MATKA VRELO (Macedonia) - Agoust 2009
August has arrived, and with it the moment
has come to depart to seek and explore new caves and depths. Up to now,
considering my expectations, for this year I am not very satisfied of the picked
loot, even if some this scarceness I have to attribute to that hateful
inflammation of the cervical vertebrae that has forced me to stay in bed, out of
the game for more than one month, with a slow and painful recovery for another
month and a half. All because of an unintentional slip on a rock covered of musk
at the entry of Rio Torretta. Is it maybe less dangerous to be in the water?
Not all the evil comes for harming, because once recovered, little confident of
my possibilities to face new explorations immediately, I have remedied greatly,
passing my knowledge and experiences and I have dedicated myself to giving
diving classes, that besides the satisfaction of the teaching itself
simultaneously has given me the precious possibility to meet various interesting
people.
Now, even if not in perfect shape and without the necessary therapeutic
training, I am boiling with impatience for the desire to get going, to slip into
an alluring spring.
August 1
An excellent day to depart in direction south and to cross the Balcans which are
the principal traffic artery from the north to countries such as Serbia, part of
Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey.
The problems start immediately in for the morning, because the Piper is late,
blocked in the traffic on the highway; to pass the waiting time, we go to
Postumia, where Nadia and Mosè, who met at the slovenian border, visit the caves
while me and Petra, their affectionate rottweiler, stay outside. At 11.00 when
the expected Piper arrives, we set out consistently surrounded by traffic. We
enter Croatia after a wait of half an hour, but this is only a taste of what is
expecting us, because approaching to Zagreb, the traffic increases and we remain
in a traffic jam for one hour, before passing the highway junction that leads
the tourists to the sea. During the trip to approach our destination we should
also meet the two Belgian friends, but they let us know that they are also
terribly late, because of works in progress on the german highways. Pizza in
abundance reconciles our spirits, and there is one good action signalling a
marsupium pouch forgotten on the roof by a couple in the car next to mine,: the
daily good deed is done.
We continue the trip hoping to recover the Belgians as soon as possible, with a
fluent traffic without obstacles.
The dream remains a dream and the reality ecpects us at the border to Serbia:
5km of traffic jam on three lanes and minutes of absolute immobility under the
summer heat. The summer circus monkey show has begun: trucks regardless to the
rules passing with sustained speed on the emergency lane and an unbelievable
arrogance manifested by the sound of the horns; the more clever irritants are
not lacking and there are some animated discussions that sometimes end with the
use of the fists; I believe to have never seen anything similar in anyone of my
trips.
The cars in this endless line, that originate
for the greatest part from some of the most important countries in Europe such
as Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy, France, Switzerland, probably belong to
emigrants who, reentering into their countries of origin, with such a
disrespectful, arrogant and provocative behaviour work off the repressed anger
of the exile.
The need sharpens the genius and exhausted by the race of motionless snails,
after a standstill of over one hour, I choose for emulation and pass on the
emergency lane. On the road map a small customs is indicated at little distance
of the highway so that, after having exchanged information of pure intuition,
with not even one comprehensible word in common I reach and I pass it in few
more than one hour. After supper at Sid, we travel the whole night until
arriving at a few kilometers from the Macedonian border, while the other ones
stop for sleeping.
August 2
This will be the last day of travelling but rather than staying again in a
traffic jam of 3km at the macedonian border and having time at disposition, I
prefer to pass the Cosovo and to use the route to fill my eyes with images of
beautiful landscapes made of pleasant hills that I softly pass until the last
border. 50 Euros for the insurance of the car are necessary to enter the country
from this side but the beauty of the nature justifies the price. Negative note
is the crossing with two Hummers of the U.N. forces, under German flag, that
underline their arrogance by not respecting the fundamental rules of behavior on
the road and by advancing toward my car in an almost threatening way.
In Macedonia, when I reach the capital Skopje, metaphysically deserted because
today is a national holiday and everything is closed, I meet with Vasco who with
polite hospitality shows me the most ancient part of the city, while we are
waiting to be joined by Mosè, Nadia and the Piper and to consolidate the union
with a good drink. Around 18.00, also the Belgians, Asterix and Roger arrive, we
turn our backs on the city and leave for the wild canyon of Matka where we will
set up our camp.
August 3
First day of work in contact with the spring.
