OLIERO CAVES 2005
Cogol dei Siori
This
year, 2005, the expedition begins quietly, since initially at Valstagna, we are
only in two: Simone and myself. We arrive on Wednesday the 5th in the evening.
Thursday we are already together with other friends with which we go to the
White Elephant Spring to make an easy dive and where we find a fabulous
visibility up to -50m, a rare situation in these last years. This spring is not
the planned ojective where to operate this time, but the caves Oliero, the Cogol
dei Siori, in which on Friday, Simone will dive to place a couple of tanks at 6m
and -21m.
Saturday passes with preparations of the base camp: transport of the material
from the car to the space near the spring, mounting the tent, arranging the
battery chargers, etc. Our number fortunately has increased, we are by now in
eleven, and the work proceeds so quickly that it does not even seem to be very
serious; Simone, Michele, Cimabue, Cichita, Francesco, Maceria, Davide, Mauro,
Matteo work a lot and Caramella to crown the work, unintentionally makes a dive
from the unstable small boat, falling into the icy waters of the lake.
On
Sunday, the whole series of decompression tanks is put into the water, including
two 20l and one 15l tanks, one exploration reel with 500m of line, that are
placed beyond the gravel bed, ready to be picked up by me and to be taken to the
planned positions.
The
open circuit bailout tanks will serve me for emergency, in case of a malfunction
of the closed circuit Voyager; it is in fact this unit that I will use during
the push dive.
On
Monday the team becomes small again: Cichita, Cimabue, Modesto and naturally
myself remain. Before entering the water, I agree with Cimabue to receive a
pleasant visit of his during my decompression stops at about 75 minutes; anyhow
there won't be served coffee. I leave with the scooter and reach, without having
to work in the current of the gravel bed; I pass it and I find the equipments
that I will take being well positioned by my friends and assistants, who by now
don't have any more secrets in the field. The old line has remained in position
and the scooter allows me to pass the meters that separate me from the objective
quickly. I have passed about 550m from the entry, I place the 15l tank behind a
rock and continue to observe the little that I see of the tunnel: unlike the
White Elephant Spring, here the visibility is not so splendid, only about 3-4
meters. Once reached 850m, the line is interrupted at a tie off point beyond
which the empty space continues in front of me. I park the scooter and fix the
line of the exploration reel, then I beginning to swim to find my dear old
precedent line after about thirty meters. I decide to put a new line continuing
along the old one still in good conditions: I made the necessary knots and go
on. After about ten meters, with
great disappointment I see the old line broken. I give up, I connect the
exploration reel and continue along the whole route until -62/64m; this time,
even if I still see the old line well positioned in some points, I don't let
myself be tempted: it takes too much time to make knots for the connections: I
will lay out a completely new line. As I wear
the light dry suit, the cold starts to make me shiver a little, for which, as I
love comfortable life, I decide to return: I am at 1100m from the entrance. I
place the exploration reel and a 20l tank with delicacy. The current pushes me
softly towards the exit and the time allows to me to cut into small pieces one
hundred meters of the dangerously old parallel line, which was next to the one
laid out by myself a few minutes before. Back in the zone of decompression after
70 minutes, at -40m, I meet two small Proteo, I ascend slowly and reach the
gravel bed, I pass it and meet Cimabue, who passes me the battery and the ankle
weights. I continue the decompression until reaching the initial lake. In the
lake I observe a gigantic and immovable trout before reaching the surface after
145 minutes. I am almost at the surface when I pass Cichita and Modesto who
enter and to replace the line from the gravel bed to the exit that the floods of
2004 have worn out in several points.
On
Tuesday I leave with the intention to return in water but after having realized
the amount of work that waits for me to prepare the material to be left in water
I decide to cancel. We prepare all the necessary for the dive of tomorrow, two
scooters, one 20l tank and one exploration reel. We fix the winch that is
mounted on the stand which will allow us to put the heavy scooter that I will
use the next day into the water. Cichita and Modesto continue with the work of
substituting the line, while Francesco will take the material that I will use
tomorrow beyond the gravel bed.
Wednesday, while I am replacing the battery of the oxygen analyser, mybe because
in mind I am too much in advance already, I unintentionally break the plexiglass
pipe and I am forced to cancel the dive. I succeed to contact Nicola Donda, the
owner of Aquatek who fortunately has another one at home, and for not wasting
precious days I go to his place at Trieste to pick it up while Cichita and
Cimabue are getting organized to finish the work of substituting the line in the
initial part of the cave.
My
sword of Damocles is like always the meteorological situation, that is as
unpredictable as the shape and number of pieces of a vase that drops to the
ground. It can determine the conditions of the spring in a good or a bad way.
Thursday I recover the cancelled dive of the preceding day, but I have to modify
the program: I decide to take the fossil part of the cave that is situated to
the right to bring an emergency tank and an exploration reel with 300m of line
the most distant possible. I plan to leave with two scooters which guarantees me
the safety for the return. I start in the late forenoon using one scooter and
the two 20l tanks from the beginning, while the second scooter is already beyond
the gravel bed. While I am passing the first 160m of cave, I realize how much
advantageous it is to have little equipment on the back, since I am agile and
free in my movements without the complications of a bulky load. Once reached the
gravel bed I get into it, and with extreme facility I pass it: here in front of
me a proteo of average dimensions that quietly is at his home, I pass the rock
on which the two tanks and the scooter are placed. I have the time to look at it
while I am preparing the load to be towed behind and while I gear up with the
tanks; bothered by my presence, it decides to hide among the rocks while I leave
riding my scooter.
