Posted on 12/31/2006 7:08:41 PM PST by Mo1
Cool.
Does she zot trolls?
Proof.
:-)
Longest Underwater Cave Found?
Mark Stevenson, Associated Press
March 6, 2007 —A pair of cave divers said Monday they have found subterranean passages in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula that constitute the world's longest underwater cave system.
British cave diver Steve Bogaerts said he and Robbie Schmittner, of Germany, found flooded underground passages connecting two previously known cave systems — a discovery that shows how interconnected and vulnerable the Yucatan's fabled underground water system is.
Gene Melton, chairman of the Cave Diving Section of the U.S.-based National Speleological Society, a nongovernmental association that tracks cave explorations, confirmed the discovery.
For thousands of years, Mayan Indians depended on water found in the caves and in lakes formed by sinkholes — areas where the caves' ceilings collapsed, opening them to the surface. The lakes dot the Yucatan peninsula, now one of the world's fastest-growing sites for tourism and resort developments.
Bogaerts said his dives proved a connection between the Nohoch Nah Chich caves and the Sac Actun system, which together measure 95 miles in length. That connection shows that many of the seemingly isolated watering holes are part of a single larger system, he said.
The longest previously known submerged cave system is the 91-mile Ox Bel Ha system, located in the same general area, according to documents posted by the Speleological Society on its Web site.
"That's the important thing for people to understand. ... The point is that they're so interconnected," Bogaerts said. "There are so many cave systems that if there's a point of pollution in any one particular area it can spread very extensively throughout the entire system."
Bogaerts and Schmittner spent four years swimming the length of the system, making about 500 dives with scuba tanks, linking one sinkhole lake to the next. Some passages were "big enough for a jumbo jet," while others were so narrow divers had to remove their tanks to wiggle through.
The breakthrough discovery — the passage connecting Nohoch Nah Chich ("The Giant Birdcage" in Maya) and Sac Actun ("White Cave") — was made by the two divers on Jan. 23.
Jonathan Martin, an assistant professor of geology at the University of Florida, said the discovery — which has not yet been published in scientific journals — appeared feasible, based on the geological formations of the Yucatan.
Longest Underwater Cave Found?
Mark Stevenson, Associated Press
March 6, 2007 —A pair of cave divers said Monday they have found subterranean passages in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula that constitute the world's longest underwater cave system.
British cave diver Steve Bogaerts said he and Robbie Schmittner, of Germany, found flooded underground passages connecting two previously known cave systems — a discovery that shows how interconnected and vulnerable the Yucatan's fabled underground water system is.
Gene Melton, chairman of the Cave Diving Section of the U.S.-based National Speleological Society, a nongovernmental association that tracks cave explorations, confirmed the discovery.
For thousands of years, Mayan Indians depended on water found in the caves and in lakes formed by sinkholes — areas where the caves' ceilings collapsed, opening them to the surface. The lakes dot the Yucatan peninsula, now one of the world's fastest-growing sites for tourism and resort developments.
Bogaerts said his dives proved a connection between the Nohoch Nah Chich caves and the Sac Actun system, which together measure 95 miles in length. That connection shows that many of the seemingly isolated watering holes are part of a single larger system, he said.
The longest previously known submerged cave system is the 91-mile Ox Bel Ha system, located in the same general area, according to documents posted by the Speleological Society on its Web site.
"That's the important thing for people to understand. ... The point is that they're so interconnected," Bogaerts said. "There are so many cave systems that if there's a point of pollution in any one particular area it can spread very extensively throughout the entire system."
Bogaerts and Schmittner spent four years swimming the length of the system, making about 500 dives with scuba tanks, linking one sinkhole lake to the next. Some passages were "big enough for a jumbo jet," while others were so narrow divers had to remove their tanks to wiggle through.
The breakthrough discovery — the passage connecting Nohoch Nah Chich ("The Giant Birdcage" in Maya) and Sac Actun ("White Cave") — was made by the two divers on Jan. 23.
Jonathan Martin, an assistant professor of geology at the University of Florida, said the discovery — which has not yet been published in scientific journals — appeared feasible, based on the geological formations of the Yucatan.
Would you like to volunteer for my trampoline jumping techniques? :P
Interesting story, Resty. I get a bit claustrophobic in caves. I went to the Cave of the Winds once and it was beautiful but there were places where you could only walk through single file. You felt like the walls could just squeeze in on you.
I was in such awe of the place, it didn't bother me too much, but I sure was glad to see the sunshine again.
Spelunking sure wouldn't be my hobby of choice!
Looks like Nutly has the need for speed!
What's that for, Null?
I love going through those caves it is exciting!
My absolute favorite VK........
"Here, little mascot......"
I take my hat off to the people who do that... It certainly takes a lot of guts.
Swimming along subterranean passageways with no idea where they will lead or how long they are.
And she's mine! All mine!
Well, except when she's her own.
They're alright to visit, but I wouldn't want to live in one. :P
I've swum? in the underground ones for quite some distance, but they all had a cave structure and cenote holes now and then.
Our friend actually swam under-water in very tight conditions and came up into another opening on the surface in a lagoon. It was scary as he was underwater for a long time. He could hold his breath for a long time in those days, don't know if he'd try that now.
This would be very bad for the Yucatan if all these underwater rivers were connected for all their sewerage dumps into them and far out into the ocean. Like they said in the article, the sewerage could eventually connect and all that gorgeous water could get contaminated.
Now that would be nasty. :(
Cats are never owned, they put up with us because we're their slaves........
Hmmmm.....can a beaver paddle faster than a shark can swim?
I'll have to check up on that. :P
Are you a spelunker?
My download is fast but my upload sucks. Sounds like life, only the other way around.
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