After the day’s dive, 3 empty line reels
the equipment is staged at the roadside
The locals lash together the single cylinders
More Than A Mile
Saturday, September 16, 2000 –
The teams were Grant and Karl dowstream push, Terrence and Kyle upstream push and Tony and Mark upstream exploration along the existing line. Mark and Tony found one promising passage, and Terrence and Kyle surveyed two side passages. Grant and Karl had the most interesting dive today. They found a passage that opens up into an extremely large room and seems to continue. With what has been surveyed so far, we have gone over one mile – over 5280 feet. For cave explorers, coming back with empty reels gives them a great sense of accomplishment. It certainly raises the excitement level. We still have not found any other cenotes from which we could exit or enter the system.
The downstream team of Grant Graves and Karl Shreeves made a two stage push using nitrox on the line they had left two days ago. They continued through some phreatic tubes (tunnels) before breaking into some areas that were low and wide. Beyond that, they continued to swim, with the cave becoming tighter and twisted. Then abruptly, it opened into a large room, followed by a tall passage that ended in what Karl called “the most spectacular gigantic room I’ve ever seen.” The room was more than 400 feet long and 60 feet wide, with a vaulted ceiling rising more than 20 feet above them. “The left wall was painted in flowstone,” Karl reported, “with massive, thick stalagmites piercing through a floor of broken rock, like shingles.” Both Grant and Karl said the room was perhaps the most awesome sight they have seen cave diving, anywhere. “That we discovered it is simply gravy — this room would blow my mind if a thousand divers had been here before me,” said Karl. The team has named it “House of the Gods,” in Mayan. (We’ll post the name when we learn how to spell it!) Grant and Karl surfaced after a an hour and forty-four minutes, having added more than 1000 feet to the existing line . . . and it’s still going.
When we arrived back at the resort today, we were joined by the remainder of our team – George McCulley, Renee Power and Thecia Taylor, all from Little Rock, Arkansas. George and Renee will be diving and they spent the afternoon getting their equipment in order, checking cylinders and practicing their survey skills on the beach. With eight divers and one support person, we should be able to produce an excellent survey map of this system.
Send questions or comments to the trilobite.
Questions and Comments To the Trilobite
Hi everyone,
Nice work on the updates and the pics. Kyle, how is the light? Did it flood or did ya break a bulb? Just kidding. Good luck with everything. Keep the updates coming.
Eric FineThanks, and the HID lights are doing fantastic!
Hey!!!!
What about those underwater photos?!? From Steve’s camera. . .from the video . . .? Take care.
CU!Unfortunately, I do not have the software to effectively pull stills from the digital video. As for photos from Steve’s or Grant’s cameras, I didn’t bring a scanner and they don’t exactly have 1 hour processing around here.
Hey Kyle,
The next time you go to one of these expeditions, why don’t you remenber to take along one of your family Geologists? Keep up the good work!
David & CydneyWe just need to get you cave certified . . .
Kyle et all
Where are the maps? Do you have Word on your computer. If so you can draw rough maps and send them out on the web. You guys are great. Have you contacted Tom Illiffe at Texas A&M about the critters you are seeing? He is a great cave diver and could probably use the location, abundance and types of critters. It would be helpful if you could mark these on the maps you are making. What about cave fill? Have you seen any animal bones or mats of organic material with wood debris? If you can give me a long. lat. location I can put a regional map together for you. Also do you have a GPS to get good locations?
Keep up the great work and know there is someone out there (ME) extremely interested in your work,
Bob DillYes, we have a GPS and here are the longitude and latitude numbers: N20 deg. 15.476min. W87 deg. 29.131min. Using Excel, I have created a simple map of our survey of Cenote Camilo.
Wow…..an underwater room named for me….I can’t wipe the silly smile off my face!! Thanks Sweetie! The updates are wonderful and I can’t wait to read them each day. Wish I were there instead of “land-logged” at the office. Don’t bring me back any knarly spiders………..
Love, ShawnSorry, the spiders already packed themselves. But don’t worry, they don’t look like spiders because they’re the size of poodles.
Hi Dad. We miss you and Love you! From Brooke and Peyton!
Hi Honey, I figured this thing out a little; I just read about your dive yesterday, to cool! Well all that being said I miss you alot! Our house and Bed is not the same without you; How many more days to go? Special kisses and keep up the good work! I’m proud of you! Thanks for calling home today and remembering Peyton’s birthday, it meant alot to him. You guys dive safe!
Thinking of you always, AngelaHi guys, I miss you, and love you all very very much, 7 more days and I will be back, love Dad.
Hello All – keep up the good work blazin’ trails and posting emails. Wish I was down there sweating off a few pounds with you. We’d love to join your expeditions next year – please let us know the dates as soon as possible so that we can schedule them in, as we are already having to book our charter boats for next year.
MortWe wish ya’ll were down here as well. As for next year’s schedule, we’ll let you know as soon as we do. You can always check the website calendar for the our projected dates.