October - Maverick Grotto

The monthllJ newsletter Of The Ft. Worth mauerick Grotto
I
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MAVERfC.K
Copyright 1999 Maverick Grotto.
The mauerick Bull is the monthly
newsletter of the Maverick Grotto, an
internal organization of the National
Speleological Society (NSS G-322).
The editor invites all individuals and
other grottos to submit articles. news,
maps. cartoons, art, photographs,
and other two- and three-dimensional
goodies. If the material is to be
returned. a self-addressed stamped
envelope should accompany it.
Reprinting llrticles: lntemal organizations of the National Speleological
Society may reprint any item (unless
copyrights belong to the author as
0tated in the byline) first appearing In
the MLe::idc B.i1l If proper credit is
given and a complete copy of the publication is delivered to the editor at the
time of publication. Other organizations should contact the editor of the
M:f.e:i.ck B.i1l at the address herein.
cavers. The Maverick Grotto will
provide one free issue to persons
interested in becoming members.
a re $15 per year for nonmembers and
free for members.
membership PoliClJ: Any individual with
interests, beliefs, and actions
consistent with the purposes of the
Maverick Grotto and the National
Speleological Society is eligible for
membership. Acceptance of new
members is based on payment of
dues and a mandatory three-trip
requirement with at least three different grotto members. These three
members shall act as sponsors. At
least one sponsor must attend the
meeting at which the membership
vote is taken. A two-thirds majority
vote of the members present will be
required for acceptance.
[omplementary newsletters:
second Tuesday of each month at
Smokey's Ribs. 5300 E. Lancaster,
Fort Worth. It is located less than
one mile west of Loop 820. The time
is 7 p.m., and the food is good.
The Maverick Grotto will provide
complementary newsletters to
persons or organizations that
provide cave access (I.e. landowners)
or otherwise provide assistance to
[arbide: Grotto carbide is available at
the meeting if prior arrangements are
made. Carbide is free for the asking.
Contact Russell Hill at (817) 220-7108
exchange newsletters with other
grottos. Contact the editor.
Photos and Rrtmor:k Other [redits
Thi:i month':i cover. The Madonna.
Cave of th¢ Madoona. ~Chad Fenner
Page~ 4, 5, 6: Cave of the Madonna,
l7y Chad Fenner
P8'3e9 7, 8, 9: Sotano de Amezcua.
tiy Allan Col:>!:>
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or Butch Fralia at (817) 346-2039
for more information.
Librarq: Support your grotto library.
Subscription Rates: Subscription rates
Meetings: Meetings are held the
Exchanges: The Maverick Grotto will
B
Proofreading: Laura Davie Goff
Mailin~ li&t: Sharon Maetl:>rook
Russell Hill is accepting books, magazines. and videos related to caves
a nd caving for our library. Thanks to
Russell for his efforts in transporting
the library collection to meetings.
[hairman
John Langevin
2314 Willing Ave.
Fort Worth. TX 76110
(817) 924-2822
Uice-[hainnan
R. D. Milhollin
101 Hosack St. #3
Arlington. TX 76010
(817) 459-3959
[email protected]
Semtal1Ji'Editor
Ed Goff
2505 Wedg lea Dr. #204
Dallas, TX 75211
(214) 942-6024
[email protected]
Treasurer
Sharon Mastbrook
3412 Walton Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76133
(817) 346-2039
[email protected]
[aue Rescue
Call collect (512) 686-0234
Uisit Dur IDeb Site
The Maverick Grotto wel:>eite ie at
www.fwee.net/np/maveric~rotto.
Webma6ter: maveric~rot~t.net.
Space donated ~ Fort Worth
Star-Telegram Online 5ervice6.
·I~r.Tele ram
~
OnJlne ~rvtcOctober )ggg
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September
minutes
Old business
/•,,nn-;,;rrn,,,;r1 g,"1ve a
::-al Kea v;11eri
:',.,ir.11()!->, GGY"'l;?intn <v;t:.-i dr·ie:..1
The Sr:f!Cr:rnber 13 mee1.ir1g began
tion v;a<;_, movc:d to Keller-'s. Ji YV!l'.2'
at approxi1r1ately 7 p.ifi. at
decided that the party l". ill be
"f)r·ing-your-own-food." See notice
October meetinu
belO\N.
