Connections to the Sea
By Fred Devos
Yucatan Cave Systems Connected to the Sea
DATE CONNECTION BY SYSTEM SIZE TO DATE
| 07/10/95 | Chuck Stevens, Eric Knofftal | Nohoch Nah Chich | 200,083 ft |
| 19/06/98 | Fred Devos | Dos Pies | 11,536 ft |
| 12/07/98 | Fred Devos | El Punto | 3,990 ft |
| 13/03/99 | Christophe Le Maillot, Bernd Birnbach, Daniel Riordan | Del Mar | 62,333 ft * |
We've always known where the water was going. The difficult part comes when
trying to prove it. During the 15 some years of underwater cave exploration
in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, only one dive from an inland system to the Caribbean
Sea had been made. Recently it seems the Mayan Gods have been friendly and allowed
us to prove another 3 connections!
23/10/00 * Sistema Del Mar (now named Ox Bel Ha) has since become the world's longest underwater cave with over 44 miles (70 km) of explored passage and with 3 distinct exits to the sea. -.