I
succeed in passing the tunnel at maximum speed, I quickly reach the point where
Monday I had left the tank and the exploration reel. In this tunnel there are no
continuing lines: the situation requires that I leave the scooter that I have
used for the progression together with the emergency bailout tank; I start to
lay out a new line using the second scooter instead. Advancing requires some
work: the exploration reel of big dimensions is difficult to be handled and to
lay out the line, advancing with the scooter and two 20l tanks and one 7l tank,
is not the maximum of comfort. In
some points the old line, breaking up by itself, has created zones that seem to
have 4-5 parallel lines.
The danger that they
represent makes me pass them with caution. I reach 1250m using all 500m of 2,5mm
line of the exploration reel. From here I don't have another choice than
following the two old lines that lead to the fossil part of the cave and that
still seem to be well positioned; this way I succeed in proceeding quicker in a
tunnel that maintains a medium depth of -43m and I set the target to 1600m;
There I will place the 20l tank and the exploration reel with 300m of 2,5mm
line: while I am placing everything for good behind a rock, I see another proteo
of big dimensions escaping on the muddy bottom of the tunnel. Mother nature has
indeed been generous with me and has given me meetings with 4 proteos in two
dives. The return is calm: I stop in some places to fix the line, a little
before a point where the ceiling is approaching the bottom dangerously, I put an
elastic to remember to watch out at the next passage and slowly I arrive where I
had left the scooter. I pick it up and I start
the return toward the decompression stops.
After 100 minutes I am in the
decompression zone; Franccesco arrives punctually at the meeting and brings me a
battery for the electric heating vest and the ankle weights. Also Cimabue
arrives at the pre-arranged time and checks that during the decompression
everything proceeds well. I hand him over the last things that I was keeping for
returning to the entrance pool, I write down that I would like to drink some
warm tea at the exit and at this point there is nothing else to do than to
remain attending the minutes that remain for completing the decompression. After
210 minutes I am back at the surface, hungry and thirsty: Finally I can go
eating and drinking.
Friday Cichita and
Cimabue are busy preparing the scooters and meter-marked line that will serve
for the dive of Sunday. Between one chat and another one we succeed in finishing
almost all the works. Just before evening comes there is a pleasant surprise:
Jean Jacques shows up, he das just returned a few days earlier from a trip to
Africa and is full of desire to spend a couple of weeks in the healthy cold
dampness of the Oliero. We unload his equipments, we succeed in setting
everything up before it gets dark, then we go to relax before the feast of the
evening. At 22.00 I receive a phone call of
Christos, a Greek friend, who confirms to join the team.
Saturday the team has become numerous again and every one does his part; Cichita,
Cimabue, Ennio and Christos place the habitat and all the accessories in the
water, I dedicate myself to prepare the last gadgets that will serve me tomorrow
and Jean Jacques prepares his semi closed circuit. In the afternoon we are
joined by Marc… and Roger…the two Belgian friends who are effecting the
topography of the White Elephant Spring up to the depth of -105m. Marc dives to
take a scooter and a 20l bailout tank beyond the gravel bed.
Sunday
After some initial inconveniences, my undergarment got wet by Cimabue who
boarded our boat soaked, at about 12.30 I start to try the continuation of the
fossil part of the cave. Splash! into the water, I quickly pass the gravel bed
beyond which the big scooter, one aquazepp, the small pink scooter, two 20l
tanks and an exploration reel expect me. I succeed in towing behind two scooters
and a 20l tank. The progression is fast like always; the new lighting that I
have mounted onto on the scooter reveals to be appropriate because it
illuminates the area in front of me but not the guide line that is beneath me; I
adapt it and point the light beam a little downward. I reach 1250m, I leave the
emergency aquazepp and continue my trip. After 65 minutes I reach and pass the
tank that I had positioned two days before without too many problems and at
around 1850m from the entry, I find the main line broken which forces me to
stop. I park the scooters and continue with quiet fin propulsion, I lay out 30m
of new line up to join the old line. I return to the scooters and after having
rearranged everything I continue the push dive.
The old line is not in very good shape:
it presents itself in a disgusting brown colour, in some points it shows evident
signs of consumption and it has not been placed tense in all points. Equipment
like mine, the closed circuits, are the high end of what regards autonomy, but I
mustn't make the error to be over confident about what regards the safety terms,
therefore, with cautious passes, I pass at a safe distance from the line
avoiding an unaware rush into it.
The computer imposes to me to perform a
deep stop of two minutes at -21m, then I finally reach 2000m; here the zone is
complex, even if the tunnel that in comparison to my position makes a left turn
of 90 appears to be the main tunnel: I am surprised to observe it greater than
I remembered. I continue for a little with the whole lot still towed behind and
after one hundred meters I stop to leave the big scooter behind.
From here on I continue with only the
small scooter. The scarce visibility doesn't allow me indeed to see the tunnel
very well, I hardly recognize the environment; At around 2350m, at about -15m, a
small stop to fix the broken line and off I go, pulled again by my propeller: at
2500m I reach the point in which I had thought about leaving behind the scooter.