The next. meetinq will be TucS<d:Jy,
f..J~t1ok1{y',_3 rZi!J~!
"t;iee-r-"
anr.J \Na:, calk:d t:o or
rti1111~t,e0
der 32
ard
lat.er· l-,y Chair-rnan
t~e
d,..eade.c: v1ord
rr1e'1t:nn1;d, r;c the lnr:EJ-
,'JrJcJ
1
John l_,1Jr111r:v1r:.
t:J~ere
1-vrl
£:.'.'.1 ro shade
grotto
n~e~e:be~·s
attended
the .?n'!:.;,~I :_abo,· LJ;:;y ~-fjf, p;"r:ject
at: BL,0".::c;rr;ant:;, a2' 1ve:I as t'<e
a-s TC'
~rr1nkt'y'':i
w!I! ~'e- .onothr::r gr·oo\ty
f"::Jm t:ht: 1->!E~Ei.
Trip reports
Bew,_1,·e,
Rib::, b()()()
;;.l!dee~"!Ovv
Ilauember meetinu
~'"ir:~
Everyb:.;Jy
your be0t; 0 !de0 or
t..,_o,;ember [;, for a
Deports Imm Olfirnrn
:epidcpterot~:;
Lanci+st.er. at. 7 p.ni. The program
Uisitorn
\/a~iou;;o
en oc:r
t.a:k
spec:n1e1;s t,\;ereof.
Or.:tnf1r,r 11, at
Dem business
Rnnouncements
r;;l:.des~o;v
-fa;--,i;;~_,;c:ng
-::agwt~il"'
0::lidc0h::;'A' at- -,,h:;; ;.-:;-,: rr-ec ·:,i42 ::>f
Prnqram
::re: year.
two lr;rge (:arrp-
0'.;cle prz:jt:cl=or for cave-f'f::;,t::!J (uf'
Rites of fall
W:; rave re&,TVe<i
0:ter' Ch;-;t.1_.;ir be ur>cd by t'.'1Ct'.'1b1·r2>
:10:e:a:-ed b:it in::er~sting) pr0-
By R. n. milhollin
and guests, or ;::ttenrlees rn;;y r·ent
griirns, Any fur--r::her- ideas for this
t:heir own private 0:te-s if deslr-e~-
q~ther'.ng
The :1nnua! fali party hosted by t.he
M:1vr:nck C}rotto 1.v1!1 be: held S;:itwr-
shou!d be broui1ht to
t,he. Maverick meeting -the 0econd
/\t:te:ndee"°'
art:
advi"."it:d
tu
br-irg
r Ut:sday of Clt-to!J{;(,
tfv:ir own food and beveragr:s;
grii.15 wlli be av.>)'labi0 J-nr t:noklng.
'.oc,Tted just we:Yt
MJne:ral Y/eils
1r :··010 !"'int.,..,, C'ourlt.y. rne 01te i;;
21lr,;:·1:; 1 :1c
B:-hz:.:~
R:ve;r ~<d fca-
::crr<; H:·t:a;;; _.;!on-::
tt1(' (1;-:r:k cA:it;.;b:c
SilJ'la-re'.ated act1v:-:;:ee as \veL
as a far11i:y c"'11rpi1q area a fet•!
!'undre;:J
~:Jack.
-,,e pa,.k';;
::>atur;:iay activities could Include
or rt,, Wort-h head Y/:!0t· O< :-20 t-:::
s;vln-;m;nq, yanoeing:, rcpe. clirr:bin,;i
the US 180 exit. ano fo:!ovv 180
{big tree:). £-1::.uha d'.vi<g ir:
Kingdr;~•1, .-~rL'.i
Ba;:: YV:Jr:d
eno,;e:'
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possit:<y -sri;:;s to
:vFre,·;i: VJe:ls lf
vecple
a:-e
Sst.;r"day ri11h":. lVil
:rurested.