At the light of the morning, I observe the
landscape around: the woods of broadleaf forest cover almost the complete
surface of the steep mountains that, leaving open some lines of whitish
limestone, underline the rough contrast of the rugosity of the rocks, the
succulent green of the foliage, with the sweetness of the lines of the water
insinuated in a fiord between them. To reach the spring the only possibility is
by boat. We load it with the material and for twenty minutes the noise of the
engine accompanies our thoughts suspended in wait.
A triangular crack in the rock and the
water level are the premise for our exploration. During winter, the macedonian
cavedivers Kiro and Vasco have worked hard to free it from the rocks, deposited
a few years earlier during the construction works of a road on the hillside
which had partially obstructed it. To facilitate the entry of the cavedivers
into the water, they have built a platform of 12m per 6m, on which it is
possible to stay, to arrange the equipment and to change without too many
problems in the shadow of the plants.
For today I will look at that open cavern from the outside, and I won't enter
the realm of the Cave God. Asterix and the Piper will have the pleasure to pass
the threshold, verifying the sections already included in the topography of the
French-Belgian team. They will verify the consistency of the main line up to 40m
of depth and will prepare the safety chain for the exploration, leaving a 20l
tank with EAN30 for emergency at -40m and 15l and 7l tanks with trimix 50/30 at
-21m.
When Asterix and the Piper are back on the
platform with us, who have prepared the equipments for the next day, a reporter
of the national television is there to interview us: there is curiosity about
what we are going to undertake.
Who knows, if we are able to satisfy their expectations. This exploration was
expected by all of us and Asterix congratulates the macedonian friends for the
important work of clearing the entrance that they have done for us: several
cubic meters of material have been removed from the entrance facilitating our
passage which means not only passing comfortably, but also not having to fight
too much with the violent current that is created at the entry (Venturi effect).
The shades of the evening certainly stimulate the hunger and the perfumes of
food make us stop at a restaurant by the lake, together with groups of visitors
who enjoy the panorama of the place, visit the tourist caves and sportsmen who
make excursions or climb the vertical walls.
August 4
Today we have a double program: as it is necessary to set up the route
adequately, we also use the times of preparation to film the underwater
environment with the necessary calm. As every time, I perfectly disguise the
anxiety to enter what I feel to be my natural environment, but realm of a
befriended god, who doesn't get angry if I navigate among his rooms and along
his corridors. Mosè descends together with me
and takes advantage of the transparency of the water to start his underwater
filming: his videocamera is equipped with 600W of light. I transport a 20l tank
with trimix 20/70, the exploration reel for the push dive and a couple of 300W
lightings.
At the entrance there are stones
everywhere, but they are so small that they don't offer a solid grip. With the
bulky volume of our siluette and the intense current provoked by the narrow
section of the passage we struggle a little to pass the first ten meters. Beyond
however, where the section widens up to about 15m by 10m, we relax in the
admiration of the environment: clear walls, clay deposits mixed with crystals of
calcite that, being smoothed, create thousands of magic small starlets that
reflect the light of our lightings everywhere. The illumination of more than
1000W lightens the dark and reveales beauties never been profaned before; we are
aware of being the first ones to enjoy of such a clear vision because usually
during the explorations in springs of this type, we use for the only one 100W
lighting and therefore, even if the water is clear, the power is never enough to
illuminate environments of great dimensions.
The preceding observations about the topography and the description presented by
Asterix allow us to choose easily between the two key points of the cave,
represented by a double ramification, while we are crossing a series of tunnels,
a hall, a diagonal shaft, another tunnel, another shaft in descent, another
tunnel and a hall where at the base, after a jump of 20m a depht of -40m is
reached.
Our underwater trip is worthy of the imagination of the stories of Tolkien where
the sublime and enigmatic imagination of the adventure into the unknown captures
you, while you step into remote and terrible places. At this point the
imagination steps back for leaving the further path to the reality that maybe
even passes it. When below us, at 40 m, we see the 20l tank we descend: the
bottom is covered with clay and a gigantic triangular portal of more than 10m in
height imposes a reverential fear. Once passed the passage, below us there is
the big nothing, masked as an enormous black space that it is extending beyond
every dimension.
