Mermet Springs Dive Weekend October 19th & 20th!

Rick Smith   Aug 24, 2024

Mermet Springs is one of the great Midwest dive destinations! Toucan Dive really looks forward to going there, and Toucan Dive wants you to join us!  Going there in late autumn is so much warmer than it is in the Chicago area.  It’s quite nice both above and below the water line.  Mermet Springs has just about everything a diver could want!  It is in relative proximity of our area.  This makes it logistically possible to get there, go diving, and get back to the Chicago area on Sunday evening.

Mermet Springs AttractionsMermet Springs is an 8.5 acre spring fed quarry.  The water visibility can be exceptional and can range from 15 feet to over 60 feet!  Sometime it can be even greater!   Water temperature can vary from rather cool during the winter months to the mid 80’s in the summer.  The quarry has many wonderful attractions for the divers.  There are airplanes, trucks, buses, even a petting zoo! The biggest attraction is the 727 jet liner from the movie “US Marshalls” with Tommy Lee Jones and Wesley Snipes!
Underwater platforms are available to organize and practice your buoyancy.  Reference lines on the bottom of the lake, guide divers from one attraction to another, so you can never get lost (even if you are pretty good with a compass!).
No fishing is allowed!  Animal life abounds at Mermet Springs!  Lots of big fat catfish move about!   The acclaimed dinosaurs, the paddlefish, constantly interact with  divers.  Schools of bluegill are so thick, they can literally block out the sun!  Mermet Springs is an awesome place to go diving!
 
Safety And Fun
Mermet Springs is a full service dive shop with gear rental, and air fills.  There are pavilions that can be utilized to keep out of the sun.   These can protect divers from liquid sunshine (rain) as well.  There are changing rooms, bathrooms and hot showers available!  Mermet Springs is really focused on divers’ safety.  O2 and first aid kits are available for any type of potential issue.  The entire staff are wonderful and very helpful.  It a real pleasure for all of us that return again, and again.

The Particulars
The dates are Saturday, and Sunday, October 19th & 20th.  This excursion includes your accommodations for 2 evenings for Friday and Saturday at the Baymont Inn. It includes your entry fees into Mermet Springs for both Saturday and Sunday.   The price for all this and all the fun is $159.00 (double occupancy)!  Single occupancy is $254.00!  Your deposit in the full amount is due by November 5th.

For those that can leave early enough on Friday, you can join us at El Tequila Restaurant in Metropolis, Il.  We meet at 8:00 PM for dinner and put the final touches on our weekend plans.  Those divers arriving late, we will meet you in the lobby of the hotel, the following morning!  We can discuss logistics of the weekend at that time.  This will be great fun as we wrap up our scuba training season!  Hope you can join us!  Check out the video of this great place to dive!