-iost-1 kel:y
itie:::; i.ccL de :::le.sr re:B·> ~:::c'"10,
0-o,..1::"b, '10\: :-:1110:
vvcJts~,
c::ild rLrtiirt::
t:r:r_:ic•J o{ :Jntrit,ivc :-,r
elect ··icvl:y-s:;ppl!ed
csrrp0:-'Ce~.o, D r'v:
a covered picnic .tireo
Llt:tuber l99Y
i.-i
case of ra·n.
r.hru:1gh '1Vehthc,.furo t>; M:nrr;;i:
"/1e:!s. Co•1tinue past. M:rera\ Y\!e\!0
o~
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~or
3 n1i:e0, ty;en
or S·o>..:th K:-::~e,.., R_,::_:a::1 fc"
[; rr0rc -.1Je0. f_,-( a: t.!-'(-;
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a pr·iva:-e
:1ar<::inq :s $:2 dai y, ::::"'iv:.te
~5 {pr-:w1~~.ve)
r::::ver (er pote~tiai caver) is -.ve:-
ten<;; s:tes
con1e t.o att:et1:.i; sorr.e
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Spar to t.he left of me. ... Spar to the right of me.... Scslenohedral ("dogtooth") phrestic calcite spar typical of Madonna. Um. right:?
madonna
Like aUirgin
might fall down the drainr I was always
last when the P.E.
coach said to run to
match up wo well. At first. it; wasn't oo
bad-all the beginner trips were fairly
the fence and back. I was always last-
easy--bur;. soon it got harder. I found I
picked for the foo-tball pickup games. In
had to start a workout schedule a few
fact, the only soort for which anyone
months before a caving trip to Ulke the
By Chad Fenner
ever wanted me on their team w8s
chicken fights. since I was so skinny.
edge off the cardiovascular problems I
was bound to htive. Even caves like Hidden
You know who I am. You may not know me
The perfect rider. I was never far from
and Guns1ght would wear me COl'l".pletely
specifically, M you know my type.
my asthma inhalers.
out otherw1ee. I worked my~tf ..up" to
I'm the guy you used to make fun of
for being so skinny. You know the jokes:
..Do you have to run around in the
shower to get wet? Why no. then he
In other words. I've never been the
athletic type.
Caving is an athletic activity.
Those last two su:itements don't
medium-difficult-y caves like Three fingere
and Ogle, but even that taxed my body
to
the max.
But I always wanted to go to that
Octobe11999
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"next level." I can remember my flrot
in better shape, and Golondrinas was a
Guads trip. While I was headed off on the
long way off, why waste it? So I signed up
meeting me at my house Frid8y afternoon
"beginner" Black Cave t.rip, the experienced
for a Precipicio "trip. Warmup for Golondri-
for the drive out. John Langevin and Mike
guys were off to a cave called Madonna.
nas, right? Wrong! Wake-up W8S more like
Huber were meeting us at the Hill. Unfo,....
Miile we were gone a total of six hours.
it! I couldn't believe that after all that
tunately, we didn't get out of Fort Worth
they were gone 12-16 houro. We had a hor-
work I w8s still in such b8d sh8pe. Back to
till after 7 p.m., and with a one-hour delay
izontal cave. and they had hundreds of
the dr8wing board, increase times and re-
around Carlsbad, that put us on the Hill
feet of vertical work over multiple drops. I
sistances. Gotta work h8rder.
at around 4 a.m. Oddly enough, our late
wanted
to go to Madonna. I later leamed
of Golondrinas with Its 1000 foot free-
So harder I worked.
So now it's 10 months Later, I gotta be
Ed and Vivian Loftin (from Austin) were
arrival had little Impact on John and Mike,
who were ready to go at 8 a.m. (Note to
drop ent-rance. More recently, I found Out;
in sh8pe now, right? Of course I 8m. I'm in
readers, all times are Texas times. Mike
about Precipicio, with it's six-hour, 2000
the best sh8pe I've been in in yec:irs. The
wH just have to subtract an hour.)
foot elevation rise JU5t to get to the
Golondrinas trip has been postponed to
entrance.
the spring. H8te to W8Ste all that exer·
In any case, we got ready and were on
the road to the Madonna tra1lhead by
cise. Let's go to the Cave of the Madonna.
