Bonne Terre Info
Bonne Terre Trip Info planned February 19-21, 2005
It's $65 per dive, and we'd make 4 dives ($260). They require a 50% non-refundable deposit to hold a spot. Please pay this to Jimi or Earl by December 1, 2004. At 45 days out (which would be 1/5 by my math to dive on 2/19) the balance is due, and is also non-refundable.The tanks provided are super 80's, and for $8 per dive, you can upgrade to a 92 if one is available. For $15 you can rent weight for both days so you don't have to carry your own down into the mine.
There is a Super 8 located just 1/4 mile from the mine. Our rate for rooms would be $42.30+tax for a single king per night, and $48.60+tax for double queens per night. As soon as we know how many rooms we might need, we can let them know and they'll hold them for us.
Unless someone has dove the mine in the past year, and has a stamped log book as proof, they'll be diving trails 1, 2, and 4 on Saturday, and trail 3 on Sunday. Every diver on trail 1 will have to demonstrate they can flood and clear a mask, and share air as a donor and a receiver. Divers who have not dove the mine in the past year will also have to watch a short safety video.
Groups will be divided into no more than 10 divers each. Each group is lead by a divemaster, and each group is followed by a safety diver (unless there are 5 divers or less in the group). The divemaster will brief the group on the dive before entering the mine. Like most guided dives, gratuities are not required, but are appreciated.
Lights and knives are not permitted, except for a small light if one is needed to read gauges. Cameras are not allowed on trail 1. The water temperate is 58 year round, and the air temperature inside the mine is 62 year round.
All of the dives last about 45 minutes, and average 40-60 feet. I went back and looked at my log, and here are my profiles for last year... Trail 1, average depth 33 feet, maximum depth 53 feet, time 44 minutes. Trail 2, average depth 27 feet, maximum depth 47 feet, time 46 minutes. Trail 4, average depth 27 feet, maximum depth 45 feet, time 50 minutes. Trail 3, average depth 35 feet, maximum depth 64 feet, time 47 minutes.
The mine entrance is locked, and you must be escorted at all times inside the mine. Gear can be left in the mine on the dock between dives, and overnight on Saturday night if you are diving on Sunday. Outside of the mine entrance there is a changing room, shower room, and restroom.
I told them I thought we might be looking at a group of 10-16 divers. He said it looks like they currently have openings for that number, but he expected those to be full by January.
To sign up: Give Jimi a deposit of $130 by 12/10; for questions email Troy or call him at 773-6880