As I find the guide line still intact, I
continue without hesitating.
At
2550m from the entry the line is too loose for my taste, it makes me suspicious:
pulling it I realize that it is broken again, even if the point of breakup is
far. I say goodbye to the scooter and continue by fin propulsion. In this very
muddy zone suspension is daily business for which I stay distant from the bottom
and follow calmly the leftover of the line.
Here I am in front of an enormous tunnel,
in which at the moment, I don't dare to enter because my line leads to another
direction. When I arrive at the end of the line, I connect it to the exploration
reel.
While connectiong the lines I realize
that 4 or 5 proteos make me company: my intentions are friendly but I disturb
their daily goings so that being annoyed, even if still visible in the water,
they hide the heads between the rocks and the holes in the bottom: also for
today there's no invitation to the tea-party.
I finally recognize the point where I had fixed the line the last time: I
reflect about how my progression has changed in this section in comparison to
last year. With the open circuit I had arrived here and like lightning I had
gone there and back ignoring the little of decompression that I would have had
to perform. Now, with the closed circuit, I have all time to look around, to see
other galleries, to circle from one side to the other. I turn around with
circumspection between one rock and the other, because for a moment it seemed to
me, observing the suspension, to have the current behind the back,: after 32m,
in front of me, crossing another gallery, I see another line of small dimensions
which is white: my goodness! I
recognize it! It's the same line that I have seen on the spools of Rick Stanton
this summer in France. I don't believe in my eyes, because I would never have
imagined to be able to connect the two caves of Oliero.
From now on it won't be only the Proteos to enter the
Cogol dei Siori and to exit from the Cogol dei Veci or vice versa! After having
fixed the line near the other, I retain that it is time to return now: I know
about the route of the cave explored by Rick. I have all the time to observe on
my computer that 115 minutes have passed. Fin kick after fin kick towards the
return, I reach the scooter and thanks to its thrust I continue with more speeds
and without work up to the point where the big scooter lies. I prepare the
equipment to be towed behind, with a smile behind the mask, imagining future
explorations, the amazing routes and almost without realizing I reach the 20l
tank, I pick it up and take it to the intersection at 1250m; in that place it
will serve as emergency bailout for the next dives.
After a run time of 190 minutes the first deep stop is at -42m which I
pass together with three small proteos; after about ten minutes the dark outline
of Jean Jacques appears and passes after an ok signal. As the minutes pass I am
visited by Marc, Roger, Christos, who cheer up my stops inbetween photographs
and a bottle of tea, while Simone is in good shape and Ennio is K.O. with the
flu, they build the surface support dealing with the logistic part. I exit into
the world outside at 17h20 after 290 minutes in water and many curious faces are
around me, including the glassy eye of the television camera of a local TV
station.
With the first phase of the explorations
put into the archives, it is time now for a break to make a summary. This
conjunction is as unexpected as fantastic. The supposition that the two springs
were connected has now become a certainty it is also clear where and how. I
light up with happyness when I remember the moment in which I first found and
then recognized the line of Rick. This connection for the moment dissuades me of
the goal to reach the aerial sections because it is worth to coordinate the
programs for the future explorations with Rick. The labyrinthine environments
found give hope for endless routes, all still to be explored, and from this
moment they become easier to reach from the new access of the Cogol dei Veci:
the explorations will be organized from that access. This connection deserves to
be followed by a little time dedicated to relax and meditation and I will take
the right interval dedicating the next two days to take pictures: it is correct
for us and for the others, to document these activities that perhaps in a future
could appear glorious, or already superceeded, and to have the possibility to
add a little dust to our dusty memory, with real and clear images.
Monday 17 I dedicate myself to the
preparation of the materials that I use, I charge the batteries, the argon and
the oxygen tanks, I don't even look at the diluent (so little consumption that
is not worth it to refill it), I set up the closed circuit, (the sofnolime has
to to be changed, the mechanical parts have to be dried etc.).
We start to take some pictures at the
outside with the friends of the Studio Blu from Rome, while Jean Jacques
prepares his tanks with the mixtures and Christos goes to Modena to pick up some
material that he needs.
Tuesday 18 I want to check the line up to 1250m inside the active part of the
cave; it is a good occasion for filming: mounted onto the helmet I have a
microcamera that will register what I see during the dive for about one hour.
Myself I would have had to be filmed during the passage of the gravel bed, but
unfortunately I reach the cameramen, who left about ten minutes before me at
half way in comparison to the point of the appointment; pulled by the scooter, I
pass them and arrive in brief time at the pre-arranged point, not having an idea
of how much their arrival could be delayed, after a few minutes I opt for
continuing the programmed dive; we will do the filming another day. Easily I
reach 1250m, I leave the scooter and the material that I have with me, and I
succeed in moving with more agility. I fix the broken line that goes to the
active branch and, after a swimming only about ten meters, voilà, the connection
is restored. Already that I am
there, I pick up a 20l tank that I had left there Sunday with the intention to
bring it to 1450m. What nuisance! After one hundred meters, again I have to stop
to fix the line. Finally reached 1450m, I place the tank and a guide reel, and
arrive at 1550m, in one deserved small race, without too many knickknacks but
only with the scooter. The check of the three analysers shows that one doesn't
work: I would not like to, but prudence imposes to me to return. Reached 1250m
the sensor starts working well again; better this way, because this means that
is due to the the usual false contact that I had skipped to fix. After 90
minutes I reach the depht of the first decompression stop and I see Jean Jacques
who is cleaning the cave of old broken lines up to 900m from the entry.