We reach -67m, where the main line which was laid during the first
French-Belgian expedition organized in 2000 ends; no trace of the line of the
2007 Belgian expedition, but this I already knew because Asterix had told about
the lack of decent tie-off possibilities that he noticed, before the plentiful
clay, detached from the walls and ceilings by the air bubbles of his open
circuit had reduced the visibility to zero.
I attach my new exploration line and while
clouds of clay flutter around me, I advance almost horizontally for more than
fifteen meters, then a wall closes my passage; I descend vertically for some
meters and at -72m I stop, leaving the exploration reel dangling. I look at the
dizzy rock that subsides underneath, illuminated by the powerful lighthings of
Mosè who is withdrawn some meter above.
He is filming with his video camera, and
I observe the monstrous well dug in the limestone.
During the ascent I leave the 20l tank at -68m while the few bubbles uttered by
my Copis and the dry suit are enough to detach enough clay to quickly reduce the
visibility: by now I understand the serious difficulties Asterix had using open
circuit.
We pass the 425m of tunnels that separate us from the entry, we meet Asterix who
brings a 20l tank containing trimix 36/36 to -36m and who tries his closed
circuit Joky. Without his knowing he is followed by Kiro who is taking pictures,
he lets himself go with euphoria and, with a double tank of 9l he moves a little
bit too much from the entry: he will be reproached. For us the low visibility
means no more filming and for today the dive is finished.
The weather outside is good: the fresh air of freedom grazes to us, while we are
returning to the base camp.
The world of the primitive nature is
substituted by the world of Internet: checking the meteorological forecasts the
suspicion arouses that the sun of today could be darkened by clouds full of rain
in the next days. If the weather worsened, the rains could increase the flow and
the current: we decide to effect the exploration with only one push diver, me,
to have the possibility to recover the equipments immediately after. Asterix,
to leave space for me, renounces generously to his personal push dive that as he
affirms, would have been just about some tens of meters more.
August 5
Everything is ready, the Copis with the new filter, the scooter, the lights are
working (the times I had to trouble at every exploration are over).
Once finished breakfast we load the boats
and off we go towards the platform. Mosè will enter the water to wait for me and
to film the entrance of the spring, I will depart immediately after with the
scooter and two 20l tanks to reach the part to explore.
I enter the water, everything works at its best, but my Copis is rigged for the
use with the thick dry suit. I have mounted a steel plate of 8mm which weighs
6kg, too much for the dry suit that I have decided to use and above all it has
the tendency to capsize me onto the back, limiting my agility.
In any case I can't do anything about it now and once geared up with all the
accessories that serve for the safety of the dive I set out towards the
entrance. As soon as I am near the entrance of the cave the current is so strong
that I don't succeed in advancing not even with the scooter, I help myself by
pulling on the rope positioned at the entrance at a depth of 7m. Do you think
that nothing happens? The rope enters into the propeller but fortunately it is
only 10mm thick and in no time I succeed in removing it and to start again.
Along the whole trip I trouble to navigate my scooter because of my negative
buoyancy and I find myself on the edge of the shaft where will leave the scooter
with an accelerated respiraton. I am not in perfect shape, I have not dived
beyond 100m since last summer, I am not trained well, I am overweighted because
of all the physical problems that I had during this spring and which have not
completely passed yet. Once left the scooter I commit a mistake, instead of
stopping and recovering breath at -20m, I let myself fall into the shaft
thinking about recovering during a slow fin propulsion and start to move towards
the exploration. There I am, at -70m, from here the line descends practically in
vertical sense, I see my exploration reel attached in the impressive void at
-90m, Asterix had left it at this depht yesterday. What fear, that I feel inside
of me, the same feeling that I had when I tried sky-diving, it rather doesn't
seem to me to face a wall and descend it with a rope and while I am savoring my
feelings I reach the exploration reel covered by the fallen clay. I grasp it
firmly, unblock it and I let myself go down. I breath badly but I still succeed
in managing. The shaft has a diameter of 25m up to a depht of 100m and I manage
to see all the walls that seem to point out the way towards the bottom with
their erosions. A glimpse, something begins to define itself below me, the
bottom? No, step by step that I draw nearer I realize that there is an enormous
rock prominence like a balcony and at the left side I see the black that signals
a prosecution but to the right the black seems of bigger dimensions.
