First Impression

The Entrance. Concrete out house.

Missle Access Doors. These are above the dive area.

First Flight of Stairs

Blast Doors & hallway. The structure was built to sustain a near by nuclear blast and still function. part of the M.A.D. program of the 40s, 50s, & 60s. M.A.D. = mutually assurred destruction.

Command Center Room (Changing Room for Divers)

The changing room was also a place to hang out while waiting for your dive. This room contained the command center. The command center was a huge metal container. There were two floors inside the container. The container was suspended by springs to absorb the ground shake from a near by nuclear blast..

Changing Room

Hallway to Missle Tube

The Dive Platform. Water is 130' deep and 59 degrees. It is an altitude dive at 2400 feet above sea level. The water seeps in through the concreate. This is because it is below the water table. Studies indicate that the water is turned every two months from the surrounding water table. This is what keeps the water fresh. It is actually potable.

This is the room that contained the Atlas missle. The missle was surrounded by support structure that was suspended from springs. The springs would absorb the ground shake from a near by nuclear blast and still allow the missle to fire. The missle was raised to the surface level before being launched. I mistakenly thought that the missle was fired from inside the tube, but it was not designed that way.

The Steps to the platform. Suspended by cables. This was scary the first time. Steps sway and there is nothing but air for 20' to the water.

Platform up. In years past a ladder was the only way to the water. The steps must be a huge improvement.

Daryl & Jen warming after 1st dive. The first time down was weird. It is dark & cold. The walls are smooth concreate and provide not point of reference. Judging ascent and descent rates was difficult. Watching computer consistently provided the securist method for changing depths. We dove a second dive after about and hour and fifteen minutes of surface time. This dive was much more comfortable. We were comfortable and knew what to expect. Very enjoyable the second time. There is some metal structure that was left from when the salvage companies removed all the metal. Some AC ducts were also left behind. There is also a work platform or closet at about 70'. It is recessed in teh wall. Interesting to see items that were part of a nuclear weapons support structure.

Terry after 1st dive. He is a dive master and my diving buddy when his wife is not with us. She is also a dive master. Air temp is around 64. We learned quickly that going topside was necessary to warm up after getting out of the water.

Top side after diving.

Feel free to e-mail me questions.

Rick