Dive Review of West End Diving in
The Continental USA/Bonne Terre, MO

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West End Diving: "Fun, Unique Diving Experience", Feb, 2020, by James Wise, AR, US ( Reviewer 5 reports with 6 Helpful votes). Report 11454.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations	N/A	Food	N/A
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Bonne Terre Mine is a fun, unique diving experience. The best I can summarize it is like diving the "Mines of Moria" from the Lord of the Rings. To a degree it is like cavern diving, however there are definite overhead environments that you will dive as you progress. The Team is very safety conscious. Bring a photocopy of your driver's license and cert card with you when you check in to speed up the process. You will initially watch a safety video. The dive is a guided dive with DiveMaster in front wearing a "blue light" and a Safety Diver ( who is at least Rescue Diver Certified) in the rear. No allowance for self exploration. Everyone begins on Trail 1 and progresses from there. There are dozens of trails in the huge mine area. There is no vegetation and 1 fish that survives in the mine. I think Jacques Cousteau tried stocking it but only 1 fish survived. The water temperature is 57 degrees (14 C). A 7mm with hood, gloves, thick booties was fine for me. Though as the dives progressed some of my buddies were complaining about being cold. The mine has tons of carts, railways, elevator conveyances,etc in the water. They are relatively well preserved with a slight amount of silt. The visibility is 100 ft plus (30 meters). You do have to walk into the mine about 400 yards (meters) and down about 150 ft (45 meters) in elevation. So if you have trouble carrying all of your gear you may think twice about this. It's all at recreational depths. Having done 9 of the trails the deepest I've been is about 90 ft (27 M). No food service on site so you will want to back a lunch and snacks if diving all day. The usual restaurants abound in Farmington just south of Bonne Terre.
Websites	West End Diving [same]
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	51-100 dives
Where else diving	Cuba, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Florida, Arkansas, NC, Bonaire
Closest Airport	St. Louis	Getting There	Drove car, didn't fly
Dive Conditions
Weather		Seas
Water Temp	57-58°F / 14-14°C	Wetsuit Thickness	7
Water Visibility	100-120 Ft/ 30-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Must follow Divemaster. No wandering. Safety Diver at end of the group to herd cats.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals	N/A	Tropical Fish	N/A
Small Critters	N/A	Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Not a underwater photographer, so you will have to ask West End Diving when you call. People were taking photos and didn't hear of any issues.

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Dive Review of West End Diving in The Continental USA/Bonne Terre, MO

West End Diving: "Fun, Unique Diving Experience", Feb, 2020,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of West End Diving in
The Continental USA/Bonne Terre, MO