I take some seconds to decide where to continue and
let myself slip into the bigger tunnel. Unbelievable, what an emotion, what a
cave, what a shaft, but my respiratory rhythm doesn't want to improve but
sincerely it doesn't get worse too, I draw near to the bottom for a tie off, a
little further I tell to myself I will find some other tie off point, here it is,
from above it seems perfect, I reach it and after having tried a tie off that
didn't succeed I try with an elastic but this solution also doesn't work.
I cut the line and begin the ascent,
watching out for the unfixed line. A look to the depht meter, -136m
at 515m from the entrance.
I slowly ascend passing clouds of clay that
fall onto my head, at -100m, during the first deep stop, I take advantage and
swim the circle of the shaft, then again until reaching the tank at -68m.
Analyzing the meteorological forecasts we have decided to take out all the tanks
positioned in the water so I pick up the 20L and continue to ascend. Considering
the fast descent toward the bottom the decompression is not long, I pass -36m
ealier as planned, I pick up the two tanks that are positioned here for
emergency. After about ten minutes
here Mosè appears and after a little while also the Piper. I hand over some
equipments and begin to advance while Mosè and Alexander recover the stuff.
Resurfacing after 108 minutes runtime.
August 6
The push dive of yesterday has produced quite a sensation and a lot of
newspapers and television stations come to interview us. After having satisfied
the curiosity of the "media", for not remaining with empty hands, we dedicate to
the filming of the external environment, while Mosè dives to recover a lamp that
in the hurry has been forgotten in the cave; the Piper dives together with
Vasco, whom none of us has ever seen in water, to verify if he's prepared. Nadia
takes confidence with the cave, using her Mini Meg and strolls around at the
first meters of the spring. Roger completes a dive during which he ascends a new
tunnel, he exits in an enchanting dry hall and Asterix is delighted to take
pictures.
August 7
As it is not only us who should enjoy the wonders that Mother Nature has hidden
in the cave and for the more underwater, the day is dedicated to filming. Mosè
and Asterix have the video camera while the Piper will illuminate the scenery.
Not always everything runs smooth: in fact, immediately after the start, we have
a problem with the video camera and the lightings used by Asterix; he turns
back, while we proceed along the tunnel. After about one hour of filming, while
we return too, we pass Roger who is going to give a glance at the hall that is
opening before the shaft; later he will report not to have seen anything of
interest. Once returned to the surface I
return immediately underwater with Vasco for another stroll.
In the evening, between one beer
and another, we check the filming, analyze the positive characteristics and the
committed mistakes.
August 8
Initially the program of the day would be to do some video filming up to -100m,
with the two video cameras that, once set up correctly should work to
perfection. Considering to the meteorological forecasts, I reflect about the
fact that maybe we have only time until Monday, before the predicted plentiful
rains will start. A little before loading the boat, I consult Asterix about what
to do, because it would be stupid to dedicate to the filming without preparing
the cave for the exploration, which for me is the most burning desire.
We decide therefore to do as well the filming work, and also to prepare for a
push dive on Monday. The permanence in water today for the biggest part of us
will be long: Asterix and Mosè, after having followed me until -100m, will
ascend to wait for me at between -60m and -40m and complete the filming.
When all of us are ready, punctual as Swiss watches, the operators of a
television station appear, as well as some journalists and photographers, full
of desire to follow the operations.
In front of the spring we complete the last details: Asterix and Mosè take the
video camera, the Piper places the tanks of emergency open circuit bailout,
transporting two 20l tanks. The trio will depart 15 minutes before me, because
I, even if transporting the 200 W lightings, the exploration reel and two 20l
tanks I will have the benefit of propulsion by scooter.
Nadia will leave immediately after me and will place the EAN50 tanks at a depth
of -21m, Roger and Vasco have the task to look after me during the
decompression.
The program is respected quite regularly: Asterix and Mosè leave together, then
the Piper after a few minutes and then me. Following with half an eye everything
around, I adapt the velocity of my preparation. Flowting in the water, I check
the sensors and the Copis, pick up some baggage and set out for the dive.
