New line in Camillo....finally!!

Today finally, John, Fernando and I set out to see if there is more cave to explore where we left off last November. This is actually the first time we pushed the cave this trip. John and I were on the rebreathers and Fernando was on open circuit. There was 5 stages (tanks) set up for him and 3 safeties (tanks also but the plan is only to use them in case of an emergency) for John and I. To give you some perspective...on open circuit Fernando used all 5 stages and a half of his back gas. We used one stage (in rebreather lingo it is called a drive bottle). The dive was 4 hours and 5 minutes long. We laid over 1000 ft of new line and we turned the dive at 2 hours.....and the cave is still running!!!

We scootered near cenote Kotamundi (about 45 minutes in on scooters), dropped the scooters and swam the remaining distance. That was a really long swim, especially with the drag from the rebreathers.....it is kind like giving 2 big people piggyback rides except underwater. I need to mention there is some flow that takes you into the cave so you have to swim against it coming out.

The new portion of the cave is really nice, lots of decorations and stalagmites (the one's on the floor). One portion looked like a small army of different heights as far as you could see. .... I know, no camera so they didn't really exist.

The thing about a 4 hour dive, is that you have to keep your mind under control. For example when your mind says, " You are 2 hours from getting out of here" ....you have to remind yourself very quickly that this is fun, the cave is beutiful, not many people see this stuff, and pull yourself together...and do it quick". That usually works and the uncertainty is beaten back down.

The shooters were not there, which was good. There was a new target hidden behind some bushes....a picture of a lady in a bikini. They had shot her full of holes. Sick and wrong, but kinda fully. Must have gotten bored with the silohoutte targets.

Tomorrow we are taking the day off to return for the 4th time to the " Oficina de Immigration". Hopefully this time we will have everything we need and they won't keep changing the requirements. More on that later. Plus we probably won't be able to walk tomorrow so we wouldn't be up for another 4 hour dive anyway. On Thursday the plan is for John and I to survey all the line that is left....and maybe add some new!

Wish us luck!!! We come home on Sunday so we want to get 2 more dives in Camillo before we leave.

Karen and John