texascavers Digest 15 Dec 2010 05:13:14 -0000 Issue 1210
Topics (messages 16703 through 16716):
Cascade Caverns sump dive report
16703 by: Charles Goldsmith
16705 by: George Veni
16712 by: Andy Zenker
PBSS December Meeting
16704 by: J. LaRue Thomas
rescue in Bulgaria
16706 by: Mixon Bill
16708 by: dlocklear01.gmail.com
16709 by: Geary Schindel
Re: going to Mexico
16707 by: freddie poer
Bexar Grotto Christmas Party!
16710 by: Joe & Evelynn Mitchell
New Zealand cavers to receive funds for deep cave exploraion :
16711 by: JerryAtkin.aol.com
The next generation of digital topographic maps
16713 by: dirtdoc.comcast.net
Greater Houston Grotto Christmas Party
16714 by: James McLane
world famous pits
16715 by: Geary Schindel
1,609 meter deep pit found
16716 by: David
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--- Begin Message ---
A big thanks to all of the help for the tank haul to the sump in Cascade
Caverns on Saturday. James Brown dove the sump, starting at 10:36am and
resurfanced approximately 40 minutes later. James extended the cave by 366
feet until he ran out of guideline. Per his report, "Start of Sump dive is
the smallest at 6 feet wide and 2 feet high. Underwater passage after air
bell averages 12 feet wide and 6 feet high. Maximum depth is 31 feet."
We'll be going back at the end of January or beginning of February to push
this further.
Thanks go out to the following people:
Tom Sims
Gerry Geletzke
David Serafine
Layne Hedrick
Ian Riddington
Brandon Cook
Andy Zenker
Lyndon Tiu
Peter Druschke
Gerry and Andy also explored Raccoon Ramada cave that is on the property,
but did not get a survey yet. We'll be returning to do that as well. The
entrance to this is a very tight squeeze and I don't know anyone else that
has squeezed into it. I'd be curious if there are any records of this.
Charles
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
My congratulations to James and the team which made this discovery possible.
I dove the sump in 1982 and found it ended in mud fill at a depth of 5 m. It
seems that floods since then washed out that plug. I admit to not having had
much hope for the sump and am glad to be proven wrong!
As for Raccoon Ramada, it was discovered and explored by Randy Waters about
30 years. He never got around to surveying it. He did survey and draw a
pencil draft of the nearby Spider System. If anyone is interested in
finalizing that map let me know. It would be a simple matter to digitally
trace his draft. Unfortunately, Randy is no longer with us to complete the
map himself.
George
From: Charles Goldsmith [mailto:wo...@justfamily.org]
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 19:25
To: Cavetex; Scott Kyle
Subject: [Texascavers] Cascade Caverns sump dive report
A big thanks to all of the help for the tank haul to the sump in Cascade
Caverns on Saturday. James Brown dove the sump, starting at 10:36am and
resurfanced approximately 40 minutes later. James extended the cave by 366
feet until he ran out of guideline. Per his report, "Start of Sump dive is
the smallest at 6 feet wide and 2 feet high. Underwater passage after air
bell averages 12 feet wide and 6 feet high. Maximum depth is 31 feet."
We'll be going back at the end of January or beginning of February to push
this further.
Thanks go out to the following people:
Tom Sims
Gerry Geletzke
David Serafine
Layne Hedrick
Ian Riddington
Brandon Cook
Andy Zenker
Lyndon Tiu
Peter Druschke
Gerry and Andy also explored Raccoon Ramada cave that is on the property,
but did not get a survey yet. We'll be returning to do that as well. The
entrance to this is a very tight squeeze and I don't know anyone else that
has squeezed into it. I'd be curious if there are any records of this.
Charles
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Hi George,
I'm interested in surveying Raccoon Ramada. I'd also be happy to work on
the Spider System.
Everyone else,
I'm sure I can borrow some survey gear, but I will need a couple of
volunteers to help survey. If anyone is interested, let me know. We'll get
it done in January/February.
Also, I'll be bringing vertical gear so we can hopefully check out Cascade
and Fisher sinks for fun next time.