As in these days it has rained a lot at Skopje, but not here where we are and
not even in the mountains above, the current is neither increased nore
decreased. The day before yesterday Roger has installed the caving rope, which
is a help to pull oneself inside the entrance, in a way to grab it with more
facility. Among the two knotted parts there is a piece of 70cm dangling which at
my passage with the scooter, while I am busy descending head first and loaded
with material, with the propeller that doesn't succeed in overcoming the current
and the aspirated and spit out stones of the vortex created by the propeller,
where will it end up? The answer is obvious: it ends up wound around the
propeller pivot. A hot flash of nervousness attacks me while, dangling in the
current, I try to free the scooter. I am not able to do anything else other than
to cut the rope, to finish freeing the propeller and to try again to pass.
The operation fortunately is successful in
this second attempt. While daringly I advance using the scooter I tell to myself
that nothing else can stop me now.
I pass the Peoni Hall (the first hall in
the cave) I reach -33m from where the base of a vertical shaft, that reaches up
to -12m, is reached. Above I see the lights of
the Piper who is ascending; I pass him and continue.
Suddenly I see some lights: they must have heard the noise of the scooter. I am
careful because I am just a little before the video cameras, the guide line
crosses the tunnel and the space available to pass it is little. The situation
is not simple and adding the fact that the video cameras are filming my arrival
I almost get entangled. No harm done! I attach the scooter to the main line and
slowly I begin to descend the shaft.
Mosè is below to wait for me while
Asterix follows me from behind. 1000W of light invade the environment. What
beauty! I would like to spin like a missile, always having this whole mega
illumination, even during the explorations.
Once arrived in the shaft, I let myself go down at a speed of 13m/min, and once
reached the -100m point beyond which I won't be followed by the video cameras
anymore, I increase the speed and perceive the lights getting weaker and weaker
behind me.
I point the lighths towards the bottom, in the hope of seeing this ghostly
vision on film. Using my most powerful lights I am able to see everything
better. I firmly grab the exploration reel and while I am compensating the dry
suit I prepare to attach it to the line that ends at -136m. I feel very well and
the respiraton is regular; I see the end of the line, I put myself in perfect
neutral asset in order to avoid to move and cloud the visibility and perform the
knot.
Following the original program I would have had to begin the ascent, but I feel
in such an optimal shape that I decide to lose a few minutes and do some
exploration and continue the descent. I observe the shaft that in this section
has the form of an ellipse and measures about 30m per 15m. Approaching to the
nth spike that, as usually, is not the best for a tie-off, but with some effort
I succeed in knotting the line; like this, I block the exploration reel at the
new depth of -159m
and leave it to continue next time. For today it is enough.
My heart beat is increased in comparison to before because now on the Galileo I
read 135.
Returned to -100m, I tie an elastic onto the guide line that allows me to leave
one of the two 20 l tanks at the level of the first deep stop. Looking up I see
the lights of my dive companions. I stroll around in the shaft with the two 100W
lightings turned on, in the hope possibly being filmed but because of the
distance and of the visibility I fear that it won't be possible. At -70m, while
Mosè is near me with the video camera, suddenly I realize, observing my HUD,
that I have a high partial pressure of oxygen; I perform a quick diluent flush,
but after a little while I find the PpO2 being high again; a new diluent flush,
but this time I realize that the valve of the bypass has been open, for which I
detach the hose that feeds the valve with pure oxygen and everything returns to
be normal.
Unfortunately, as the visibility quickly
reduces to zero, I have to grab the main line as quickly to be able to return in
safety. The obscuring stays like this for a little while, and as Mosè follows me
during the decompression with the video camera, I stroll around the hall,
recover the scooter, go forward and back in the tunnel to gratify him for his
commitment. The minutes run and the decompression proceeds without obstacles.
When the stop at -12m is over, I have to descend the shaft that brings me to
-33m from where finally the return to the surface can continue without other
important variations of depht. At
-18m I meet Roger with the battery for the heating vest, the ankle weights and
the bottle of warm tea. I get comfortable to my ease like at the Café Paris.
Continuing up to -12m, from where the daylight can be seen penetrating the cave,
meeting Asterix in phase of decompression, I offer him some tea. He however,
while closing the mouthpiece of his Joky, detaches the respiration hose and
floods the rebreather which forces him to finish the decompression in open
circuit. Roger ventures to take some photos in the small ascent, when Vasco
appears with a second battery and a 10 l tank of breathable gas at a depht of a
few meters and I lighten myself of the 20 l tank.
After a runtime of 139 minutes, I pull my face out of the water with a big smile
on it, because I am very satisfied about how this improvised exploration has
gone. The final result has not yet arrived.
