Best Flooded mines

[cavediver256]

Black Diamond Tunnel in N. GA, railroad tunnel started pre-civil war and never completed. Over the years it has filled up with cold crystal clear mountain water. Not completely flooded, but its like taking a trip back in time. Tools, carts, and the hand laid wooden tracks were still there last time I dove it. There were some issues concerning access, last time we checked.

[DogDiver]

Well, if you want a real deep and real cold abandon mine to dive in...check out True Blue Quarry in West Rutland, Vermont. I dove it a few years ago in July and the water temp at depth was 33 degrees. Vis was in the 100 foot range. Some of the celings are 100+ feet. There is old mining equipment in there as well. In the past, it was private property, but locals dive there and shoot up old refridgerators and abandoned artifacts. There were two dive shops in West Rutland...after we pulled in and needed fills on 8 sets of double 95's, one of them asked us not to come back, as we completly drained his banks. lol..... There is some line in the system. It looked like someone with just enough cavern training to get someone killed put it in. Ignoring open air shafts to the surface. Another interesting thing was an old trench looking thing that had "shimmering" fluid that was heavier than water in it...Old chemicals perhaps? Nice diving....I'll stay in Florida thanks.....Ken

[MORGAN]

Well, if you want a real deep and real cold abandon mine to dive in...check out True Blue Quarry in West Rutland, Vermont. I dove it a few years ago in July and the water temp at depth was 33 degrees. Vis was in the 100 foot range. Some of the celings are 100+ feet. There is old mining equipment in there as well. In the past, it was private property, but locals dive there and shoot up old refridgerators and abandoned artifacts. There were two dive shops in West Rutland...after we pulled in and needed fills on 8 sets of double 95's, one of them asked us not to come back, as we completly drained his banks. lol..... There is some line in the system. It looked like someone with just enough cavern training to get someone killed put it in. Ignoring open air shafts to the surface. Another interesting thing was an old trench looking thing that had "shimmering" fluid that was heavier than water in it...Old chemicals perhaps? Nice diving....I'll stay in Florida thanks.....Ken

LOL - Years ago, Tracy and I did the open water dives for our PADI Open Water course there. In April. In wet suits. The quarry was open, but there was still a foot of snow on the ground. I am shivering now just thinking about it. It's a wonder we ever kept on diving after that! Tracy was blue after the first dive and kept repeating, "I'm getting a dry suit! I'm getting a dry suit!" I invented a new hand signal for "So cold my ####### slammed shut!" We were dumping thermoses of hot water into our suits between dives.

We live an hour from there but haven't been for a few years. Too much trash, shot-up appliances & deep mud on the way in to the quarry. There is often gunfire in progress. I'm a shooter myself, but not comfortable with the way people are shooting there. There's a nice range only a mile or two away, and the people that shoot at the quarry are the sort that don't like the safety procedures at the range. Besides, there are no old TV's, couches, washing machines, etc. to shoot at the range. People dump their trash at the quarry rather than pay to get rid of it at the dump, and then shoot at it.

I used to be a tough Vermont cold water diver but have gotten too used to warm clear water. I see in my log that 77 of my last 100 dives have been Florida cave dives, and we'll be at Cathy's two weeks from today to do some more! I asked Tracy if she wanted to go cut a hole in the ice this weekend and the only response I got was a faint "Noooo" from under her pillow. I confess that I wasn't disappointed.

Mike

[JDostal]

Just got back from a day of ice diving. Nothing like coming up through the whole to be greeted by a snowstorm that sprung up while you were diving!

[o2toxed2]

http://picasaweb.google.com/jdostal/Rodham12206

Just remembered I had some pictures of one of the mine available. Photos are all by Tamara Thomsen.

Did you have to walk all geared up from the trcuk to the mine entrance through the cornfield? The dive might have just ended for me right there.

How far was that walk?

[JDostal]

Across some of the cornfield, over a barbed wire fence, through a small creek and finally to the cave. It's a short walk honestly The vicious attack donkeys try to chew on your gear too.