Andy Z
On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 11:34 PM, George Veni <gv...@warpdriveonline.com>wrote:
> *My congratulations to James and the team which made this discovery
> possible. I dove the sump in 1982 and found it ended in mud fill at a depth
> of 5 m. It seems that floods since then washed out that plug. I admit to not
> having had much hope for the sump and am glad to be proven wrong!*
>
> * *
>
> *As for Raccoon Ramada, it was discovered and explored by Randy Waters
> about 30 years. He never got around to surveying it. He did survey and draw
> a pencil draft of the nearby Spider System. If anyone is interested in
> finalizing that map let me know. It would be a simple matter to digitally
> trace his draft. Unfortunately, Randy is no longer with us to complete the
> map himself.*
>
> * *
>
> *George*
>
> * *
>
> *From:* Charles Goldsmith [mailto:wo...@justfamily.org]
> *Sent:* Sunday, December 12, 2010 19:25
> *To:* Cavetex; Scott Kyle
> *Subject:* [Texascavers] Cascade Caverns sump dive report
>
>
>
> A big thanks to all of the help for the tank haul to the sump in Cascade
> Caverns on Saturday. James Brown dove the sump, starting at 10:36am and
> resurfanced approximately 40 minutes later. James extended the cave by 366
> feet until he ran out of guideline. Per his report, "Start of Sump dive
> is the smallest at 6 feet wide and 2 feet high. Underwater passage after
> air bell averages 12 feet wide and 6 feet high. Maximum depth is 31 feet."
>
>
>
> We'll be going back at the end of January or beginning of February to push
> this further.
>
>
>
> Thanks go out to the following people:
>
> Tom Sims
>
> Gerry Geletzke
>
> David Serafine
>
> Layne Hedrick
>
> Ian Riddington
>
> Brandon Cook
>
> Andy Zenker
>
> Lyndon Tiu
>
> Peter Druschke
>
>
>
> Gerry and Andy also explored Raccoon Ramada cave that is on the property,
> but did not get a survey yet. We'll be returning to do that as well. The
> entrance to this is a very tight squeeze and I don't know anyone else that
> has squeezed into it. I'd be curious if there are any records of this.
>
>
>
> Charles
>
>
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
The December meeting of the Permian Basin Speleological Society will be held
this Tuesday, December 14th, 7:00 p.m. in the back room of Murray's
Delicatessen in
Midland, Texas. We have the room at 6:00 so feel free to come earlier.
Murray's is is located at 3211 West Wadley in Midland.
Any and all are welcome! Although we have a bit of business, (another 5
Mouth dig to schedule, a Winter Tech report) we will be primarily being
Christmas-y and Murray's most excellent NY cheesecake will be involved.
For further infomation about the Permian Basin Speleological Society
contact: Jacqui Thomas jlrbi...@sonoratx.net, or Bill Bentley
ca...@caver.net.
Regarding The Hole News (especially trip reports): Kel Thomas
ktho...@sonoratx.net
PBSS web page:
http://www.caver.net/pbss/pbss.html
The Permian Basin Speleological Society was founded in October 1983 and was
chartered as the 300th grotto of the National Speleological Society on
January 18, 1984. The Permian Basin Speleological Society is an affiliated
grotto or Caving club with the Texas Speleological Association and the
Southwestern Region of the National Speleological Society and supports the
cave conservation ethics of the National Speleological Society.
National Speleological Society web page:
http://www.caves.org/
Texas Speleological Association web page:
http://www.cavetexas.org
Southwestern Region of the NSS web page:
http://www.caves.org/region/swr/
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
I know David posted something while this was going on, but I don't
recall whether a link to the whole story has been posted. An
interesting solution to rescue from a flooded cave; don't believe I've
heard such a story before. More common is trying to dam or divert the
water entering the cave. Anyway, here's a link.-- Mixon
http://www.speleo-bg.com/lang-bg/bfs/25-aso/400-rescue.html
----------------------------------------
All the world's a stage, but the play is badly cast.
----------------------------------------
You may "reply" to the address this message
came from, but for long-term use, save:
Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu
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--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Thanks Bill for posting that.
I can't wait to see the movie of that.
For whatever reason, that article was very Blackberry friendly. I haven't seen
any other web-sites upload like that. It was very easy to read.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Bill,
We were able to lower the water level at Dead Mans Cave in Kendall County
during the caving accident by removing some rocks at the entrance. This
lowered the water level a few inches which was enough to allow the recovery to
occur without diving. It only worked because the rocks were controlling the
level of the water in the cave where Thomas became trapped. So, there are
occasions when this will work.