Note:
1)
Trasmission on Macedone National Television Network A1
[Click Here]
(file .wmv)
2)
Trasmission on Television Station ALSAT-M
[Click Here]
(file .flv)
August 9
This day is dedicated to the maintenance of the equipment used during the dives,
including as well the lightings and the rebreatherses which means the Megalodon
and Copis units: on my unit I repare a hole in counterlung, Mosè is occupied
changing the batteries that feed the electronics of his circuit, each one has
his personal task to devote to.
August 10
The atmospheric perturbation has unloaded the rain over the city of Skopje,
while for the moment, here where we are everything is calm. Unfortunately the
weather forecasts announce worsening from this afternoon and this makes us
hesitate about the continuation of the exploration.
Asterix, who about two years ago, after a day of intense rain in the mountains
above, could not succeed in entering the cave because of a current too strong to
be won anymore, once remained with a fist ful of flies. As there are only five
days left for the exploration, he fears that the equipments left inside the cave
cannot be recovered anymore.
The possible need to return in the near future to recover the material is not an
acceptable alternative; my home is at 1650 km from here and only the idea of a
small trip organized only for this, seems out of the question to me.
The decision is to get organized to recover everything, immediately, without
obstacles at the end of the exploration that we will do today. I also change the
sequence of the operations: Roger will take the scooter and the two 20 l tanks
to -10 m where the current is not so strong anymore, then he will wait for me to
take some pictures of my departure. I slip into the undergarments and the dry
suit with calm, because the heat can be felt even if we are at 320 m above sea
level. In the shadow and in the canyon there is always some wind. Once connected
the hose of the urinal condom, the cables of the electric heating vest and
closed the zipper I jump into the lake to refresh: the water of 11°, two degrees
less than inside the cave, is a pleasant relief. I continue to gear up in the
water, fins and their fixings first, then the two masks, the backup one goes
into the pocket and the one that I use, the weight belt of 1kg and the battery
pack which is connected to the helmet.
I return to take a seat on the platform and with the help of Nadia, the siren of
the exploration, I complete to gear up: Copis, gloves, Galileo pulse monitor,
pliers on the right forearm, there's nothing else left than to take contact with
the closed circuit. Sitting on the edge, already having the Copis full of
oxygen, once taken the contact with the nozzle, I effect some inspiration from
the circuit and expiration from the nose, to subsequently eliminate the present
nitrogen. I put the weight on my arms, turn around and I let myself fall into
the water. In these days I have replaced the 8 mm plate with one of 3 mm, which
makes me agile as the small trouts, my little sisters, which in this moment in
the lake are crowded numerously around me. Splashing in the transparent water, I
draw back near to the platform and I am handed over the lightings.
Roger is given a head start with the photo camera to place in a suitable point,
then I set out towards the entry of the cave. Pulling in with the rope is easier
than entering with the scooter, and in an instant I am in the zone where my
material is. While I am burdening with two bailout tanks, Roger takes numerous
pictures until, with the scooter clamped between the legs, I stay some more
seconds for the last picture, then I start the engine and move on quickly.
I know the route well by now and I already know how to cut the curves to earn
time, even if this manoeuvre has nothing to do with the decompression
obligation: it helps only my psyche. At the end of the tunnel the shaft is in
front of me: I abandon the scooter to continue by fin propulsion. I keep as high
as possible, having the main line in sight below me and after a couple of
minutes more below me the abyss of the other the shaft is opening. With the
exploration line tied off 30m further the day before, I begin to go down
diagonally until I recognize the part of shaft where my yellow tank is: it's
done, nothing else left than moving towards it. I pass it, gliding with elegance
inside the walls that surround me, no sobbering, few fin kicks to hold the
direction and off towards the familiar exploration reel, that waits for me, at
least I believe so, a little bit further down: it is always exciting to see it,
reach it, grab it, unblock it and go down. I will go on, as usual, by feeling:
while I am descending, I don't worry about the meters that I will reach and
which will be my company during the decompression, because I don't set myself a
numerical limit, but the limit will be dictated by the moment, by my fears, by
the famous alarm bells. I still descend and I wonder where I am going because I
don't see the walls anymore even if descending vertically: the shaft is widening
to a bell and I am perplex about the direction to follow. I don't have to think
for a long time about what to do because below me there is rock and I land on an
enormous block: around me I see only small passages, a joy for a speleologist
who reaches the base of a shaft while for a cave diver at these depths following
these prosecutions is quite at the limit.
