The Fading Line
By Fred Devos

The connection between dry and wet caves in the Yucatan peninsula is becoming an exciting study point. Recent documentation has proven that the area holds much more cave passage (both wet and dry) than previously suspected. We will soon see dry caves being expressed in kilometers rather than in meters and some of these caves will connect with major underwater systems. As a result, the line separating dry and underwater cave exploration is quickly fading.

Dos Pisos - September 2002

Robbie Schmittner introduced me to this underwater cave he has been exploring for several years. Although it is located directly upstream from Sistema Ox Bel Ha, a dive-able connection would be a definite challenge. More than a kilometer (3,300 ft) separate the two caves with new leads limited to small side-mount passages.

Xtabetun - October 2002

A nearby housing development has helped to provide access to 3 new cenotes near Puerto Aventuras. The most promising of the cave openings lead to only 14 m (45 ft) of restricted passage. The other two offered up no passage but are attractive swimming holes.

Las Palmas - Oct/Nov 2002

Benja Sacristan was the first to document this dry cave located in the Ejido of Playa del Carmen. On two subsequent visits with him and Jose Mis, we were able to establish 812m (2,665 ft) of passage. The term "dry cave" should be used lightly though as most of the passage is wet with many areas requiring swimming and the occasional dunking.

VIEW MAP

Kaua, Yucatan - January, 2003

Jose Mis and myself were honored to be invited by highly respected cave biologist James Reddell to join him in his studies of dry caves near Kaua, Yucatan. We were introduced to David Mc Kenzie, Fortunato (Beto) Tuz Cantun, and Marcelino Reyes. The six of us spent an exciting day with local villagers exploring several new systems.

Two of these caves had definite similarities to a cave documented by Jose and myself the previous year. So the following day, we showed the rest of the team our piece of the new puzzle and all were amazed. Within a 10 square km (6 square mile) area we had discovered 3 systems containing a huge cylindrical room where passages ended. Imagine a narrow, 400 m (1,300ft) long tube exiting halfway up the sidewall of a "missile bunker" room measuring 45 m (150 ft) from floor to ceiling and half filled with water! VIEW MAP

A project is planned for the summer of 2003, where dives will be made to further document this phenomenon and as well in the hopes of connecting a certain large cenote to an enormous dry cave system nearby.

OBH Science Project - January 2003

Sistema Ox Bel Ha was host to a multi-dimensional science project. Chris Werner (Geophysicist), Brett Dodson (Biologist), Kris Esterson (Hydrogeologist), along with cave photographer Steven Auer and David Lennon joined Daniel Riordan, Chris Le Maillot and myself, along with Alejandro Alvarez, Sam Meacham, and Simon Richards in the pursuit of better understanding the world's longest underwater cave and the area's aquifer.

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