10 a.m. After a leisurely drive down a road
caves in csving today, but they're cer-
The big kids' trip. The one I wanted to be
that would give a Hum-Vee problems (and,
tainly a class above what I was used to.
on 10 years 8go as I marched down the
as Ed put it, shedding some unneeded
The "next level~ for me.
trail to Black Cave.
paint off my new truck), we got to the
These may not be the most hsrdcore
Most of you probably already know
I won't lengthen this report by the
that last Thanksgiving, Ed announced a
three volumes necessary to expl8in why.
and took us about 30 minutes. We were in
Fall '99 Golondrinas trip. This was it. I
but this was my flrst Three-Mile Hill trip
the entrance room at. noon.
had abo~t 10 months to get ready. If I
since my Ford died on me. It was the first
uailhead. The hike down was uneventful
I'm sure you've all read descriptions of
started working out now, surely I'd be in
chance to break in the new Dodge Ram
the first drop. about 220 feet Into a
good enough condrtion by then.
with less then 9,000 miles on it.
It W8s gonna be a great t.rip.
domed room. No words can describe the
Three months later, I did feel like I was
rush I felt as the room opened up m all directions. My deepest drop to date had
been the 180 foot Ogle entrance drop.
This was deeper, all free, and in the dark.
The rest of us made a short jaunt
around the big room while Mike rigged
Dean's Drop. This drop is about 160 feet.
through a chimney, and not entire:y
st-raight down. A rebelay was rigged to
help euide the rope. Mike assured us that
all we needed was our hamess. rack, and
a safety Jumar.
Dean's Drop was uneventful, and not
near aE> much fun as the big drop. but we
all made rt: do.vn past the rebelay easy
enough.
The rest of the day was a blur. We were
surveying in a room off the wine cellar. If
you've ever heard stories of the blue dog
tooth spar formations in Madonna .:ind
shook your head in disbelief. believe 1t.
Stick your camera under any ledge alonq the trail and you'll likely get- a e->hot like. this.
Oclober 1999
They are eve~ere. There was also oome
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ft.at-bottomed popcorn Mike referred to
Shield. We came, we photographed,
as "popcorn tra~.·· Beyond that, there is
we left.
!!>till a long hike up and back to the truck.
nothing more than the usual array of in-
But now I was 1100 feet below the
.....+ieels of my truck and had been in the
VMan was quite gracious and stayed with
cave 12 hours or so. New would be the
test of my 'MJrkouts.
.....+iat I was thinking, she beqan conooling
credible formations found in any worldclass Guads cave.
I had never surveyed before, oo initlally
I was re~ted to running tape and
Immediately. I knew I was in trouble. The
gofering. Not "that I minded-gofering in a
first b;lge going up Dean's Drop was just
cave as ·ncredible as Madonna was cer-
too high and too slick for me to get up it
with my pack. I struggled quite a bit before slipping out of my pack and finally
ished drinking the t-hird. Even oo. it was
me the wtiole way. Almost al!> if she knew
me on how Golondrinas v.ouldn't be nearly
as taxing as this tr;p. No hike, all rope
a back shot tha't was perfectly suited for
scampering up the ledge. John was able
work, and a shorter time in the cave. Up
to that point, I had almost decided to
give up the hope of making it to this ~next
Je:-;el" of caving.
I finally did make it back to the truck,
a beginner surveyor. I asked John If I could
to get up with both his and my pack. He
but. Ed had to drive It back to camp, arriv-
tainly a briar patch I was willing to be
thrown into. After a .....+iile though, we had
see if I could shoot this one. To my sur-
handed it to me, I tethered
prise, I was within a degree of Mike's fore-
went. Bu't I had already exhausted myself
well that night, and even a week later still
shot on azimuth, and matched him
just getting up the ledge. I still had 140
feel "behind" on my sleep.
exsctly on inclination. From that point it
feetto go.
was Mike and I running the tape and in
ft;,
and up I
ing at around 4 a.m. again. I didn't sleep
So riow what? I either have to give up
It was very slow, and when I finally did
this dream or wake up and realize that for
strurnente, .....+iile Ed and Vivian did plan
reach the top the only thought I had was,
me to cave at this level is going to take a
and profile sketches. John seized his op-
"How on earth are these four people
gonna haul my fanny out of here?' I even-
lot more work that I imagined.
portunity and spent the next several
hours shooting 96 frames of film. guess
.tually caught my breath and asked Ed to
time and resistances again. Maybe even
his sabbatical from photography is over.
help me by carrying my c.amera out. I
do stairs with a pack on my back.