In assistance Francesco, Giuseppe, Modesto and
Christos, always punctual, monitor first my decompression, then that of Jean
Jacques.
Wednesday is day of absolute rest while
our cameramen flutter in the water to gather images in the first 200m of the
cave.
Thursday I dedicate the whole day to the
setup of my equipment for the push dive of the day after and to the final check
of the habitat that will host me at the end of the following long dives. Jean
Jacques for his part, returns in the same zone of Tuesday to continue the
cleaning of broken lines. Christos, alone, is dealing with the two of us and he
concludes his nanny duties dedicating to monitor the deco of Jean Jacques.
Friday: Starting from now our efforts
will be dedicated to the part of the cave which is called active. The other
branch, improperly called " fossil " also shows presence of current but in a
more moderate way, for which the exploratory curiosity is turned towards the
part from which much more water arrives. Fortunately for the first 1250m the tho
parts of the cave are united therefore there is nothing to restore because the
ariadne thread, the tanks and the emergency scooter are already in position.
There's nothing else to do than to go and verify, from 1250m to 1690m, in which
last year, accomplice the bad visibility of 2 to 3m, I have not been able to
find the continuation. In comparison to last the days, the conditions of the
Oliero are improving, which means that the current decreases and the visibility
improves slowly. FinallyI will continue the exploration, even if I impose some
additional stops along the route to verify that the regulators mounted on the
bailout tanks are functional. Off I go: I take the tank that lies at 1450m to
1600m but again the main line is interrupted. I am forced to change the plans
and to leave the 20l tank and the big scooter, continuing with the small scooter
and laying out line up to the end of the exploration of last year at 1685m. At
this point I decide to leave also the small scooter and to advance only with fin
propulsion. Remembering the attempts of search without result of last year going
on straight and towards the right, this time I try towards the left, and I find
a tunnel that begins with 2,5m of height and a width of over ten meters; there I
am! With these conditions of good visibility it has been easy to find the
continuation. I advance without hesitating and the dimensions immediately are
widening notably. Positioning in the middle in order to to have the overview of
the walls that I just about succeed to see, I estimate the walls to be at a
distance of about ten meters from me and the ceiling at about 4-5m of distance;
I feel a light current against my direction that opposes me but it is not
annoying. The depth is constant at -52m and after one hundred meters, I find
myseéf in a zone with some collapsed rocks that I pass above; the ceiling now is
only 2m from the bottom but after about ten meters, I descend again and the
tunnel returns to have the plain dimensions of before. The bottom is partly rock
partly gravel embedded in mud; on the sides of the tunnel I observe gigantic
clay deposits. I succeed in advancing for 207m before stopping on a comfortable
plain rock that will serve me to deposit the big scooter for the next push dive:
today I leave a 20l tank and the exploration reel ready to be used. I return to
the middle observing the tunnel, until I reach the small scooter, a quick run
and there it is in front of me, the big scooter that expects me; the gestures
are the usual ones: I prepare the rope to tow behind, I attack the hooks, move
the weights in a way to have the whole load how I like to have it and again I
ride the "loyal steed". I am forced to slow down near a curve at about 1500m
from the entry seeing a poor small proteo already dead and in phase of
decomposition. The usual key passages, where I have to watch out not to beat the
head, where to avoid to entangle old lines in the propeller, where to think that
still have to pass 40-45 minutes of cave with its continuous ups and downs
before reaching the depht of the decompression stops. The two Belgian cave
divers busy with mapping the deep zone of the White Elephant Spring to about
-105m, have taken a break of their job and have come to the Oliero to assist me
during the decompression. After 125 minutes they are at the depht of my
decompression stops: after 40 minutes Marc brings me the battery and the ankle
weights so that my deco can proceed with the maximum comfort. Roger comes to
take some pictures and Christos is alternating with Marc to bring me tea.
Considering to be treated like a prince, I decide not to enter the habitat and
to pass the whole decompression in water: After 263 minutes I am back at the
surface.
Saturday Jean Jacques continues the endless job of cleaning the cave from the
old lines and the tireless Christos, dressed with his fresh wet suit assists him.
In the afternoon Caramella and Viki arrive and are employed immediately: meter
marking of the line for the exploration reel that I will use tomorrow.
