Cannonball cave, Missouri.  Not my Map

Mike walking his tanks down to Cannonball Cave, Missouri

The next day we headed over to Cannonball cave which was about 3 hours south of Waynesville to lake wappapello.  We get to the location where we figured the entrance would be and had a few mis orientations before I decided that I spotted the cave.  the obvious trail with the tank stand mid trail leading down to the water line.  a limestone wall and the hint of the communication tower across the lake in the distance allowed us to vector in where the general entrance of the cave is located. after looking out into the lake I saw a number of fish jumping around in the water and very inconspicuous boil like movement in the water displacing the wave action.  This gave me the idea that the entrance is just off the shoreline.

preperation for a dive in Cannonball Cave, Missouri

Cannonball Cave, Missouri

 We get into the water and overshoot our azimuth which took us into a submerged graveyard of trees and fishing line in zero visibility which got interesting as we searched for the cave entrance. 

Can you see the boils? Cannonball Cave, Missouri

Eventually we angled down the search and found the entrance where the water went from 6 inches of viz to 60ft of viz.  It was super clear water!! From the inside looking out, the entrance reminded me a bit of the Devils system where the clear water mixed in with the yellow lake water. 

Mike walking his tanks down to Cannonball Cave, Missouri

 We tie off the primary to the gold line and drop our oxygen on the gold line as well. We get through the low ceiling without any issues single file to where the cave opens up into a large borehole passage with some interesting fluting and some nice clay formations on the walls.

Cannonball Cave, Missouri

There were bones of some dead fish that might have made their way into the cave and the crayfish might have feasted on their carcasses. 

We travel through a natural bridge which was interesting and made it to the pit.  The Pit descends to around 280ft. and we were not prepared for a dive that would require a plan for that depth.  We ended the dive  and exited the cave without incident. We completed our decompression obligation and exited the water to a nice cool mid day fall sun and a great end to the day.  Now its a 7hr drive back to Chicago!!! Anxiety can come in the most subtle of forms and any awkward mis-understanding before during or after the dive is always good to communicate and mitigate and take action thereafter.  I am glad eh dive was successful and the weekend of Missouri cave diving was great.

Video of Cannonball Cave :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2H0QTwnnQI