My exploratory enthusiasm is finished here at a depht of -190m,
574 m from the entrance, with the disappointment that it's over. Tied off the
exploration line, not very well, sincerely once picked up the exploration reel
and beginning to ascend spinning around, "I cannot believe it"! Here it is the
shaft that I hoped to sink into the absolute black. An instant of anger takes
hold of me but coolly reasoning I realize, that I can't do anything about it at
the moment, sometimes this happens, and this perhaps is part of the sixth sense
that has made turn around to see that in this point I can pass. Having already
turned towards the exit by now, I put it on the list for the next time.
In ascent, at a depht of -170 m, I note the direction on the compass to
understand on what axe the disruption is situated and then, calm like the pope,
I arrive at the first deep stop at -150 m then up to -125 m; and while I am
looking downward, I have time to feel the desire to return and continue boiling
inside of me and I wonder if the shaft goes down as it promises or if it folds
up horizontally, or if it goes up again. How many dreams! In an instant my
thoughts elaborate an unlimited quantity of imaginations, but I am aware that
these imaginations will have to be sustained for one year, in other words until
the return.
Here it is, the tank at -100 m which I recover continuing the ascent up to -67
m, where I also take the fourth tank. At -36 m hooking also the fifth tank onto
me, I think about the companions which within brief time will come to control me
during my decompression and free me from the superfluous equipment. Hits of
flash warn me that someone, Asterix, is taking photos, while the powerful
lightings, surely of the video camera of Mosè, illuminate my ascent; the only
one that in this moment it is able and wants to help me, the Piper, moves
forward. We are in the midst of the water along the wall that rises up to the
tunnel at -20 m and the passage of the voluminous equipments is not simple; in
any case we begin with the most important things. He gives me to drink, the
battery and puts the ankle weights onto me. I ascend to -24 m but, after having
handed over a 20 l tank I accidentally let fall the battery and the Piper, the
good guardian angel, has to descend to the bottom at -40 m to recover it.
I relieve after all of the tanks holding back only the two most proper to
eventually be still of use. The decompression proceeds slowly up to -12 m then,
the scooter ride at full speed in the horizontal section until the shaft, then I
descend to -30 m in the Peoni Hall where, ascending from -21 m, I recover a 15 l
tank and one from 7 l. Tempus fugit: my next appointment will be with Roger to
take other pictures, near the exit. Arrived at the bottom of the slide at the
entrance, in fact, here he is, Roger, ready to shoot and the siren Nadia who
brings me a battery: in change I hand her over two 20 l tanks, the exploration
reel and the scooter. Vasco, coming out of the horizon, it is entrusted to
transport the 15 l tank and to assist me during the last minutes of
decompression. After 173 minutes, resurfacing, I see journalists and camera men
of the National Macedonian Television Network who attend me on the platform.
The doctor Aleksandar who is at our disposal to assist us throughout the
expedition, has prepared vials of vitamins and pleasant mineral salts to drink
on the platform, which he delivers to us as prize and medicine after the long
dives.
August 11
Rest for Mosè, the Piper and me, while Nadia has the task to take some water and
sediment samples at distances up to 200 m and 150 m of from the entry, Vasco
takes samples at a distance of 50 m; Roger and Asterix take pictures.
In the afternoon the whole team is guest at the Italian Embassy at Skopje.
August 12
The taking of water and sediment samples is important for the goals of the
studies of hydro-geologists, geologists and biologists and therefore also today
Nadia will take samples at 250m from the entry and the Piper at 350m. Asterix
will give light, Mosè goes to the hall and myself, blinded inbetween the two
others, will try to immortalize a conspicuous number of spectacular visions of
the tunnels in order to be able to put together a small documentary for not
leaving the profane who are on dry land with a dry mouth. For Roger 1000W of
lightings switched on in the Peoni Hall, are a greedy occasion. After one hour
of dive time, reentering in the Peoni Hall, we still have light and the
possibility to film, the batteries of the scooter still have energy, and as I
have the space to have a good time with the two 20 l tanks that I transport as
bailout, I turn upside-down in a continued series of loopings.