Sunday I start the dive at about 11.20. Beyond the gravel bed the small scooter
and the 20l tank that Francesco has taken there a little before my departure
expect me. I reach the gravel bed,
I take the scooter and I drag it with me in the low passage when, for a hit on
the ceiling the motor goes off. I succeed in grabbing it at the conveyer but for
switching the lever, it is too distant from my hand. In position, I bet it again
onto the ceiling, in opposite sense. I reflect about what happened and about how
to protect to me in the future. Today it is the day of crazy scooters and the
troubles are not yet finished. When it switches on again, I don't succeed in
holding it. This time it gets jammed against the ceiling and while I am trying
to get it free, the flow created by the propellor pushes me away; I get near
making a large circle, I succeed in catching it and finally, after some meters,
I get out of the gravel bed. I understand that the whole confusion is imputable
to the variation of the weighting system that I had experimented. I tow the
backup scooter behind, I pick up the 20l tank and I start to ride the tamed
monster. One of the two wings is bent by the bump, but it is still functional to
use. To think that before entering water I felt in great shape! When after 30
minutes into the dive, the VR3 signals that the battery is low, my mood also
goes down and once I arrive at the end of the line at 1892m from the entrance, I
feel the desire to return, to place scooter and exploration reel and to return
back. Since I was 3 minutes slower on the first 1250m of cave, in order to
recover them, I start to cut the corners that I by now know well; now yes I am
having a good time! At 1600m from the entrance there is his majesty the proteo,
"a beautiful sample that doesn't catch sun but it is laying on the beach". The
line flows below me and there I am in the part visited by me recently; I am
almost at the end of the line, everything works out perfectly, even the computer
keeps on working; I see the twinkling of the exploration reel, I stop, turn the
big scooter in direction of the exit. 55 minutes have passed, I unhook the small
scooter and instead of returning I give in to the too strong attraction, to the
call of the unknown. After all, if I remain a little more, my decompression
won't change much in comparison to those effected in the last days: I grab the
exploration reel and start towards new environments. After about ten meters, I
am forced to go to the left, then to the right, then to the left again before
finding a good passage. The tunnel descends to
-60m, I pass 80m before leaving the scooter above a stone, I still descend until
-64m, then I proceed in horizontal. I don't believe in my eyes; I am in an
enormous hall, with a ceiling at more than 10m above me, the bottom at 3m below
me; to the left and to the right I don't see anything; I continue disorientated
and I proceed in a tunnel that ascends.
The amazement is not finished: the rock
in this zone is completely different, pitch black, perhaps basalt? Who knows
what has happened down here "some years" ago! I keep on ascending with the
tunnel inclined at an angle of about 45°; at -50m I succeed in seeing the walls;
the current is definetely more substantial. I ascend to -44m, I stop: around me
enormous black rocks reduce the section of the tunnel. The current is quite
strong, and I prefer not to try to pass the window in front of me that measures
about 4X4m. For today it is enough: it is the moment to return. I tie off the
line, I cut it, I pick up the exploration reel; the label shows me that I have
laid out 233m of new line, the timer tells me that 75 minutes have passed. I
separate from the bottom and let me be dragged by the current: staying at a
distance of 5m from the line, I hardly succeed in seeing the ceiling; the black
rocks that I observe in the tunnel have unbelievable shapes, so much that I
would like to remain here to enjoy these images. There I am, back in the room
and then in the distance I see the light of the scooter that I had left on for
having a reference during the return. I saddle the horse and speed towards the
big scooter. Before reaching the point in which I have left the big scooter I
have to decide, whether to recover everything and to desist, or whether to
return here to look for new passages and to try to pass the window with the
current. For the last kilometer I breath a little harder, I feel water in the
circuit but not wanting to stop to empty the counter lungs, I continue in a more
upright way to avoid to get a cocktail. I also don't want to exit in open
circuit bailout for such little, therefore I bite down hard and reach the first
decompression stop after 130 minutes; in the two minutes that I have to stop at
-36m I succeed in emptying the counter lungs of the circuit and the respiraton
returns to be normal. Simone is the first one that I meet, when I am already at
-18m; the normal routine: I relieve from all the bulky material and return from
the gravel bed without having to work hard. The adventures of this dive make me
feel a little tired for which I decide to enter the habitat. Caramella has
brought a scooter that Jean Jacques will use tomorrow, Matteo helps me to enter
the habitat for the last 75 minutes of decompression, then he returns for
helping me to exit. I am back at the surface without any problem after 290
minutes.
Monday. My day is a calm one: I just have to fill the argon tank and to dismount
the circuit. Jean Jacques instead has the task to exchange the emergency
scooter, that for several days has been laying asleep at 1250m, with a similar
one with fresh batteries. The scooter (middle size) that he uses for reaching
the place, normally has an autonomy of 4km at maximum speed pulling a heavy load,
but this time inexplicably it has a failure, perhaps due to the batteries, at
about 1000m from the entry; Jean Jacques decides to leave it attached to the
line and to return with the emergency scooter that had to replace the positioned
one. In decompression Caramella assists him while Viki, in crisis with the flu,
prefers not to dive. Christos for the second time, has gone to Modena to replace
a piece of his new " toy ".
Tuesday. While I still rest in expectance of tomorrow's dive, today is the great
day of Caramella who uses mixtures and will go to make a round to about 400m
from the entrance. At about -42m
the usual three small proteos welcome him. Since a "premier" like this cannot be
lost, Christos is filming him, and in the initial lake he films a proteo
together with him. Viki transports the
emergency scooter that I will use tomorrow beyond the gravel bed.
