European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Ii by r b. Fallstrom associated press far beneath the general store and the Gas stat on in Bonne Torre to lies a water wonderland scuba diving a sport usually associated with the tropics has arrived m Missouri and the a upon gallon Lake resort converted trim a Long abandoned lend mine May be its most unusual attraction it s la Dimmg through a ghost town or a Shipwreck says scuba instructor Doug Goergens who along with wife Cathy owns the hooded Mac. Now billed As the largest Freshwater dive resort in the world or like soaring through a Cathedral it s an Awe inspiring a penance Goergens superlatives can be discounted to a certain extent since he has a vested interest he says he s invested about $1 million m the but Jacques Cousteau s son Jean Michel was impressed the son of the Man credited As beg one of the inventors of scuba self Conta Ned underwater breathing apparatus in the 1940s gave the resort rave reviews and skin diver Magazine has touted the mine As a Lime capsule an engineering Marvel and an unbeatable weekend getaway Bonne Terre or Good Earth in French is a town of about 3 500 people about 60 mites South of St Louis last year the tapped into the landlocked Midwest can scuba Market for relatively Tow Cost weekend Only forays attracting 15 000 customers the Lake was formed when the owners of St Joseph mining co. Once the provider of jobs to 5,000, closed operations and shut Oft the water pumps natural seepage of Spang and flooded the mine Marian Rivman. A spokeswoman for the diving equipment manufacturers association an organization that monitors the Industry says Bonne Terre is unique people Are diving everywhere Quot says Rivman. Known m the Industry As the scuba lady a Quot but Inland there s nothing comparable to the mine it s a great destination Quot Beauty of course is in the Eye of the beholder and the avid scuba fan has other attractions to explore in the United states among them shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina nil rigs in the Gulf of me.1.co or the kelp fun its of Utah the Florida keys Are whap the prime u s destination a the Estum. A a a a 2 65 million Active scuba m ers m to United states offering warm Wum cd r and fish divers also can lakes quarries and River ail Hough visibility often is severe Mac a such is the Case at i it a Norton. A of a 500 mile round Tnp f it t Goergens used to Lake r. % it a students Quot diving can be ver inconvenient Quot Goerger a a he s put a lot of work into Romong that negative aspect at the Bonne Terre operation illuminating the memo with 300,000 Watts of and installing showers and Looker rooms a diver moves in Lor a close look at an old Diamond Drill in the hooded mine. The mine once the world s largest pro Dur e of in and has the saggy look Quot of a lunar Ian / ape Juesha Ernnt Ummi since the mine closed m idol jut out Al . K or Attu red picks la id is and helmets also w a left a a. Are a if prot i i la to. Of Eal a Uri a leg the Lake is Pale Blue and a m c a with Roro Ico b m Ai lighting can hems Cio Errien Deu. R it a a As Salt Moon although it App Tup. Mov t to Luck in r a Ether i Init the Vit Ean Lake it. of 11 f i guru a a Ltd no Sharks to worry about More and other distractions such As current surges or tidal rushes a constant water temperature of 58 degrees a Little car i put bearable in a wet suit makes it a year round resort when Goergens Fust dived m the mine m 1974 he described it As a dark scary Picc he saw potential though As a training ground Lor the 1 200 to 1 500 students his St Louis company West end Dimmg centers certifies annually it has turned out to be much More to accommodate the divers that now flock to Bonne Terre the Goergen ses renovated a mansion once owned by the president of the mine and turned it into a co it mtr / inn they also transformed an old. Ramshackle Tram depot into a Saloon and tied and breakfast inn and their work m part has sparked renewed interest m tourism on the part of civic leaders Goergens who opened the mine to the Public in 1981. Believes More wonders May be m store there Are now 24 trails to explore but Only four of the 17 Miles of flooded tunnels which would allow the entire town of Bonne Terre to tit inside have been developed so far monday february 26. 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 13
