Cuba cave diving

[Walter Pickel]

It would be really interesting if the NSS CDS did a issue featuring the caves of cuba!!

I know this thread is quite old but I have been doing some research into Cuban Caves and did find that in Volume 27, No. 6 of Underwater Speleology there was a pretty extensive article on cave diving in Cuba as well as the Dominican Republic.

[Herbie]

There is a lot of cavediving potential on the island of Cuba. Comparable to the cenotes of Mexico as was stated previously. My parents are from there and my father says he spent many days hanging out , swimming in clear spring pools. He also mentioned going dry caving with candles. Its my goal to definitely explore Cuba's caves in the future, lets pray travel restrictions end and a better opportunity at life for the citizens of one of the Pearls of the Antilles.

p.s. just a note its pronounced KOO-BAH not Q-BAH.

[Taucher-Tom]

hope to get more information soon.

I met Peter Diez, the guy who wrote the book about cuban caves from which I posted some information on this thread last year.

A crazy (German) cavediver like me and he wrote a book like me. One thing lead to another, he showed me some pics which looked very promising and finally we started planning an expedition to check out cuban underground.

He has good contacts to officials over there and so we got permission to explore and even support from them.

There are a lot of caves in the province Matanzas, but we are heading to Holguin. The "Tanque del Azul" is one of the caves we´re interested in. Looks like there are a lot of sinkholes in a line from there to the ocean (about 2 miles) and we will try to connect them.
The Cuban officials are interested in mapping "El Baga" and this is task No 2.

He will be there all January and February but the rest of the team and me join him for just two weeks.

Looks like there are a couple of problems to be solved. He´s going to bring 10-12 tanks from Matanzas which is about 450mls away, so we will have about 25 tanks with DIN valves alltogether.
The cave entrances to both are a little bit remote so we get a military transporter to come close and will have to do the rest with horses and mules.

No glue yet how to get to the other (virgin) cenotes and I can´t wait to find out.

[sskasser]

Wow, exciting stuff, Tom! I do hope you'll keep us updated with regular trip reports and photos!

Dive safe and have fun!

Shirley

[mdax]

When talking with German about cave diving in cuba he said the Cuban government may be interesting to deal with. They did not have a relaxed attitude regarding foreigners in their caves.

Apparently they are very sensitive about caves as they feel they are a good place to escape if attacked by the U.S. Not sure how to request government approval...but i can bet it'd be far better than surprising them...

[phillip1]

I was organizing my trip to Cuba just before I messed up my knee and had to postpone.
I found out that cave diving is officially banned due to numerous accidents there and you have to go on the DL to dive.
Also I found out from divers in Germany that the longest flooded cave there discovered so far was 1600 meters in Varadero, they also told me there are numerous Cenotes but most of them don't go and are deep pits similar to what is found around Merida in Mexico.
I was told that on the North coast around Varadero and just east of Varadero is were there appears to be more horizontal flooded caves as opposed to pits and is the area with the most potential discovered so far.

Planing on going there early in November for three weeks, would have already been there but I got in a fight with my ACL and could not go...Arrrgh!

[alanf]

I was there with Juan Carlos Carrillo in 2005 as part of a knowledge exchange between Mexico and Cuba. An amazing time in an incredible country. Definitely tread carefully. Caves are strategic and as mentioned before, the Cuban government are sensitive about this. Actually I heard something similar about Mexico when it comes to surveying. I am not sure how true that is, but it seems on the likely side of possible.

[Taucher-Tom]

We´ll be there this friday for a two weeks trip to find out.

There´s a good chance to get some pictures you might be interested in.

[WEPIV]

We´ll be there this friday for a two weeks trip to find out.

There´s a good chance to get some pictures you might be interested in.

Das ist prima gut Tom! Bitte mach viele foto. Wann komt du nach Florida weider?

[Taucher-Tom]

thanks Gene, I´ll try to, but it´s impossible to compete with you.

Unfortunately I´m not sure about the next visit to Florida yet. Hopefully by the end of the year, but first you have to come to Germany my friend!