After a few hour"B of that, John and I
rested as John came up Dean's Drop,
swapped and I shot a few of my own pho-
then some more as I let John go
tos. Finally, Ed and Mike decided that
ahead of me up the big drop.
enough was enough and ended the survey.
That left me alone and last up
Mike jokingly said, "It might be hard, but
the big drop. Ed did note, and
do y'all want to see if we can find oome
was quite correct, that the big
prett-lesf' I had been overwhelmed already
drop was actually easier then
but had still not seen the famous
Dean's because ofthe use of
Guardian or the Shield. We headed back
mechanical ascenders. I was
to the Wine Cellar, rested a bit, then
slow, but consistent, and finally
headed off in search of "pretties." Almost
made it up.
immediately, we entered passage more
and a long way from my truck.
make the anticipation wor-5e. Mike kept
the big drop was now an anchor
saying, "It gete bett-er ahead." Haw could
that weighed me down as I
it7 This was jaw-dropping as rt was. But
started up the hill. knew imme-
he was right. Wrth every tum. the cave
diately I was still in 'trouble. For-
j ust kept getting more beautiful.
tunately. Vivian had pity on me
The vertAcal gear that got me up
and was willing to carry my verti-
my camera. I was snapping photos like
cal gear up for me. So now my
there was no tomorrow. We got to the
two heaviest items were in other
back and saw the famous Guardian and
people's packs, and I just fin-
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I'm not gMng up yet.
But I was still 600 feet bel0\1-1
decorated than the Speleogasm room in
Panther. A "wow" at. e»ery turn. And to
I finally couldn't stand it and broke out
Next week, rm going to increase my
H~licr:iu!:J
in th(! Wine C(!/lar
October 1999
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other exotic
places. Chri6tine Krejca. s
college student visiting her sister from
Juneau, Alaska. was busy remembering all
the things one needs to know for deep
vertical caving. since she had just taken
this purouit up about three days before
with gym, tree. and cliff practice In the
Austin area. Once we were all back together at the big trucks. we sped off to
the dusty backroads of the M~ican
border state that lie just south of the
Rio Grande and Ami5tad Rt:servoir.
The entrance sink of SoUlno de Amezcua
Sotano de Rmeic:ua
Coahuila, ffieKico
The worker we were carrying was responsible for inspecting a former windmill
well recently converted to electric. The
water in the large tank looked cool and
inviting, but the cave beckoned. We con
tinued to the ranch compound where Jean
conversed with the owner over a radio,
and ooon we were dnving across the ievel
gravel plains 1ooking for the sink. We drove
to where we were within easy walking distance of the entrance, and we all fanned
out across the landocape looking for a big
hole. Wrthin 10 minutes it was located,
and we drove t.he trucks to within yards
of the entrance e.lope. The thick bed of
gravel that made up the surface land-
B11 R. D. ffiilhollin
scap<: was ~posed down to about 50
feet where bedded limestone $hOwed
Peroonnel: Melonie Alspaugh,
Don Broussard, Allan Cobb,
Chrietine Krejca,
R. D. Milhollin
Jean Krejca,
On July 21, 1999. a small group of caver5
began a trip to observe the habiu; of a
species of blind cave catfish of the genus
Prie.tella. This 6tUdy is an ongoing project
of Jean Krejca. Ph.D. candidate at the
Unlveroity of Texas at AustAn, and the
current
president of the UT Grotto
(NSS) In Austin. We all assembled at her
apartme~ about 6 p.m., threw gear 1n
one of two heavy duty trucks. and headed
off to San Antonio, where Melonie
former UT Grotto president
and recent resident of France. picked up a
sleeping bag from her mom. After a feast
Alspaugh,
Dclober 1999
at an all-you-can-eat restaurant along
the way, we were off to Del Rio, Texas.
