Expeditions

Two expeditions - Tomasz Fiedorowicz

Cerro Rabon 2004, Sistema Cheve 2004

Six cavers from Poland and USA explored Cueva de los Tres Amigos in the high parts of the Cerro Rabon in Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. They attained the depth of more than 650 m still high above the resurgence of Rio Oropan which gives much more water than encountered in this cave. The massive is thus promising for exploration.
Polish cavers joined Bill Stone in exploration of caves situated close to Sistema Cheve in Oaxaca. In several vertical caves they discovered 5831 m of new series with total vertical extent of 1969 m. The area is highly promising, with many leads left open because of the lack of equipment during this reconnaissance trip.

Tres Amigos cave ph. P. Skoworodko	Tres Amigos cave ph. T. Fiedorowicz

"Dry" summer in Hagengebirge - Dariusz Bartoszewski

Cavers from Sopot and Wrocław continued their exploration in the Hagengebirge massif in Austria in summer 2004. They dived in Kastanienhohle without getting to any new series and made a few smaller discoveries in this cave. They also searched for new entrances, finding a couple of pitches up to 80 m deep, without leads.

In "Snowy Queen" cave, ph. Sz. matysiak	"Bridges" in Kastanienhohle ph. D. Bartoszewski	Section of "Snowy Queen" cave

Thirteenth expedition - Tomasz Haba

Speleoklub Wrocław continued its exploration in Picos de Europa. They deepened A-3 to 490 m and found some new series adding to its new length of 1250 m.

Dawn landscape seen from the camp	A-3 entrance.

Izbucul de la Tauz - 424 m forward - Włodzimierz Szymanowski

Six cave divers led by the author continued exploration of the Tauz resurgence in Romania. The sump is now 424 m long with maximum depth at 85 m, and with about 30 m of depth missing behind the deepest place to reach the surface. Earlier dives ended in a steeply rising well, which farther passed into a spacious chamber where the direction to follow was obscured by turbid water. This is the longest underwater exploration by Polish cave divers.

ph. W. Szymanowski

ph. W. Szymanowski

Poland

Śnieżna Studnia - pond or sump?

Expeditions from ST Zakopane have recently added about one kilometre to Śnieżna Studnia, mainly in Czekoladowe series. Farther progress was stopped by a pond suspended in a chimney wall. After lowering the water level by 3 m it appeared to be a sump much longer and deeper than suspected at first glance.
Pod Wantą a few metres longer
After adding about 30 m, Pod Wantą is now about 520 m long and maintains its depth difference of 172 m.

Żydowska Cave

Żydowska Cave in the Nida Valley gypsum karst area has been successfully surveyed when made accessible during lower water level. It is 25 m long

Caves in Middle Triassic caves at Świbie - Wojciech Rogala

Six small caves have been explored in a limestone quarry in Silesian Upland

New caves in Ponidzie - Agnieszka Markowiak, Artur Ponikowski

A few farther small caves have been explored and surveyed in the Nida Valley gypsum karst area. The caves were known to local residents who dump litter in them.

Kadzielnia is an abandoned quarry near the centre of Kielce, turned into a park with an open-air theatre inside. It is also protected as a geological reserve with its karst phenomena as an important aspect of it. Caves are explored with the aim to make them accessible for public.

1. Odkrywców cave, 2 Prochownia Cave, 3 Szczelina na Kadzielni cave, ph. J. jach, M. Saganowski

In the land of watches and knives - Włodzimierz Szymanowski

The author describes conditions for diving in the major Swiss resurgences: Source de la Raisse, Source de la Chaudanne, Source de la Bellegarde and Sorgante Bossi.

Rinquelle resurgence, ph. W. Szymanowski	Source de la Raisse , ph. W. Szymanowski

Slovakia

Ciasna Cave the route into the Szeroka Jaworzyńska massif?

The author describes the situation and history of exploration of Ciasna Cave, notable for the dramatic intermittent waterfall from its cliff entrance. He suggests that farther exploration may lead deep into the massif and 450 m upwards.

S. Ogaza in Ciasna Cave, ph. R. Gradziński 50-ties of XX century

The third cave of the Slovak Tatra

The author describes history of exploration of the caves in the Szeroka Jaworzyńska massif, especially the problems raised by the recently introduced controversial law in that regulates access to caves in Slovakia.

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Last change 2006.02.22