Ox Bel Ha - Apr 20, 2007 update
Dive Team: Danny, Alex & Franco
Surface support: Sam Meacham & Dominique Rissolo
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Move safeties further in on the Arizona line.
Photograph bones
Explore near the entrance of Gemini.
Summary of results: Moved safeties ok.
Photographed bones in Arizona.
Explored section of cave upstream Gemini going SW/W for 550’.
Possible follow up: More documentation of bones.
Line name: Desilusion
Passage width (meters): 5
Passage Height (meters): 10
Passage Shape: Canyons
Fauna: Shrimps - Isopods
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Brown & cream– Organic & Clay
Infill: Swiss cheese
Water: Excellent
Additional Comments: Equipment and Survey: 3 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 11h25
Time out: 15h30
Total run time: 185 minutes
Max Depth: 74 ft
Av Depth: 45 ft
Divers: Danny, Franco & Alex
Dive Team: Fred & Chris
Surface support: Sam Meacham & Dominique Rissolo
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Push SW lead in Arizona going towards the SKBR
Summary of results: Connected “super dome loop
Checked out SM#YC06 but no go Laid line going SW/W/NW for 903ft from SM#005GEM / end of “cream” line.
Possible follow up: This is a complex area of cave with numerous tannic domes that need further exploring.
Comments/observation: The team found leaves in numerous domes from ceiling cracks. Water temp @ 40ft is 82F and temp @ 60ft is 80F. Microfossils lying on sediment at dome?
Line name: Mandarin duck
Passage width (meters): 2
Passage Height (meters): 5
Passage Shape: Bedding plane- Dome
Fauna: Shrimps & Remepedia
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Brown & Red – Organic & Clay
Infill: Breakdown
Water: Slightly tannic. Halocline in mid-passage @ 55 ft
Additional Comments:
Equipment and Survey: 4 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 2
Time in: 12h00
Time out: 17h00
Total run time: 300 minutes
Max Depth: 76 ft
Av Depth: 55 ft
Divers: Fred & Chris
Ox Bel Ha - April 21, 2007 update
Dive Team: Danny & Chris
Surface support: Sam Meacheam & Dominique Rissolo
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Double check possible leads off the South Park & Norwegian lines
Summary of results: Checked out leads all the way to the Arizona connection line but no success
The team found passage near beginning of South Park for 875ft of cave ending in small area.
Line name: Crumbs
Passage width (meters): 5
Passage Height (meters): 5
Passage Shape: Canyons - Undercut floor
Fauna: Shrimps
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: White - Organic & Clay
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: Excellent – Halocline at 55 ft -
Additional Comments: none
Equipment and Survey: 3 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 10h35
Time out: 13h30
Total run time: 175 minutes
Max Depth: 69 ft
Av Depth: 55 ft
Divers: Danny & Chris
Dive Team: Fred & Alex
Surface support: Sam Meacham & Dominique Rissolo
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Explore from Gemini going back towards Arizona.
Summary of results: Established shorter route to Gemini 1. No route found deep on S side of collapse.
Possible follow up: Shallow side of the Cenote needs to be checked as flow is present.
Line name: Gemstone – shortcut between the 2 Gemini -
Passage width (meters): 3
Passage Height (meters): 5
Passage Shape: Canyons
Fauna: Shrimps - Isopods
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: White
Infill: Swiss cheese
Water: Excellent
Additional Comments: none
Equipment and Survey: 2 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% O2
Dive log: Dive # 2
Time in: 10h35
Time out: 12h00
Total run time: 115 minutes
Max Depth: 45 ft
Av Depth: 30 ft
Divers: Fred & Alex
Dive Team: Fred & Alex
Surface support: Sam Meacham & Dominique Rissolo
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Move equipment from Gemini back to Yax Chen main entrance
Summary of results: All went well. Fast ride back!
Equipment and Survey: 1 x EAN 32 stage, 7 x empty stages and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 3
Time in: 14h20
Time out: 15h40
Total run time: 80 minutes
Max Depth: 40 ft
Av Depth: 35 ft
Divers: Fred & Alex
Dive Team: Chris & Danny
Surface support: Sam Meacham & Dominique Rissolo
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Move equipment from Gemini back to Yax Chen main entrance
Summary of results: All went well. Fast ride back!