where the Ranch Motel provided sufficient
lodging for the night, especially ~r a
cold faux· M~ican beer. In the moming we
were up and outta·there. We enjoyed a
fast breakfast and then crossed over the
border into Ciudad Acuna. Jean met. with
the landowner and agreed to provide a
through. In that rock were t.wo holes. each
leading straight down 70 m (about 230
feet) to the main cave chamber. About
halfWay down, the two chimneys joined
together to form a single chamber, then
diverged again, oo we had two completely
separate acceoo routes. We rigged a
handline to the axle of Jean's truck and
took turns taking ouroelves and our gear
ride for a ranch worker to his property
located well outeide of town. Don
down to the rigging polnte. The 5lope was
Broussard. veteran Texas caver, made
ing the slope were easily dislodged just.
sure the cervaa was well
stocked for the
day we v.ould exit the cave, and even had
a special double-insulated ice chest that
worked better than I could have imagined.
Allan Cobb related 5t0ries of adventure
and intrigue gathered from his work aa a
cave archBeologlst in Guatemals and
steep. and the rounded col?bles compri5·
from walking, oo caut.ion
was necessary
at all times. No one came down the slop<:
while someone else was on
rope. and be-
cause of this and other precautions no
one was surpri~ by falling rocks while 1n
the chimneys. Rope 1wa5 thicker than 2.
but the route it followed down had a
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The next day work began. Jean has
visited Amezcua several timee. in the
past and h.as developed a method of
"tattooing" the cave catfie;h that allows
her to identify each one uniquely without
Home away from home in Amezcua
couple of twiste that made it hard on
gear needed for the intended stay, while
the rope. I attempted to descend rope 2,
Jean began preliminary biological work at
the downstream sump accompanied by
Melonie and Christine. V'Aien they re-
but my F'etzl Stop simply would not hold
on the rope. I elected to !Wlitch to rope 1
and had no problems. All the other6 who
descended rope 2 subsequently commented on how fast rt was, and a couple
depended on leg wraps to control their
descente.
By late aftemoon we were all in the
main chamber, which was about 50 feet
wide and whose steeply sloping floor was
composed of large boulde~ and small
rocks that had fallen from above. At the
lower end of the room a stream ran under
and through the floor. flowing out of an
upst-ream sump a short crawl away. and
harming them. This method depends on
colored pigmente placed under the skin
in different partS of the body. Jean began her work in the cave by taking note
of the fish she could see and identify at
both the upstream and downstream
sumps. Water clarity was not as good
as had been noted dunng previous trips.
po56ibly due to recent rainstorma in the
area. I was as6igned the task of looking
into the down6tream sump. and Don and
Allan were glad to help. The dive gear
was divided up between the three of U6,
and we began the trip through the low
area. It was about 30 m (100 feet) long
and the ceiling quickly lowered to the
point that the only way through was to
crawl on one's back with nose and mouth
to the ceiling, while dragging the gear
bagi:; behind with tJ free hllnd. Don led
flowing into a wide but very low crawl that
led to a smallish canyon, then to a downstream sump. At the upper end of the
main room alope was a good 0iud tirea
floored with ooft wil washed in from a
crack. We made camp here by leveling
areas big enough to sleep on, and began
to set up a camp krtchen. A latrine was
set up in one of the side rooms belON the
slope: all drinking water was brought in
and all wae.te taken out. A fow tnps to
the surfau brought in the last of Che
Page 8
R. D. Milhollin klt:5 up for a i:;ump dive
tu med, dinner was in order and a surpnse
the way. and Allan and I followed. not
cache of cold urvezas helped round out
quite believing what he heid done was
the first night.
really possible. At the far end, a short
October 1999
....
I
HE
duck-under led
MAVERICK
to the small canyon,
which opened up into fine tall passage,
but which ended in a sump after a few
hundred feet. Here we reviewed protocol
and planned procedures. then I kitted up
and entered the sump. The in-water visibility quickly dropped to negligible, and
after about 20 minutes of t.rying I was
unable to determine what I felt was a
way through. With air supplies in the
twin sidemounted 40 cubic foot capacity tanks diminished by a third, our
team began the ex~ to the main room,
Bu
LL
side made a convenient place co leave my
the line she was carrying ended below
diving gear as I prepared to assist Jean
move eicross the air-filled passage upstream. We each grabbed a fin and a
tank and traveled slowly up the mud
etreambed. traversing a large fi55urecontrolled room that resembled a gothic
t.he water level, so the tug I felt was her
trying to pull any free slack up so she
could tie another length of dive line to
the short end s he held. The room goes
only a short dietance before eumping
again. More explorat.ion is needed.
