Cozumel Exploration

[sandy]

We have a group of eight in Cozumel doing some exploration and survey work. The area in which we will concentrate has two entrances about 200 feet apart but have not been connected. We will concentrate our efforts on Sin Nombre - Slim Chance entrance aka Duck Pond. The team is led by Deepairmike, our exploration leader, his wife, Slim, Arctic Mike Bar, SG, Mike W, Jlillest, MA, and myself.

Our goals are to:
1. explore unexplored leads
2. survey the cave
3. produce a map
4. connect Sin Nombre - Slim Chance to Sin Nombre
4. take some pictures

Also, we may do some work at some other systems depending on our schedules.

Yesterday, we all did an orientation dive at Aerolito de Parasio to get to know each other and make sure our trim and weight were OK. After this dive, we did an orientation at Sin Nombre - Slim Chance to get to know the cave. Today, we plan to clean up some lines and start our survey work.

Thanks to Deepairmike for putting this trip together. Also, thanks to the NACD, Living on the Edge Adventures in Gastonia, NC, and Hollis Gear for their contributions on either this trip or the prior trips.

[Arctic Mike]

Here are the composite photos from MA of our prep dive in Aerolito de Paraiso. The team split in two today. One team began the survey in Sin Nombre and the other went to Cocodrilo for mapping and photographic documentation.

[sandy]

Well, here is an update from our Sunday and Monday dives. At Sin Nombre - Slim Chance, we have:
1. Surveyed 2200 feet of cave. This includes the main line and 7 jumps off the main line.
2. On one jump off the main line, Jlillest discovered some new passage which has potential for further exploration. It has several branches which we began laying line and surveying yesterday.
3. Deepairmike found a lead at the entrance of Sin Nombre - Slim Chance that may lead to Sin Nombre. Sin Nombre is an entrance about 200 feet from Sin Nombre - Slim Chance. The formations in this cave consist of a dark sturdy limestone, and the depths are around 45 to 50 feet. Sin Nombre - Slim Chance has dark and light brittle formations and has depths ranging from 25 to 30 feet. The lead that Deepairmike found had a shaft that descended to 45 feet with different formations so we are optimistic that we may be able to connect the two.

We have also had a team doing some work at the Cocodrilo system just down the road. They have pictures and videos for the purpose of documentation and sketching of formations, historic items, and an air dome. There are many passages still to be explored in Cocodrilo, mostly in the back (beyond 4000 ft) of the system.

[sskasser]

Excellent progress! Thanks for the update!

[Arctic Mike]

Yesterday we remained in two Teams. Slim, MA and Arctic Mike headed to Aerolito to document the Canyon. The rest of the crew headed to Sin Nombre to continue our mapping efforts. We had to abort the Sin Nombre plan because the Land Owner had some special function going on so the rest of the Team came over to Aerolito. German Yanez was teaching a cave class at Aerolito and told us about a newly discovered cave entrance off of a local beach. The Sin Nombre players decided to head to the beach and check this lead out. They found 2 openings, one very tight side mount entry that needed to be dug out for entry, the other approximately 6 feet by 15 feet. Through this entry line was run for about 1000 feet with on going passage ahead and many side tunnels begging for a return trip.

Attached is a MA photograph from the Air Dome in Cocodrilo. The Dome is more than 3000 feet back in Cocodrilo and the walls are a collage of different types of old shells.

[sandy]

Today, we still were not able to go back to Sin Nombre - Slim Chance but we have the go ahead tomorrow and expect a great day. We have input more data and have surveyed about 2800 feet so far. Tomorrow, we anticipate a report that we have added new line in new passage.

We went back to the ocean and dove two caves today. In one, we ran line and surveyed several hundred feet. In the other cave, we added about 400 feet on line in a side passage and surveyed the main passage. We believe the two caves meet but have not connected them yet. Hope to have more specific data in the next post.

[Arctic Mike]

Wow, not much activity on this thread so we thought we would let y'all know.......

[SuPrBuGmAn]

...The team is led by Deepairmike, our exploration leader, his wife, Slim...

I laughed



But seriously, great report, looking forward to more updates!

[deepairmike]

We did conect the two!!!!!! we tied into a pink line ran it until it hit the main line (sin nombe) surveyed back out. To bad we don't have survey data of that side already.

[TONY CHANEY]

Great news and a very good Hollis advertisement. Take care.