MO Cave Diving

[bglaess]

I am moving to Oklahoma and will be closer to MO and am planning several trips to explore the caves of MO. I was thinking about bennett, boiling springs, roubidoux, and cannonball. Has anyone dove cannonball? If so do you have any information that could assist in me finding it from the shore? Are there any shops in MO at do trimix or will I have to bring all my own gases with me? Any information about these sites would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I've dove them multiple times. Trimix can be found. I bring my own from Chicago to keep costs down. That can includes multiple sets of tanks. Cannonball is mostly well above 100', the pit drops quite deep and gets involved quickly beyond 225'. For my dives into the pit I've used a stage. There is s good map on cave atlas.

Finding it is much easier than youd think. Run a line from shore. From the bottom of the trail go maybe 50' toward the tower, further and you've passed it.

You'll probably find more info on CDF.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Just noticed...

Probably better to move this thread to cave diving forum too

 

[kotik]

The trick I've seen to find it was done from the surface- tie a weight onto your reel and drop it around where the entrance should be. Once you're over the depression around the entrance it will drop quite a bit deeper than the depth of the surrounding lake bed. Then follow the line down.

You will know you're getting there when the visibility starts to clear up, and if it's the summer the cold water will be a shock after the bathtub-temperature lake water. That was a relief to me since I felt like I was about to die after suiting up in a parking lot that was hot as hell and then climbing down the bank in doubles. Usually getting in the water is a huge relief but the lake water was so hot it almost felt worse. I've never been so glad to feel water in the 50's than when I got to the mouth of the cave. It's an awesome cave, worth every second of the discomfort leading up to it.

 

[Dr. Love]

so what's the protocol for these cave dives? I live in Oklahoma as well and am looking to get some dives in this summer without having to break the bank on travel! are there dive operations in the area that take people or is it more on your own? Thanks!

 

[kotik]

The protocol begins with training- diving in caves without the training is an absolute no-go. The training and equipment needed to get started is a sizable investment in both money and time, and you need to be a pretty decent diver with some experience under your belt going in to it.

Here's a link to the NSS-CDS page describing the cave diver course progression. There are threads here on Scubaboard discussing it, a recent one can be found here.

In short- it can be done, and if it turns out to be your thing then it can be a lot of fun, but it's crucial to go through the training process first. A cave is not something to go poking into just on a lark without knowing very consciously what you're getting into first.

 

[Jack Hammer]

This is the entrance at Cannonball, there is a lot of flow

 

[Dark Wolf]

so what's the protocol for these cave dives? I live in Oklahoma as well and am looking to get some dives in this summer without having to break the bank on travel! are there dive operations in the area that take people or is it more on your own? Thanks!

Others have already touched on certifications.

If you care to hit some of the lakes in Missouri or Northern Arkansas, let me know.

DW

 

[Dr. Love]

Others have already touched on certifications.

If you care to hit some of the lakes in Missouri or Northern Arkansas, let me know.

DW

will do! anyone know of any other unique dive spots in the region? In OK we mostly just have lakes with 5 feet of visibility haha. I am toying with the thought of driving over and doing the bonne terre mine this summer, but I was wondering if there was anything else in the midwest that's worth making the trip for?

 

[Marie13]

will do! anyone know of any other unique dive spots in the region? In OK we mostly just have lakes with 5 feet of visibility haha. I am toying with the thought of driving over and doing the bonne terre mine this summer, but I was wondering if there was anything else in the midwest that's worth making the trip for?

Wreck diving on the Great Lakes? Mermet Springs, a quarry in far southern IL, has the 727 plane from the 1990s US Marshals movie sunk in the quarry. Fun to swim through. They’ve got lots of paddlefish, too.