Geary
-----Original Message-----
From: Mixon Bill [mailto:bmixon...@austin.rr.com]
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 10:12 AM
To: Cavers Texas
Subject: [Texascavers] rescue in Bulgaria
I know David posted something while this was going on, but I don't
recall whether a link to the whole story has been posted. An
interesting solution to rescue from a flooded cave; don't believe I've
heard such a story before. More common is trying to dam or divert the
water entering the cave. Anyway, here's a link.-- Mixon
http://www.speleo-bg.com/lang-bg/bfs/25-aso/400-rescue.html
----------------------------------------
All the world's a stage, but the play is badly cast.
----------------------------------------
You may "reply" to the address this message
came from, but for long-term use, save:
Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu
AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org
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--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Well said Bill.
--- On Fri, 12/10/10, Mixon Bill <bmixon...@austin.rr.com> wrote:
From: Mixon Bill <bmixon...@austin.rr.com>
Subject: [Texascavers] going to Mexico
To: "Cavers Texas" <texascavers@texascavers.com>
List-Post: texascavers@texascavers.com
Date: Friday, December 10, 2010, 7:42 PM
I'm getting downright discouraged by all the negative comments about Mexico and
all the trips that don't seem to be happening. I'm pretty well plugged into the
news, although my main and nearly only source is the New York Times, and I can
think of only one case of a random American tourist getting killed in Mexico
lately, and that was the guy on a boat near the gulf. A couple of other dead
Americans worked with a US consulate. Where are all the reports of random
tourists being ambushed on the highway and robbed, kidnapped, or killed? You
can be sure that one incident like that would make as much news up here as
fifty Mexicans killing each other (not that that's a particularly good thing to
say about the US press).
Remember the rule about never driving in Mexico at night, the insane Mexican
bus drivers, and the trucks with no lights? We didn't worry then, and the
busses seem to have been tamed. As long as you don't hang around the border
towns, I wouldn't be surprised if it's safer to drive now then it was then.
Of course, this is easy for me to say, I guess, because I gave up going to
Mexico ten years ago for unrelated reasons. -- Mixon
----------------------------------------
All the world's a stage, but the play is badly cast.
----------------------------------------
You may "reply" to the address this message
came from, but for long-term use, save:
Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu
AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org
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--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
The Bexar Grotto Christmas Party will be held this Saturday, December 18 at the
new home of Cindy, Patrice and Sophia at 307 Squires Row. The party will start
at 6:00pm. Bring a gift for the white elephant exchange, a dish for the pot
luck dinner and your adult beverage of choice.
If you need directions or have questions, call 210-530-9500.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Cavers get funds to explore deeper
NAOMI ARNOLD - The Nelson Mail
Last updated 12:30 14/12/2010
(http://inl.adbureau.net/accipiter/adclick/CID=fffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/aamsz=240x45_SPECIALOFFER/POS=RELEVANTOFFER1/acc_random=65877778307/pageid=9369
769032/site=s/area=s.stuff.nelsonmail.news/SOURCEDOMAIN=www.stuff.co.nz/KEYW
ORD=Fund%20NewZealand%20Cave%20DISCOVERY%20zealand%20Outdoor%20Kayak%20CHIEF
EXECUTIVE%20KAYAKING%20Ice%20Coast%20NATIONAL%20HISTORY%20GRANTS%20Chief?&_=
1292307306015)
A group of cavers who discovered the deepest cave in New Zealand has been
awarded a second Hillary Expedition Grant to explore their discovery
further.
The group, led by Waitomo's Kieran McKay, aims to find out if the Ellis
Basin system in Kahurangi National Park's Mt Arthur could be one of the 10
deepest in New Zealand.
Earlier this year, a team of three cavers, including Mr McKay, discovered
New Zealand's first kilometre-deep cave by making a connection between two
known passages in the Ellis Basin cave system.
The system went from 775m to 1026m with the discovery and is one of the top
80 deepest caves in the world.
It was the same grant that allowed the Extreme Caving Team to explore the
system in April this year, hailed at the time as the biggest piece of news
in the history of New Zealand caving.
The latest grant will help the team, which includes Nelsonian Jane Furkett,
to buy the technical equipment needed to explore deeper.
Their expedition is scheduled to begin next month and will take two months,
with follow-up trips throughout the year.
Sparc allocates Hillary Expedition Grants every two years, with each one
ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 out of a total $100,000 fund.
