Lubuska Jama - Croatia

We have started our adventure in Croatia with conquering Patkov Gust pitch (-543 m) in 1999. Completely enchanted by the country itself and the exploration potential it possessed, we made a decision to come back. Thanks to the cavers from Zagreb - Darko Baksic and his wife, we got granted a permit to perform exploration in Northern Velebit. The following year, we went to conquer the Croatian undergrounds.
The expeditions were organized by Polish clubs from Lubuskie voivodship, i.e. Speleoklub "Bobry" Żagań and Speleoklub Gawra Gorzów.
Our caretaker was a Croat - Darko Stefanac.
In 2000 we discovered over a dozen of caves among which the potential bore Lubuska Jama. At the time we reached -330 m stopping over yet another pitch.

ph: M. Furtak

Year 2001 in Croatia had very interesting prospects. Magnificent formations of Lubuska Jama, huge pitches, meanders... We counted on a big cave. During over a dozen of actions, being chocked out by the weather, great thunderstorms and terribly wet rains, cut off from the cave by great waters, we reached the depth of -521 m. Here, having descended another 65 pitch, we encountered a meandre. We were convinced, that it is only a matter of a very short time when another series of huge pitches open before us. Alas, the meandre and a stream floating at its bed ended as a sump. There was no other way. We are certain that the sump is just hanged and past it, the cave goes further and deeper.. "Perhaps even to -1000". Lubuska Jama is situated higher than Lukina Jama. Discovering a link between these caves would mean finding a system of a depth of -1417 m. There is only 100 m of horizontal distance between the two. A cave situated like Lubuska Jama according to Croatian cavers has to descend further. Hence, there is a good reason to come back here. Perhaps with a divinggear, or maybe we should try to organise an expedition with the Croatians and Darko Baksic in winter. It might be then, when we will have reached further down, below -521 m.

Expedition participants: Piotr Pilecki -chief, Artur Nowak, Daniel Cieszyński, Marek Siarek, Jarek Woćko, Paweł Duliniec - Speleoklub Gawra Gorzów, Marcin Furtak, Daniel Oleksy, Łukasz Wojtowicz, Tomasz Kuźnicki, Marcin Oleksy - Speleoklub Bobry "Zagań" and Robert Matuszczak - Wielkopolski Klub Taternictwa Jaskiniowego Poznań. The caretaker of the expedition was Darko Stefanac from Zagreb. The expedition was also visited by cavers from Zagreb.

Sumary: during the two Zagań-Gorzów expeditions (2000-2001), over twenty caves were discovered, among which the deepest one was Lubuska Jama -521 m.

Furtak M., 2001 Przez meandry do głębin (Chorwacja). Jaskinie, 22:10-13.
Furtak M., Discoveries in the Velebit Mountains in 2000. In: Polish Caving 1997-2001. KTJ PZA, Kraków, p. 32.
Furtak M., 2001 -500 w jaskini Lubuskiej, Chorwacja 2001, Jaskinie, 25:11-12.

	ph. M. Furtak