https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/17/worlds-longest-underwater-cave-system-discovered-mexico-divers-gran-acuifero-maya?CMP=soc_567
World’s longest underwater cave system discovered in Mexico by divers
Discovery of 347km-long cave by the Gran Acuifero Maya project could shed light on Mayan history
dv said:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/17/worlds-longest-underwater-cave-system-discovered-mexico-divers-gran-acuifero-maya?CMP=soc_567
World’s longest underwater cave system discovered in Mexico by divers
Discovery of 347km-long cave by the Gran Acuifero Maya project could shed light on Mayan history
Ta. On reading up about this, it appears that it’s almost all shallow depths (max depth 71 metres?).
Sistema Sac Actun (from Spanish and Yucatec Maya meaning “White Cave System”) is an underwater cave system situated along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula with passages to the north and west of the village of Tulum. Exploration started from Gran Cenote 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) west of Tulum. The whole of the Sac Actun cave system lies within the Municipality of Tulum. Since 2007, the Sac Actun system has “frequently exchanged the title of the longest underwater cave system in the world” with Sistema Ox Bel Ha at 270.2 kilometers.
The technique of establishing jungle exploration camps at newly found cenotes and cave entrances of Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich allowed cave diving exploration effort to continue more efficiently at the edges of the known caves. The main camp of exploration became Cenote “Far Point Station”, located 6 kilometers from the coast, and 2.8 kilometers further inland than Main Base Camp situated at the main Nohoch Nah Chich Cenote entrance. In early 2007, Nohoch Nah Chich included 36 cenotes.
Upper Paleolithic remains. In March 2008, three cave divers explored a section of Sistema Aktun Hu known as the pit Hoyo Negro. At a depth of 57 meters the divers located the remains of a mastodon as well as at 43 meters a human skull that might be the oldest evidence of human habitation in this area to date. Additional bones were located and the skeleton was later identified as that of a teenaged female now referred to as Naia.
Location of most if not all of the cave system.
Found a map. Not far from the temple of doom.
There are over 6000 different cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This cave system is in a state of Mexico named after an Australian animal “Quintana Roo”. Must be marvellous hunting territory for cave divers.
This big cave system is outside the boundaries of Chicxulub Crater, but in the same limestone area. Compare:
TripAdvisor’s list of Caverns & Caves in Yucatan Peninsula
Click on link to Sac Actun for 479 photos of the Sac Actun cave system.
It is all very fascinating. I am a big fan of what is under our feet.
roughbarked said:
It is all very fascinating. I am a big fan of what is under our feet.
“Ten years under the Earth” by Casteret is one of my favourite books. It’s all about the early years of caving in the Pyreneese before and after world war ii. Never out of print. Eg. He did all his caving naked with just a candle attached to his head. Contains insights into cave animals, prehistoric culture, temperature etc.
mollwollfumble said:
roughbarked said:
It is all very fascinating. I am a big fan of what is under our feet.
“Ten years under the Earth” by Casteret is one of my favourite books. It’s all about the early years of caving in the Pyreneese before and after world war ii. Never out of print. Eg. He did all his caving naked with just a candle attached to his head. Contains insights into cave animals, prehistoric culture, temperature etc.
I’m often only wearing a bash hat.
roughbarked said:
But are you a genuine troglodyte?
mollwollfumble said:
roughbarked said:
It is all very fascinating. I am a big fan of what is under our feet.
“Ten years under the Earth” by Casteret is one of my favourite books. It’s all about the early years of caving in the Pyreneese before and after world war ii. Never out of print. Eg. He did all his caving naked with just a candle attached to his head. Contains insights into cave animals, prehistoric culture, temperature etc.
I’m often only wearing a bash hat.
Michael V said:
roughbarked said:But are you a genuine troglodyte?
mollwollfumble said:“Ten years under the Earth” by Casteret is one of my favourite books. It’s all about the early years of caving in the Pyreneese before and after world war ii. Never out of print. Eg. He did all his caving naked with just a candle attached to his head. Contains insights into cave animals, prehistoric culture, temperature etc.
I’m often only wearing a bash hat.
I used to wear overalls to prevent rope burns & chafing.
wouldn’t be fun getting your tackle caught up your ropes and descender etc…
poikilotherm said:
wouldn’t be fun getting your tackle caught up your ropes and descender etc…
Even your pubes would smart a bit in the descender.
Michael V said:
roughbarked said:But are you a genuine troglodyte?
mollwollfumble said:“Ten years under the Earth” by Casteret is one of my favourite books. It’s all about the early years of caving in the Pyreneese before and after world war ii. Never out of print. Eg. He did all his caving naked with just a candle attached to his head. Contains insights into cave animals, prehistoric culture, temperature etc.
I’m often only wearing a bash hat.
I could be described as; reclusive, reactionary, out of date, or brutish.
This is an interesting list – List of troglobites.
5 molluscs, a velvet worm, plenty of arachnids and millipedes, one centipede, one reptile (beauty rat snake), plenty of fish, insects and crustaceans, cave salamanders. But no mammals or birds.
A troglobite is an animal that lives entirely in the dark parts of caves. Not to be confused with troglodyte. Roughly speaking, troglobites may be classed as troglofauna (the land-dwelling species) and stygofauna (the aquatic species).