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Trip Report Sian Ka’an , March 16 to 24 Project Report - March , 2006 update

16/03/06

Team: Franco Attolini, Mario Valotta, Daniel Riordan, Fred Devos & Chris Le Maillot

Dive site: South of Tulum on the road to Punta Allen. This is the north end of the Sian Ka’an biosphere. Entrance of the cave near a little Mayan ruin. There’s a circular collapse lying at about 20 feet under the murky water of the laguna. Previous explorers have named it cenote “manatee”. The cave starts due west at a Depth of 42 feet.

Previous exploration: The April project (see trip report) have established 2 upstream lead to the W & SW. The end of both lines stands at 8,000ft.

Conditions: There’s less percolation for the first part of the cave to first T. Viz in SW near the entrance is murky. Flow is significant at the entrance. Water temp is 79F.

Access: The Visitor Center (Centro de Visitantes) in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere is the perfect set up for base camp.  There’s a small dock facing Laguna Campechen. The boat ride to Cenote Manatee is 15 minutes.

Logistics: 10 stages w/EANx32, 12 stages w/ 30/305, dls w/EANx 32, 5x33amp scooters, 2x18amp scooters, 4 extra 33amp battery packs & generator.

Objectives:

  1. drop safeties at 4k & 7k
  2. Photo shoot in the first part of the cave

Summary of results: 

  1. Dropped safeties OK
  2. Photo shoot with Danny to Key Hole

Possible follow up:  We have a need for more photo & video. We can spend more time during the next project for photos.

Other comments/observation:

  1. North wind, water in the Laguna calm, strong flow at the entrance of the cave. Manatees were seen all day long (at least 3).
  2. The team was a lot more effective in dropping the safeties. 30/30 in the stages made the difference.

Acknowledgements: Sam Meacham, Christian Thomas and the team of French explorers, Jim Coke, Ecocolors, ragatours, Amigos de Sian Ka’an, The Nature Conservancy.

Equipment and Survey: 4 stages (2 x safeties) and 2 scooters per diver (2 x 33amp).

Dive log:

# 1 Time in: 12h00 / time out 12h55
Total run time: 55 minutes / Max Depth: 55 feet / Av Depth: 45 feet
Divers: Fred & Chris

# 2 Time in: 13h15 / time out 15h35
Total run time: 145 minutes / Max Depth: 101 feet / Av Depth: 50 feet
Total exploration day: 1,450ft
Divers:  Fred & Chris

24/03/06

Team: Alex Alvarez, Fred Devos & Chris Le Maillot.

Dive site: South of Tulum on the road to Punta Allen. This is the north end of the Sian Ka’an biosphere. Entrance of the cave is near a little Mayan ruin. There’s a circular collapse laying at about 20’ under the murky water of the laguna. Previous explorers have named it cenote “manatee”. The cave starts due west.

Previous exploration:
  Fred & Chris extended penetration to 4,579feet on March 23.
Conditions: the water condition improves at 20ft from the murky Laguna water to clear 100ft + viz. The visibility in the cave is generally good on the way in especially for the front man. There’s heavy percolation. Strange organic goo covers a lot of the cave wall. It stretches considerably under its own weight and creates fake speleothems. The flow seems to come from the SW/W&NW. The flow can be v substantial for the first hundred feet near the entrance. The water temp is warmer in the fresh water: 79F. The halocline sits at 55ft.

Access: Eco lodge EcoColors 10kms past the Sian Ka’an Arco provides ideal base camp. There’s a 15 minutes boat ride from the dock to Cenote Manatee.

Logistics: 14 stages w/EANx32, 5 dls w/EANx 32, 2x33amp scooters, 2x18amp scooters, 4 extra 33amp battery packs & generator.

Objectives:

  1. Continue exploration from the end of the line
  2. Remove the rest of the French line at the right of first T

Summary of results: 

  1. Additional 1,443 feet of line added to ‘North hope”. The line stopped in a huge chamber heading W/NW with flow.
  2. Successful removal of remaining French line.
  3. Additional 300ft added in a bedding plane with halocline near bottom floor. There’s lots of organic sediment all around. Cave still goes NE. Barely noticeable flow.
  4. First T cut back.          

Possible follow up:

  1. Extend the exploration of the end of line at 6,022 feet. There’s a big chamber with many speleothems there.
  2. Check the SW leads. There is noticeable flow coming from the SW.
  3. Probe the many N leads

                                

Other comments/observation:

  1. 1.The wind was blowing from the North. Water surface was calm. Strong flow at the entrance.
  2. There’s a white dome 5,200 feet in at a depth of 35ft with no percolation and a thin white dusting over layer of red clay. The water temp is 81F.

Acknowledgements: Sam Meacham, Christian Thomas and the team of French explorers, Jim Coke, Ecocolors, ragatours, Amigos de Sian Ka’an, The Nature Conservancy.

Equipment and Survey: 3stages and 2 scooters per diver (1 x 33amp + 1x 18amp). It took 32 minutes to scooter to the end of “North Hope”. The 18amp scooter was use as a back up. Survey was done on the way in. This is a better method of survey as there’s plenty of gas for exit and no unnecessary time pressure.

Dive log:

# 1 Time in: 11h30 / time out 14h15
Total run time: 165 minutes / Max Depth: 70 feet / Av Depth: 57 feet
Total exploration: 1,443 feet
Divers: Fred & Chris

# 2 Time in: 14h45 / time out 16h17
Total run time: 92 minutes / Max Depth: 50 feet / Av Depth: 40 feet
Total exploration: 300 feet
Total survey: 500 feet
Divers: Alex, Fred & Chris