Wednesday. With this diveI would like to check if it is possible to find a
continuation of the tunnel and to take advantage to pick up a stone sample from
the bottom to be analyzed. After about 400m of penetration, I realize that I
have a leak with water entering into the reb, so I resign to the idea that my
projects will have to suffer some limitations: I decide to advance anyway in
order to transport the small scooter the most distant possible and, in the case
I reached the point where Jean Jacques on Monday has left the middle size
scooter, I intend to recover it. Once reached about 1000m from the entry, I see
the middle size scooter being well attached to the line; from the moment that I
keep on breathing well, I still continue the penetration for a little bit. The
two 20l tanks that I have with me, plus the emergency bailout tanks in the sump,
give me safety, and this is motive for which I continue to penetrate still a
little, then still a little further, until I reach 1800m where I leave the small
scooter. At this point I don't think so much about the continuation of the
exploration but about the possibility to go and take the stone sample. Once
reached 2000m from the entrance, at a depth of -60m, I pick up a stone and put
it into the small PVC bag. It is finally clear to me where the water enters the
reb: in expiration, according to how I position the mouth piece, I see some
bubbles exit; during the maintenance, having dismounted the whole circuit,
cleaned the valves, etc. has not served to anything by the moment that I have
not thought about replacing the wire clamp that holds the soft mouth piece in
place on the rigid part. Returning at full speed, not having anything to pull
behind, I decide not to empty the breathing loop of the circuit from the water,
in order to experiment up to which point I can continue breathing.
Once
reached the middle size scooter, I stop to attach it behind me and puzll it up
to the gravel bed where it is taken over by Francesco. Viki recovers the big
scooter and assists me during decompression while Christos, always more and more
involved in the enthusiasm of the filmings, has a good time documenting what in
his eyes seems to be of interest.
At
the end of the dive I verify the quantity of water inside the loop and find to
have almost one liter of it in the canister and more than one liter in the
exhalation counter lung.
Thursday. While Christos, Viki and Candy are dedicating themselves to their
dives, Jean Jacques and I go to do some shopping: wine and various types of
cheese from the highland.
Friday. Jean Jacques has the task to go to about 1000m from the entrance, to
finish the work of cutting some old lines and to leave the cave in the most
possible order at least in the initial section. Viki, Christos and Caramella are
assisting him while I, after having repaired the mouth piece, prepare my tanks
for the dive of the day after: one 2l tank of O2 and a 2l tank of argon. Jean
Jacques tells me after his dive, to have left the scooter at 900m and to have
returned by fin propulsion.
Saturday. Today is the last dive of this expedition: I intend to reach the
objective vanished on Wednesday and to recover the whole material inside the
cave. I am in water and rig the bailout tanks, while I am pre breathing the lime
inside the circuit with all calm, when I feel water entering the mouth piece:
curses are wasted for the first 20 seconds. I stop breathing and observe the
mouth piece: the wire clamp that I had pulled like a madman is detached.. …Jean
Jacques kindly hands me over a more solid wire clamp and I can finally start.
Not having loads to transport, even if having set the scooter on slow speed, I
advance much too quickly so that, in the sharper corners I have to make some not
indifferent physical efforts to stay on the path. I reach 1800m in 40 minutes
and change scooter: I leave the big scooter and continue with the small one
until I reach the hall at 2000m; I begin to circle around to see if there are
continuations, but unfortunately there is nothing; I can only describe that the
hall has a width of 20-25m and that on the sides the walls are well visible.
At this point there's nothing else left than picking up other stone
samples and to start the return. Being forced to stop to pick up the material
that I had placed in the preceding days inside the cave, this is what I have to
transport for the last 900m until the gravel bed of the entrance: three
scooters, four 20l tanks, two 15l tanks and additional weights. I start the
decompression after 120 minutes of run time, and like always I receive the
pleasant visits from Ennio, Caramella, Christos, Viki and Simone that relieve me
of some load and bring me both to drink, and the batteries for the comforting
electric heating vest. Once settled well, I choose not to use the habitat for
the decompression so that the friends in the meantime are able to dismout it. I
am back at the surface after 270 minutes.
The Oliero is a reserve of big
satisfactions and for this my research will continue for a long time still.
Even if the desire to continue is strong,
I feel that it is better to take a small break to recharge the spirit. The
project that I desire to start in a few days is to return to the caves of
Oliero, to the Cogol dei Veci, together with Rick Stanton and John Volanthen and
to start an exploration a little different from the usual ones.
And after having eaten, eaten and drunken
well……… quoting an old song; we take back our
exploratory and topographical work at the Cogol dei Siori.
Sunday 13-02-05 we are a nice team; Simone, almost early, takes the emergency
scooter, two 20l tanks and one 15l tank beyond the gravel bed.
There are people who have come from far to dive at the Oliero. Seeing us busy in
the preparations, they kindly ask if they create problems: the cave is very
ample, there is space for everybody and the conditions of visibility are
exceptional and we encourage them to go on and to enjoy their dive. One girl of
the group unintentionally tears off the cuff of her dry suit and on her face a
deep disappointment about the vanished dive can be seen. During my pause of
meditative trail to my "thoughts", I think about the dry suit that I use for the
easier dives and that is stowed in the trailer. Once finished my pause, I pick
it up and I give it to the girl: the size seems to be correct.
It
is midday by now and I still have to change: I "rush" into the tent, limping for
the knee that keeps on hurting and begin to get ready for the dive.
My
target is to take a 20l tank to 1000m and one to 1450m, using the scooter. From
780m to 900m I have to lay out a provisory meter marked line, in order to allow
Jean Jacques to effect the topographical mapping works from the point on in
which I had finished them in the distant 1990: then I had still gone up to this
point only by the strength of my fins, starting from the entrance with three 18l
tanks on the back and one 10l stage (in the tanks there was 15% of helium).