We finish the dive, accurately taking part of the material which now in water
doesn't serve anymore onto the platform.
August 13
Asterix tells that our images still miss something, and Mosè and I return into
the water to complete the work. I am the most fortunate because I cruise in the
tunnels with the scooter while those who work are moving by fin propulsion.
Luckily the distance is not long, only about 300 m from the entrance, with a lot
of stops to carefully evaluate the shots.
When we exit, the fatiguing and boring work begins: with patience we transport
the whole material that has remained on the platform onto the boat and we return
to the base camp, enjoying for one last time the sight of the rocky mountains
that rise imperviously from the water level and mirror the green of the
vegetation and the grey of the limestone.
The heavy job will be concluded at 19.30 in the evening with the definitive
setup of the whole material in the cars after a walk of about 500 m, on a road
that now luckily is in descent, perfectly on schedule with the supper organized
by the group Peoni, at which besides us about twenty people will partecipate.
August 14
The moment to part with the local friends who have kindly housed us, that have
ferried us forth and back on the river to the spring: the emotions and the
embraces and the promises to return, until it is really time to depart.
The departure anyway is gradual because we have an anticipated stop at Skopje
where we are attended for a press conference at the Holiday Inn Hotel.
The academic delay of 10 minutes due to the intense traffic embarrasses us not
just a little when we enter the room filled with people waiting; they make us
sit behind a table on which the microphones are placet while eight television
cameras are aimed at us and at a group of journalists which we met during our
stay and who are placed side by side with us. Once finished with the press
conference a new surprise attends us: we are expected by the mayor of Skopje who
has interrupted hs vacations to meet us and to bring us a personal greeting of
this hospitable city. Questions, explanations, new projects, emerge from our
discssions and all of this it makes us think about a next expedition with a
greater interest towards the Matka Vrelo spring and our activity. A snack with
the Honorary Consul of Belgium and the macedonian friends then the moment of
departure has finally arrived: the nostalgia that gets hold of you for the
people, for the place, for the exploratory experience just lived is part of the
program.
The road, the long road that separates me from home, seems endless. Once passed
with facility the macedonian border, thanks to the help of Kiro, we decide that
each one goes for his own account. When we are in Serbia, we say goodbye: the
two Belgians are with a car and a trailer and are therefore certainly slower,
the Piper cannot go fast because of the tent on the roof, while myself as well
as Nadia and Mosè are able to maintain higher averages. The intense traffic from
time to time gets us further apart from each other, and sometimes it gets us so
near to each other, that for the whole journey in Serbia casually we meet at
filling stations or in the tails at the tollgates. I give a passage to a Serbian
police officer who goes to work at Belgrad: he speaks only Serbian and with my
ten words of Serb I don't succeed in communicating very much, nevertheless, I
start with an unusual experience. We speak with gestures but travelling in a
highway with heavy load at sustained speed is not very easy: he offers me
immediately some " rachi " which means grappa, which I accept drinking from the
bottle but wetting only my lips to avoid to get alcohol into the body, while I
am driving; then we chat about automobiles and who knows what I understand and
who knows what things he understands, the fact is that we agree with each other.
Once reached the tollgate of Belgrad he recommends me to be smart and shows me
where to pass for avoiding a little bit of traffic jam: I don't make him repeat
this twice because I want to return home in only one voyage. On the bypass road
of Belgrad he asks me to stop, we say goodbye and my trip continues in
loneliness. At the border with Croatia the weary traffic makes me loose more
than two hours; Nadia is in the line some cars before me, then fortune turns
towards me and my passage becomes faster. I pass them and during the standstills
we chat; the Piper is behind us but we don't see him.
In deep night, arrived in Croazia, the traffic
disappears and the travelling continues without problems. At the slovenian
border the wait is short, Nadia is behind me; I hope that when entering European
Community the controls are faster, but it is not like that because the slovenian
customs officers, who seem to be remained in the time of ex Yugoslavia, make
this passage of customs without the shade of a doubt the most complicated and
slow one of the whole trip. From
here on I lose the contact with the others and I enjoy the dawn of August 15 at
my shoulders, looking at it in the rear mirror. Home sweet home! I arrive at
08.30 in the morning without other obstacles, from the morning roads, after
having travelled 1650 km in 15 hours.
Partecipants:
