was tooling along behind us did not see what was going on either...Since the diver did not have a buddy the buddy system was nil. Two of the DM candidates assisted the diver with her BCD all was good and we kept diving....at least the new diver did not panic...and the guide had no clue that there was a potential problem.

The bolded in the post above was my biggest concern while diving the mine. I understand the thoughts behind not having a buddy, therefore allowing you to not be held back by someone elses air consumption, but it didn't work for me. I made the same decision you did after the first dive of the day. I was so uncomfortable I told my friend I didn't care what anyone else was doing, but her and I were buddying up. She had panicked and shot to the surface on the first dive, so before dive #2 we talked to a safety diver and he said he would stay right with us as well. But, we both ended up losing her on that dive.

 

[tstormdiver]

I'll reply like I always reply to a dive of 50 f:$&n degrees : it's called a drysuit with some thick undergarments. I know I am less able to deal with a problem when cold. I know that panic is amplified when cold. I know that air consumption is increased when cold. I know that blood flow to superficial tissue is decreased when cold. I know that... Why the heck people would dive that type of environment wet is beyond me. Everyone I've talked to who have dove that mine has said they were very cold and say out the last dive or has been in a drysuit.

I typically dive year round (drysuit) in a quarry where the temps are at 42 degrees below 60 ft & that cold or worse at all depths in the winter. There are divers that dive even colder temperatures. I dive there because it is a chance to dive. Being in KY, it is at least 10 hrs to the nearest warm water. I can not afford to do that every weekend. I must dive what I can when I can. Cold water diving is not for everyone & must be treated with all due seriousness. Cold water can cause problems for those not prepared, for those that are prepared, it is just another dive.

 

[Avonthediver]

It sounds more and more things at this mine need to change before someone else gets hurt.