The
schedule of my dive has to be respected precisely because Lorenzo, Max and Roby
wait for me at about 300m from the entrance to take some pictures and to do some
filming: I have to be punctual because it is not nice to let them wait.
After I have departed, Alberto takes a 15l bailout tank to about 800m from the
entrance and Sarchiapone prepares the rest of the series of decompression tanks:
one 15l tank at -18m and one to -6 and additional weights at -12m.
Fortunately it is the scooter that pulls me, avoiding to make me swim by fin
propulsion, considering that the left leg hurts a lot; nevertheless, not wanting
to decrease speed, I am forced to use the fins as rudder for the direction,
increasing the work load of the right leg.
Arrived in decompression after 75 minutes with 5 minutes of delay, there are the
photographers who with their powerful lamps (more than 1000W in total)
illuminate the tunnel to daylight. The photos, that are taken with digital
cameras without flash, force me to be immovable to avoid the that the pictures
are out of focus. For the last part I return finning with only one leg.
Ennio at the end of the dive recovers the big scooter and the 20l tank that I
use as diluent. I am back at the surface after 140 minutes.
Monday we remain on site alone, Jean Jacques and myself: what a strange feeling
of calm!
Jean
Jacques gets ready his equipments for the dive dedicated to the mapping. Late on
his normal schedule, he enters the water when 13.00 has passed already; with his
aquazepp he reaches 780m where he begins the mapping; he reaches the tunnel at
-60m and, after 80m of mapping he decides to return.
From the end point of his mapping on
there is the new line laid out at the beginning of the explorations. Jean
Jacques picks up the exploration reel with the meter marker line that I had left
the day before and is back at the surface after 150 minutes of run time.
Tuesday toward 12.00 Francesco joins us.
He will be my assistent during decompression.
The current is always weak, the
visibility perhaps because of these last warm days is slightly reduced: it is
the right day to try to push again to 2135m in the active part of the cave.
Apart from the 20l tank that I have with me, I don't have to transport nothing
else at least up to 1000m, where I will pick up the tank that I have deposited
on Sunday: I go really fast because after 2 minutes I arrive at the gravel bed,
after 29 minutes I am at 1250m, after 35 minutes I pass the emergency scooter
and the bailout tank and at the 50th minute I leave the scooter at a depth of
-55m and a distance of 2100m from the entrance together with a small proteo.
I
begin to ascend: at -44m I tie off the line; in this point the current can still
be felt, even if decidedly in a less strong way in comparison to 20-25 days ago.
The
tunnel ascends, for which I perform a first decompression stop at -32m and
meanwhile I look around: I understand to be in a relatively small fracture with
rocks that subsequently reduce the dimensions of it up to about 2mX4m; for the
two minutes that I have to pass, I remain with the dry suit fuller than usually
in order to oppose the current and to be in peace. Then I continue to ascend up
to -21m: the gas that I discharge from the loop and from the dry suit, hit the
ceiling and make clouds of clay fall down that the water quickly drags away. I
reach -12m: while I am observing the known environment, above my head, a proteo
swims in the middle of the water, I lower the head and see one of decidedly big
dimensions, surely more than 20-25cm and it is not a crocodile, that is cruising
among the rocks. At -9m I meet another little animal of the caves, a niphargus (small
crustacean of a couple of centimeters, of similar dimension to a prawn) that
turns around me and that distracts my look from the rocks. Some of the rocks are
big as vans, others quite small, so small that I avoid to tie off the line to
avoid that they fall down, others simply big like stones.
Besides looking around and observing the life of this environment "extraordinarily
far away from the world", I think about what could happen if one of these rocks
rolled down: better not thinking about it but I move with delicacy.
At
-6m I see air above of me, however I also see the ceiling and this doesn't give
me too much hope; not only that, but I don't feel the current anymore. However I
decide to finish the decompression to take a look: at -4,5m I leave the 20l
tanks because the passage above my head is small and I don't believe to succeed
to pass with the two stage tanks; after 105 minutes I am at the surface in a
niche of air without possibility of exploration.
I am
really a little disappointed and when I put the head under water again, the
visibility is reduced a lot in the whole fracture; I quickly descend up to the
scooter that calmly waits for my return and begin the return.
The
current carries the mud and for the first 300m of cave the visibility is
compromised of it.
I
arrive in deco after 150 minutes and punctually after about ten minutes I see
Francesco arrive. The cameramen of
the group ASSO start the filmings that were interrupted two weeks ago. I am back
at the surface after 219 minutes with the left knee that keeps on hurting, but
fortunately it doesn't create me problems during decompression.
Wednesday morning is completely different from the usual days: Ivan, the manager
of the caves, has organized a meeting with the boys of a high school of Bassano
at 11.00: main argument: underwater speleology and exploration.
I
hurry to get ready the tanks for Thursday, to charge the batteries of the
scooter, etc. while good old Jean Jacques is forced to delay his preparations
because he will be shown to the high school students in all of his shine. As
usual, the cameramen are busy to film everything that is filmable.
The
class arrives punctual and after a small introduction from Ivan, they are
accompanied to our base camp. We all gather on the wooden platform that is
situated on the shore of the lake and after having shortly told the history of
the explorations of the springs of Oliero and givem some explanation about the
carst phenomenon, I have the pleasure to show my little usual equipments; At
about 12.30, shivering quite enough, we enter the cave not only to heat
ourselves, but above all to visit it and to see Jean Jacques leave for his dive
to do some mapping works.