Other groups to be awarded grants are a New Zealand expedition attempting
to be the first in the world to sea kayak the rough waters along the
Borchgrevink Coast in Antarctica's Ross Sea, an attempt to make the first
speedflying descent off an 8000m peak in Tibet, paddling a waka ama from
Dunedin to
Gisborne and kayaking remote rivers in Papua New Guinea.
Sparc chief executive Peter Miskimmin said the adventures planned by the
expedition teams were "truly awe-inspiring".
"All New Zealanders are fascinated, and feel proud and inspired by Sir
Edmund Hillary's feats. These grants honour that history," Mr Miskimmin said.
"The people on these expeditions will need to be physically and mentally
tough. They'll need to plan well, yet be ready to deal with the unexpected.
They are the high-performance athletes of outdoor recreation and I hope
that, like Hillary, these adventurers go on to create their own inspiring
stories for New Zealanders."
Previous expeditions have included crossing the Greenland ice cap, big-wall
climbing in Pakistan, making first ascents including of a previously
unclimbed tower in the Aisen Province, Chile, and new routes on peaks in
Antarctica.
_http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/4456332/Cavers-get-funds-to-explore
-deeper_
(http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/4456332/Cavers-get-funds-to-explore-deeper)
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
The next generation of digital topographic maps
I may have missed a post, if so, I apologize in advance for the duplication.
However, I did not know about this previously and find it quite useful.
DirtDoc
>From the web site: http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/
US Topo is the next generation of digital topographic maps from the U.S.
Geological Survey . Arranged in the traditional 7.5-minute quadrangle format,
digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel like the traditional paper
topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known. At the same time, US Topo
maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public
distribution and enable basic, on-screen geographic analysis for all users.
US Topo maps are available free on the Web. Each map quadrangle is constructed
in GeoPDF® format from key layers of geographic data – orthoimagery , roads ,
geographic names , contours and hydrographic features - found in The National
Map , which is a nationwide collection of integrated data from local, State,
Federal, and other sources.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
The Greater Houston Grotto's annual Christmas party is scheduled for this
Saturday at the home of Don and Sid Formanek off FM 1960 in far north Houston
(near the Intercontinental Airport). Any cavers that might find themselves in
Houston this weekend are invited to attend. Here is the invitation from Don
and Sid.
Merry Christmas
It is time, once again, for the annual grotto party at the formanek’s
You may come as early as 6:30pm on Saturday the 18th and leave as late as 10:30
am, Sunday .
Please bring some kind of edible goodie to share, and you may bring guests, by
all means.
We will provide some beer, wine, soft drinks and water and some food.
Parking may be a little tight as our neighbor is also having a party. Our
address:
2115 Briarcreek Blvd.
Houston TX 77073
It's the 3rd house of the 2nd block on the right – but you can park at the club
house [unless there is a function there] and walk down the street to our house
[trees in yard have multi colored lights]
If you have questions, call 281-821-9876
Don & Sid
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Pictures: Guatemala Sinkhole Adds to World's Famous Pits
Not sure that I would place all these on the list but they are impressive none
the less. From the NGS web page.
Geary
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/photogalleries/100604-sinkhole-pictures-around-the-world-guatemala-city/#/sinkholes-holes-ground-2007-guatemala-sinkhole_21282_600x450.jpg
NGS photos of great sinkholes from around the world. Not sure I would call
these the greatest sinkholes in the world, but impressive.
Geary
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
NASA claims to have found a deep pit on a moon of the planet Saturn.
They claim to have an image of it taken by the Cassini spacecraft.
They believe that a mountainous ice structure over 900 meters tall
has a hole in the side of it that is 1,609 meters deep. The believe
that a liquid spews from this hole, or maybe some kind of frozen
dust made of whatever compound the mountain is made of.
They have named this feature Sotra and the area around it as
Sotra Facula.
The moon is Titan.
So what kind of caving gear do you rig the pit with? The rope
would be too stiff at those temperatures, and might break from
being too brittle.
Do you wear a down-insulated suit, or some synthetic insulated
suit?
Do you mount a couple of Stenlights, or a 2 or 3 Scurion 1300's, on
your helmet?
All hypothetical of course as,
the pit is closed until further notice, and cavers are asked
to stay away. A study is being conducted to determine use policies
and decontamination protocols.
David Locklear
--- End Message ---
