Illinois: Mermet Springs; A Revisit
Diving in First Class
6724 N, US-45, Belknap, IL 62908
September 18th and 19th, 2020
Dive Buddy: Kai K, Kenneth F, Dakota B
27’ for 31 minutes, 50’ for 38 minutes,
40’ for 30 minutes, 96’ for 30 minutes
46’ for 51 minutes
Mermet Springs offers submerged training platforms, easy entry docks, depths from 15 to 120 feet, and numerous sunken treasures to explore. The entire spring is smaller than Haigh Quarry with guide lines underwater, making it easy to see multiple artifacts on a single dive. The biggest attraction is a Boeing 737 that was used from the movie US Marshals (1997). The plane was sunk nose down, going down to about 50’ of water with the tail end in about 15’. The wings have been removed as has everything from the inside which makes for easy penetration and wreck training dives.
Air fills, and gear rentals are done via a tab system where you pay at the end of the day or weekend for what you used which makes getting air fills faster and easier.
Visibility was better than last years visit, but still what you would generally expect from diving a lake or quarry in the Midwest. There was a thermocline at about 30’ which, again, is expected.
There is not much aquatic life on the shallow side; a handful of blue gills and several large catfish that live under the dock. During the swims from the platforms to the suspended Cessna and boats a paddlefish was seen on each dive. Following the wall along the deep side of the quarry, there were several large paddlefish that were feeding along the northern most wall in about 25’ of water.
