6) Arkansas - Norfork Lake:
Dave was no fool. He handed me a tank and told me about a sunken bridge I could look for. The government built this expensive bridge in the thirties and flooded it ten years later when they built the dam. I concluded this was a novel way to cover up government expenditures.

7) Missouri - Bonne Terre Mines:
In the past, I dived the Florida springs and the Yucatan cenotes, but this system was man-made. An incredible testament to the human work ethic, this underground world is both a rustic cathedral and a vast, water-filled subway.

8) Illinois - Mermet Spring:
After years of listening to exit-door instructions from flight attendants, I finally got the opportunity to swim through one. Since I knew planes don’t "land" on water, I decided this must be their ultimate destiny. The seats had been removed, but the windows were still in place. It was entertaining to peer out and see fish swim by. W made our escape through the rear of the plane, which was blown open for the movie. It was now an emergency exit for the diving crowd.

9) Kentucky - Cerulean Spring:
David Westerfield, the owner of Cerulean Springs, gave me directions over the phone. I was at a truck stop, and with the help of every patron in the place, I managed to find my way. It was a cloudy Easter Sunday, just like the weather man predicted. Well dressed people were filing into local churches. I was going scuba diving in a quarry. God is everywhere.

10) Tennessee - Dale Hollow Lake:
A dry suit is superb in a rainstorm. Once you manage to put it on, you couldn’t be more comfortable. I donned my other gear and entered the lake with only a vague idea of where I was headed.