Dual Reabreather exploration: Blue Abyss, Sac Actun Sistema

**starnawski** · 04-17-2011 12:35 AM

My latest Pit exploration tread: http://www.cavediver.net/forum/showt...exploration-cd.
ended with remark that my goal is to connect The Pit and Blue Abyss. This idea will have no sense if there will be no way to pass rock collapse in Blue Abyss tunnel. That’s why before diving in The Pit I did week long exploratory dives in Pet Cemetery. First 3 days pass on looking for proper crevice on the bottom of Blue Abyss allowing me to squeeze through restriction. To look further in some of them I used ad hoc constructed camera rig which was pushed as far as possible in crevices. Dives were done on Dual HH to maximize bottom time. Next 3 days was spend on exploration of chosen crevice. I was swimming with Dual HH to about 65m depth, remove and deposit CCR. From there, with no mount configuration I explored going every day further and further. After 4th day, I discovered small passage and next, huge collector. I named newly discovered way: TKM (English translation of this polish synonym is not appropriate for publication J, let’s just say that I used a lots of “blip” words during my 3 days ordeal) .

After this discovery , because I was sure that Blue Abyss is open for deep penetration, I was able to concentrate on The Pit exploration.
After extending line in The Pit and discovering “saw” (one can say: jojo), up and down, profile there, I decided to go back to Blue Abyss exploration. For this, to be successful, I decided to take with me CCR through two restrictions and farther through rock collapse. Next few days were used to slim down my Dual HH by removing non-essential parts and making unit as streamlined as possible. Also, lots of training time was spend on CCR “remove-pas through-mount” procedure.

April 15th, unfortunately alone (my support team had to go back to Poland) I completed 7 hour long dive. 40 minutes of which was spend past final restriction on exploring and cartography. I laid about 200 meters of new cave line, marked new passages for future projects and end my Blue Abyss exploration on 101m. depth.

At present, due to my other obligations and need to prepare for next 16-20 hours dives in The Pit, I’m taking break and returning to Poland. Next Mexico trip is scheduled for September.

As always, big thanks to Protec Playa for preparing gases, lending me scooter and tanks as well as allowing me to use their tool shop. And gratitude to my team, Irena and Mark for support in first stages of exploration.