During our dive the other team mem-
chapel. This led into a short pool area
that required wading, and then ended at
the sump. My arm was the only tie-off
bers had been busy transporting all the
camp gear to the surface. Following our
stopping along the way to engage 1n
some caver-hydraulics. Don noted that
the water 1n the long, low crawlway was
held in place by a couple of large gravel
banks, so he directed an effort to dig
the stream paesage deeper, allowing
more water to head downstream. Within
30 minutes the water in the crawlway
had been lowered by almost 10 cm (4
inches ). This made the trip back much
less exciting. That evening Jean decided
that she and I e-hould make a tandem
dive through the previously explored and
lined upstream sump. Our goal was for
her to check out the next sump. which
had been discovered on a previous tnp.
She led a group to the surface to gather
up and t.raneport her dive gear tot.he
site. That night the food wae Inexplicably
delicious. and was followed by Allan's
generous rations of Dove chocolates.
which came accompanied by appropriate
"fortune cookie" sayings.
In the morning following breakfast, we
geared at t.he pool, and Jean began the
dive preparations at t.he side of the upst.ream sump. \A/hen appropriate checks
were done, she dove through first., and
I followed. The first sump was t~ht in
some places. but actually had some
visibility once the initial rest.rlctlon was
passed. Severeil marked and unmarked
cave catfo~h were visible as I took my
time referencing the passage. At the
other side Jean was waiting in a chamber
completely plastered in mud. Deep mud
made the ftoor. and a mud bank on one
Oclober 1999
Heading inr;o the
~ump
point available for the dive line, and
before she submerged Jean took a tent
stake left as a survey marker from a
previous tnp to t.ie the line co if and when
she found passage on the far side. As
her light faded, the sounds of the cave
became apparent. There were dripping
sounds as water and mud flakes fell from
the ceiling all along the passage behind
me. I could feel Je;:1n moving dlrough the
sump through the line I held in my hand,
and after about 7 minutes I felt a strong
tug .at the other end. I gave slack and
felt no other tension for around 5 minutes when the tell-tale feeling of a diver
traveling along a line resumed. \A/hen she
surfaced, Jean explained that she had
indeed found an air chamber. but that
return to the main room, we dekitted,
and began t.o climb back up with wet dive
gear and half-full tanks. Jean elected to
make one trip carrying both of her tanks,
but I chose co make two trips with
half the weight e.ach time. The sun was
blazing as we emerged . .and the cold
beers stashed in Don·5 super·cooler
were a just reward for the hard work
we had completed. We visited the
windmill water tank on the way out
just to confirm that it held cool. clear,
swimming-quality water. It did. This trip
co Sotano de Amezcua was exciting and
fun-filled. but more work remains. both
m the study of the cave fish popul.ations
and in the exploration of passages
beyond the sumps.
Page 9
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15·17 October 1ggg, Texas [auer~ Reunion. f li1t c;r::ek f~a11r-J1, near F'cdcrn.::do~' F:c111,,, Statt:
in Bianco County,
<.l'~G October iggg, lllauelirk 6rntto fall Party. Kele"s Catrpir.q and "v f"ar<, f"clo f'int,n '"""nty. S110 pa.ie :c.
l2·lq Ilouember 1999, [o]arada Bend State Park Project. Cc•ntoot Tt>r~1 f"oblnger (512) 443·4241.
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2fi ·1B Iluuember 1gqq, Carlsbad fauems [Rf. Cortact Ba··be Bar,er (FJ72) 594·1153, "avmc:@gtc.rcT
!0·12 Dernmber 1999. Colorado Rend Slate Park Prnjert Contact Tc"''.:i Hoicolrqer (512) 4"1c·/e24':,
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