Equipment and Survey: 1 x EAN 32 stage, 8 x empty stages and 3 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 4
Time in: 14h30
Time out: 15h40
Total run time: 70 minutes
Max Depth: 40 ft
Av Depth: 35 ft
Divers: Danny & Chris
Ox Bel Ha - May 15, 2007 update
Dive Team: Fred, Franco & Alex
Surface support: Sam Meacheam & Chris Le Maillot
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin. First rain of the season.
Dive Objectives: Move equipment from YC main entrance to base camp
Summary of results: All went well.
Equipment: 5 x 30/30 stages, 2 x 40cf deco bottles w/ 100% and 3 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 13h30
Time out: 15h00
Total run time: 90 minutes
Max Depth: 48 ft
Av Depth: 30 ft
Divers: Fred, Franco & Alex
Ox Bel Ha - May 17, 2007 update
Dive Team: Franco & Chris
Surface support: Sam Meacham
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Check S leads after Cenote Far
Summary of results: Team went further upstream than previous day and found interesting cave running SE then S for a total of 1,166ft. The cave finished in a small silty area. The ceiling is nicely carved out in bed rock.
In the same area of cave another lead is running NW. This passage is still open and flow is noticeable. Line laid 300ft. Team connected newly laid line with Danny and Per’s.
Line name: Azamat, Bilo & Conector
Passage width (meters): 2
Passage Height (meters): 2
Passage Shape: Canyons – Domes – Phreatic tubes
Fauna: Shrimps – Amphipod - Remepedia
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Red & Brown – Clay -
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: Excellent –
Additional Comments: Lots of fossils- Nice decorated area at 60ft
Equipment and Survey: 4 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 10h20
Time out: 14h50
Total run time: 270 minutes
Max Depth: 69 ft
Av Depth: 50 ft
Divers: Franco & Chris
Dive Team: Fred & Alex
Surface support: Sam Meacham
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Continue the exploration of Mis line
Summary of results: Connected Mis line to South Park
Added another 3 lines for a total of 1,200ft
Line name: Rainbow, Bronx & East Cut
Passage width (meters): 3
Passage Height (meters): 3
Passage Shape: Canyons – Bedding Plane
Fauna: Shrimps –
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Grey & Brown – Organic & Clay -
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: Excellent – Halocline at 49 ft
Additional Comments: /
Equipment and Survey: 4 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 2
Time in: 10h45
Time out: 13h45
Total run time: 180 minutes
Max Depth: 50 ft
Av Depth: 45 ft
Divers: Fred & Alex
Ox Bel Ha - May 18, 2007 update
Dive Team: Fred, Sam & Chris
Surface support: Franco Attolini
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Go to east cut line and explore deeper lead previously scooted by Fred.
Summary of results: Explore an 80ft section of cave in SW. This passage is big running right below the existing FW tunnel.
Total cave explored 800ft
Line name: Under the Hill
Passage width (meters): 3
Passage Height (meters): 4
Passage Shape: Phreatic tube
Fauna: Remepedia
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Brown - Clay
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: Excellent -
Additional Comments: /
Equipment and Survey: 2 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 12h20
Time out: 13h50
Total run time: 90 minutes
Max Depth: 80 ft
Av Depth: 55 ft
Divers: Fred, Sam & Chris
Ox Bel Ha - May 19, 2007 update
Dive Team: Fred, Sam & Chris
Surface support: Franco Attolini
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Continue exploration from “Under the Hill” line.
Summary of results: Deeper area continued NW until too small to fit through.
Total line laid 586ft
Possible follow up: There are several more leads to follow in this section of cave.
Line name: Tomba
Passage width (meters): 2
Passage Height (meters): 5
Passage Shape: Bedding plane - Canyons
Fauna: Shrimp - Remepedia - Crayfish
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Brown & cream - Organic & Clay
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: The silt from the previous day of exploration was ahead of the team when they started exploring. If there’s flow is the SW lense, then it is coming from the SE.
Additional Comments: /
Equipment and Survey: 3 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 10h30
Time out: 12h40
Total run time: 140 minutes
Max Depth: 83 ft
Av Depth: 65 ft
Divers: Fred, Sam & Chris
Dive Team: Fred & Franco
Surface support: Sam Meacheam
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Clean up dive.
Summary of results: All equipment back to Yax Chen main entrance
Equipment: 1 x EAN 32 stage, 3 empty stages and 4 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 2
Time in: 13h30
Time out: 14h40
Total run time: 70 minutes
Max Depth: 50 ft
Av Depth: 30 ft
Divers: Franco & Fred
Ox Bel Ha - June 05, 2007 update
Dive Team: Fred & Chris
Surface support: Franco Attolini
Dive site Name: Yax Chen
Coordinate: WGS84 UTM 451245 2226084
Conditions: The water clarity in the Yax Chen basin wasn’t exceptionally brilliant. There was heavy rain earlier on for a few days. This has affected the visibility tremendously especially downstream from the Yax Chen basin.
Dive Objectives: Take GPS reading of Cenote Rojo
Go back to the section of cave previously explored by Danny & Chris. Line name “freak” to push through restriction and further exploration.
Summary of results: GPS reading taken of Cenote Rojo OK. The team extended the line to the cenote surface. Data taken on the way back.
The cave opened up past restriction. This is an interesting cave, low ceiling, restrictive and silty. Added 700ft at the end of “Freak”.
Possible follow up: The end of the line is open but v small in catacombs like passageways.
Main lead is off the freshly laid line running NW. There’s more exploration to do in the area.
Future exploration will need to start from Cenote Rojo. This would be more practical, in order to avoid v silty downstream with scooters and multiple bottles.
Comments/observation: The passage is at 50ft and flow is perceptible. This area could potentially break into larger cave conduits. It would be best to start next dives in that area from Cenote Rojo. The scooter ride downstream YC with gear is not easy with the thick organic silt covering the bottom floor.
Line name: Croc & Sigue
Passage width (meters): 2
Passage Height (meters): 2
Passage Shape: Phreatic tube – canyons – flat ceiling
Fauna: Isopod - shrimp
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Red & Brown – organic -
Infill: Breakdown
Water: Slightly tannic – Halocline mid passage at 42 ft -
Additional Comments: Fossils in abundance
Equipment and Survey: 4 x EAN 32 stages and 1 x 33amp + 1 x 24amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 11h45
Time out: 15h22
Total run time: 217 minutes
Max Depth: 54 ft
Av Depth: 45 ft
Divers: Fred & Chris
Team: Sam & Franco
Objectives: Jungle hike to locate Cenote Rojo
Jungle hike to locate Cenote Perla
Summary of results: The team located both Cenotes ok. GPS coordinates were taken of Cenote Perla and other interesting cave features in the area.
Comments/observation: This is a harsh terrain. There are a lot of wetlands in that particular area. Mosquitoes were ferocious that day especially after the first rain of the season.
Ox Bel Ha - June 06, 2007 update
Dive Team: Fred & Chris
Surface support: Franco Attolini
Dive site Name: Cenote Perla in the Ox Bel Ha cave system
Conditions: Water in Cenote was blood red. The cenote is surrounded with mangrove. The viz improved below 6 meters. Flow was noticeable further upstream.
Dive Objectives: Check out Bernie’s line from the Xux exploration project back in 1999.
If possible push cave towards YC East.
Summary of results: There isn’t much lead going to the SE or SW from there. The team swam 70 minutes upstream. The team notice bigger cave/rooms running to the NE. Most of the leads were accurately marked by Bernie.
The team moved out of Perla to another small crack with clear water this time further downstream and located on rough footpath. Shallow cave with organic silt led the team to a dead end after a 20 minutes swim. This is the end of Bernie’s exploration line.
Possible follow up: There are a few interesting leads to be checked out.
Comments/observation: The walk through wet terrain was hard. Mosquitoes were bad. Poor Franco was surface support all day!
Line name: Croc & Sigue
Passage width (meters): 2
Passage Height (meters): 2
Passage Shape: Phreatic tube – canyons – flat ceiling
Fauna: Isopod - shrimp
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: Red & Brown – organic -
Infill: Breakdown
Water: Slightly tannic – Halocline mid passage at 42 ft -
Additional Comments: Fossils in abundance
Equipment and Survey: 1 x EAN 32 stage per diver
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 10h30
Time out: 14h00
Total run time: 210 minutes
Max Depth: 55 ft
Av Depth: 35 ft
Divers: Fred & Chris
Dive log: Dive # 2
Time in: 14h45
Time out: 15h50
Total run time: 65 minutes
Max Depth: 30 ft
Av Depth: 25 ft
Divers: Fred & Chris
Ox Bel Ha - June 27, 2007 update
Dive Team: Danny & Franco
Surface support: Fred Devos
Dive site Name: Yax Chen
Coordinate: WGS84 UTM 451245 2226084
Conditions: The water clarity in the Yax Chen basin wasn’t exceptionally brilliant. There was heavy rain earlier on for a few days. This has affected the visibility tremendously especially downstream from the Yax Chen basin.
Dive Objectives: Re-survey old Gary Walten line. This line is supposed to connect Yax Chen East to Ox Bel Ha.
Summary of results: Re-survey completed ok around the L-Shape Cenote. This line confirms the link between OBH and YC east. OBH has now over 100 miles of surveyed cave passageways (539, 080 ft).
Possible follow up: More exploration in the YC area. This is a big cave with interesting features and tremendous potential for future exploration.
Comments/observation: The connection between OBH and YC was done back in 1998 by Gary Walten and re-connected in the last Dec project by Danny, Mark and Beto. This connection re-enforce the fact that good survey is a priority in order to validate any exploration work.
Line name: Connector
Passage width (meters): 2
Passage Height (meters): 2
Passage Shape: Phreatic tube –
Fauna: Isopod - shrimp
Speleothems: No
Sediment: Red & Brown – organic -
Infill: Breakdown
Water: Slightly tannic – Hydrogen sulfide-
Additional Comments: /
Equipment and Survey: 2 x EAN 32 stages and 1 x 33amp + 1 x 24amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 10h45
Time out: 12h30
Total run time: 165 minutes
Max Depth: 45 ft
Av Depth: 30 ft
Divers: Danny & Franco
Ox Bel Ha - May 16, 2007 update
Dive Team: Franco & Chris
Surface support: Sam Meacham
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Check SW leads off the South Park after Cenote Far
Summary of results: The team went from the end of Danny and per’s line laid 3 years ago and added 800ft. This line finishes in a tannic dome. Line name is Jamaica.
Explored other side of the cave from previously laid line. This line loops back to Cenote Far for a total of 837ft.
Line name: Jamaica & Horchata
Passage width (meters): 3
Passage Height (meters): 2
Passage Shape: Canyons - Domes
Fauna: Shrimps - Amphipod
Speleothems: No
Sediment: White & Brown - Organic & Clay
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: Excellent -
Additional Comments: /
Equipment and Survey: 4 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 1
Time in: 10h40
Time out: 14h50
Total run time: 250 minutes
Max Depth: 52 ft
Av Depth: 40 ft
Divers: Franco & Chris
Dive Team: Fred & Alex
Surface support: Sam Meacheam
Dive site Name: Sistema Ox Bel Ha from base camp at Cenote Gemini
Conditions: Excellent water conditions throughout the cave and basin.
Dive Objectives: Check leads to the S & SE from ML upstream between Gemini & South Park.
Summary of results: This is a good size tunnel running off the M/L in a SW heading.
Line laid that dive total 1,500ft
Line name: Sunshine & Mis
Passage width (meters): 4
Passage Height (meters): 4
Passage Shape: Canyons – Domes
Fauna: Shrimps
Speleothems: Yes
Sediment: White and brown – Organic & Clay -
Infill: Swiss cheese & Breakdown
Water: Excellent – Halocline @49ft
Additional Comments: /
Equipment and Survey: 2 x 30/30 stages, 1 x 40cf stage w/ 100% and 2 x 33amp scooter per diver.
Dive log: Dive # 2
Time in: 15h30
Time out: 17h00
Total run time: 90 minutes
Max Depth: 48 ft
Av Depth: 43 ft
Divers: Fred & Alex
Sistema Ox Bel Ha: Quintana Roo's newest giant
By Christophe Le Maillot
This is a short description of the 1998 to mid-1999 exploration project of the Ox Bel Ha Cave system (a connection between Sistema "Del Mar" and "Esmeralda"). Using different configurations, approaches, and techniques, we patiently discovered what potentially could be the third largest underwater cave in the World.
-A shallow portion (25 to 34 ft) is encountered from the main Cenote (Del Mar) up to 5000 ft upstream in a W/NW heading. The very swampy surrounding gives the cave a black coloring, very similar to Sistema Naharon. Various decoration can be observed throughout the cave. Shallower rooms seems to present more features. Eight different cenotes are scattered over this large area. A light flow can be felt at all times.
-Very large tunnels and huge chambers in the most western
direction before Cenote Canales. The average depth is 40 ft and the deepest section (Orion) is 47 ft. The halocline is found between 42 and 45 feet. Flow is always present. There's a beautiful Cenote 9000 ft upstream from the main entrance: La Familia.
-A northern lead with a wide tunnel and complex side passages. Many breakdown areas and tanic domes (blind cave fishes and isopods are often observed there) made for an interresting dive. The halocline is observed at 40 ft. The maximum depth is 55 feet.
-Three connections to the ocean via similar but different routes. Going straight East, this complicated downstream becomes shallower closer to the sea. The flow gets strong towards the exits. Sidemount configuration is sometimes necessary to go through several restricted parts. The bottom composition turns gradually to sand. Seafans, coconuts, and shells are a constant reminder of the cave's proximity to the ocean. The fresh and salt water only mixes near the surface (about 8 ft). All exits are located approximately 400 ft away from one another. Snappers and Grunts are found in large numbers in the short cavern zones of the exit cracks. Tarpons were encountered a thousand feet inside the cave (always a scary surprise).
-Canyon areas past Cenote Esmeralda where the depth ranges between 50 to 80 feet. These deeper salt water passages are highly decorated and contain numerous fossilized sponges. The tunnels are big, with an average width of 40 ft.
After a quick reconnaissance dive on the 3rd, we travel back the next day to enter Cenore Del Mar. The objective was to re-survey the existing line from previous French and American projects. These projects were led by Steve Keane, Tamara Kendell, and Christian Thomas. After completing the objective, Bernie and I laid 5,500 ft going straight east towards the ocean. This downstream section is characterized by narrow passages and strong flow (lines: Al Mar, E Gate, Cabanas, and Mosquitia). Diving S/SW from the Main Entrance (Cenotes Del Mar), a 3,000 ft loop was added (lines: Labyrinth, Lab Conecter, L Line). Working around the nearby Cenote Mangrove and Tarpon, 3,500 ft was laid due W (Kite and All Black lines). From existing lines (names Wassy and Wussy), in a N/W direction, we squeezed this time with our sidemount configuration through the small Coconut Drive and D.O.M. Sections for 2,000 ft of new lines.
No. of dives: 12
Total Bottom Time: 2085 minutes
Total line surveyed: 15,500 ft.
Total line laid: 12,150 ft.
Explorers: Bernie Birnbach, Bil Philipps, Christophe Le Maillot
We were excited by the previous exploration. We decided to focus on exploring further upstream. The cave in that area seemed to be the most promising for exploration. After 5 dives, we laid more than 10,000 ft. To the NW, we added to the map the following lines: KFC, Magic, Aves, Arbol and one Cenote: La Meza. The main passage turned west, to run 2,150 ft (Low Land line) to the beautiful Cenote La Familia. On later dives, the team progressed north from the Wassy Line. We encountered a shallow and decorated cave (DOM 2) at first, which extended after 1,000 ft to a deeper section (Rimet). The halocline was visible at 38 ft. During another two dives, we joined Bernie's Aves line with Rimet (Der Konnector: 900 ft), and found a lead going SE (Syphon Norte). Towards the end of the month, and during five long dives, Daniel Riordan helped us in pushing the Rimet section for another 7,400 ft. The end of the line is now 10,046 ft from Main Entrance.
No. of dives: 15
Total Bottom Time: 3407 minutes
Total line laid: 23,786 ft
Longest penetration from Main Entrance: 10, 046 ft
New Cenotes: La Meza, Victoria, De La Familia
Explorers: Bernie Birnbach, Daniel Riordan, Christophe Le Maillot
The objective for this hot summer month was to connect the cave to the ocean. From the shore, we observed four gushing fresh water boils coming out in the ocean from the direction of the downstream cave. The gushing water boils were separated from one another by a distance of approximately 400 ft. The first visible out-flow was located just a front of Cabanas Tulum. The existing eastern line from Cenote Del Mar: E Gate and Al Mar were going towards the sea but the strong flow made it challenging for the team to attempt a connection dive from inside the cave. The team divided into two diving groups. Both team entered the same entrance from the ocean side while following different tunnels. The flow was quite strong. Both teams finally connected the two side of the cave together at two different spots after only 600 ft (the E Gate line - exit 1). The other exits were eventually connected with the main cave: #2 after 550 ft of narrow passages; and #3 a few days later with a smaller entrance but a better defined tunnel to Al Mar section. However, Exit 4 was too restricted to squeeze further in. Only a few dives upstream were made during the remainder of the month, adding "Ball Park" to the end of "Lowlands" for another 2,450 ft (still going big W/NW), and another off shoot tunnel of 1,400 ft (Sickman's Passage) to the main "Rimet" Section.
No. of dives: 10
Total Bottom Time: 1270 minutes
Total line laid: 9,190 ft
Explorers: Bernie Birnbach, Daniel Riordan, Christophe Le Maillot, Fred Devos
The general objective was to continue with the exploration of the enormous "Ballpark" and "Rimet" sections. We used set-up dives to avoid losing too much time going through the first restricted part of the system with too much equipment. After a couple of failed attempts, we managed to extend "Ballpark" by 2,000 ft and finding a small cenote (Luz). On 6/10, we returned adding Orion to the chart for another 3,000 ft, and setting our personal penetration record to 14,000.
No. of dives: 6
Total bottom time: 1343 minutes
Total line laid: 5,000 ft
Longest penetration from Main Entrance: 14,000 ft
Explorers: Bernie Birnbach, Christophe Le Maillot
We discovered two interresting sections ("Blind wall" and "Black hole") from the main upstream tunnel. These two sections were running SW/S/SE for a total lenght of 2,800 ft out of the "Ballpark" line. Another line: "El Tucan" was laid from "Rimet" . This line ran SE..
No. of dives: 2
Total Bottom Time: 715 minutes
Total line laid: 4,500 ft
Explorers: Bernie Birnbach and Christophe Le Maillot
Total surveyed passage for the year: 58,000 ft
A better land survey and a closer look at various aerial pictures, made the team realized the proximity of Sistema Del Mar with Sistema Esmeralda. In fact, Cenote "Luz" could potentially be part of "Canales". Cenote Canales is a long strip of interconnecting sink holes. We thought that from the "Orion" line we might be able to eventually connect to Sistema Esmeralda. Unfortunately, we were several times unsuccesful from this side of the cave. However on March 13th, we headed instead for the "Ball Park" section. Here, we found ourselves at a depth of 55 ft exploring 350 ft of beautiful cave. It opened up to a shallower breakdown area. We swam further in against what appeared to be a very encouraging flow. We battled restrictions for another 600 ft carefully negotiating unstable cave. We finally found afront of us an unfamiliar line (Paso de Lagarto). This line was laid several month before from Cenote Esmeralda. We finally accomplished the connection between Sistema Del Mar and Sistema Esmerealda. The connection between the two systems became Sistema Ox Bel Ha. We surveyed back to the main line. On the same dive, another 1,100 ft of tunnel was discovered from the end of "Ball Park".
No. of dives: 7
Total Bottom Time: 1459 minutes
Total line laid: 4,300 ft
Explorers Del Mar: Bernie Birnbach, Christophe Le Maillot,
Explorers Esmeralda: Sam Meacham, Bil Phillipps, Fred Devos, Daniel Riordan
Total Length of Ox Bel Ha to date: 101,000
Ox Bel Ha - Apr 20, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - Apr 21, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - May 15, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - May 17, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - May 18, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - May 19, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - Jun 05, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - Jun 06 2007
Ox Bel Ha - Jun 27 2007
Ox Bel Ha - May 16, 2007
Ox Bel Ha - June, 1999
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