Just
after Jean Jacques disappears out of sight, we all move the heated places like
the cafe and the souvenir shop, in order to watch the video filmed this summer
at Castelcivita in the spring of the mill. A lot of questions, then each one
goes his way: the boys return to Bassano, I return to the entrance of the cave,
finish some works and wait for Jean Jacques. He is back at the surface after 150
minutes happy to have finished the mapping of the zone at -60m.
Thursday after breakfast we are joined by Francesco, Gp and the usual nice
snouts of the Asso that inevitably trouble us with their video cameras.
The cold is relieved by some rays of sun
that at about 9.30-10,00 reach the tent, spring is approaching.
My
equipment is already ready and I am forced to find something to do to make the
time pass until the hour of my dive arrives: at about 12.00.
Today I return to the rockslide because I want to check the zone again and be
sure not to have missed nothing. By now I am like an automaton: I have been
repeating the same operations for several days I put on the dry suit, set up the
equipment, I take the scooter, I pass the gravel bed, I pass 2050m riding my
faithful mechanical companion, I leave it on the bottom, I ascend starting the
deco and in the meantime I am slipping into all the possible openings. Above my
head there are often enormous rocks. If they moved, even if this is unlikely,
they would reduce me to a flounder.
In
some points I am forced to stop because the equipment on the back, even if it's
small, doesn't allow me to slip into the ravines. I ascend to -9m meeting
another couple of proteos; both to the right and to the left I don't succeed in
following the current but I don't want to resign. Useless: after having checked
everything that is possible with this type of equipment, I decide to abandon
every attempt and to begin the return.
I
stop at 1450m, I leave the scooter, I tie off the line and cross the tunnel up
to reach an enormous cone of clay that I had noticed in other occasions; I begin
to ascend along it but after about 30m from the main line I am forced to stop
because there is no continuation in front of me. I return to the scooter, tie
behind the emergency scooter that I had left here from the beginning of this
week with two 20l tanks and take the route of the return. At 1250m a stop to
unload and position some equipments; In this point I place a scooter with a 20l
bailout tank for the next dive.
The
return is fast up to reach the 15l tank at about 800m from the entry that I
replace with a 20l tank: I will take it out at the moment that it doesn't serve
in this zone anymore. There I am
at the deco stops after 125 minutes: I receive the visits of Francesco and Gp
and after 250 minues I am back at the surface.
Friday. Considered that the dives become shorter and shorter, the works of
maintenance of the equipments and the preparation of the tanks are almost
nonexistent and our desire gets more and more reduced, we meet at the caves at
about 10.00. Jean Jacques is excited: today he will use my scooter and he is
ready to continue the mapping works. His wears his old dry suit with the
incorporated gloves to stay warmer, but he realizes that the neck has become so
rigid to be almost annoying. He keeps on getting ready stubbornly even when I
tell him that it seems to me that he has become a blue "smurf"; he puts on the
circuit and enter the water with the hope that the neoprene is softened a little.
He is decorated with the various tanks and the slate for the topography and
leaves: it is 12.30.
Gp
and me having seen him leaving little convinced, remain on the small boat to
observe his lights; in fact having seen him arriving on the bottom of the lake
after a little while, we see him ascend again. He complains that the neck is too
tight and that it doesn't allow him to breathe. I help him to take off some
equipments with a certain quickness, then between a smile and a laughter we go
out of the cave.
Few before entering the tent he asks if
it is the case to get changed and return into the water. For me it is all right
anyway, considering the fact that there is also time for mapping works on
Saturday. He finally decides to change and at 13.30 he starts the dive.
Gp will meet him to check that during the
deco everything is all right and during the wait we chat about closed circuits,
scooters and various equipments.
Jean Jacques is back at the surfaces
after 150 minutes and is happy about the mapping work done: he has reached
1100m, he has left a hook in a way that next year he can find from which point
to continue with the topography.
Saturday.
Gratifying day dedicated to the provisions: we go to
purchase wine, cheese and a lot of appetizing foods.
Sunday is the last day of diving of this
expedition.
My objective is that to give a look to
the hall at 1250m from the entrance. We enter the cave and reach the point from
which we usually start, I put on the fins but while I am pulling the strap
breaks; Cicici speeds to bring another one and as it is replaced, I put on the
fins and continue to gear up; while I put on the under gloves one them falls
into the water: again Cicici speeds off to get another one.
One has to start well prepared!
Just as I put the head under water, I
take off like lightning. During the penetration I realize to have a high PPO2
and as I don't understand why, I decide to stop to make a verification: all
three sensors work perfectly for which calm down. I reach the hall at 1250m, the
depth is about -50m, I leave the big scooter, take the material that I have left
in the cave for the whole week and prepare it to be towed behind.
For moving quickly inside the hall I decide to use
the small scooter. I tie off the line to a rock, I ride my scooter and I move
toward the left side of the room: after about twenty meters I find myself before
a gigantic clay cone, at the base about fifteen meters wide.
When I realize the situation, I have just
an instant to decide to place the scooter and to advance with the fins, before
the suspension is stirred up. I ascend the
clay cone up to -35m and I stop in front of a muddy passage that has a diameter
of 2X2m. Fixing the line to a rock prominence, I don't realize that with the fin
I strike a mass of clay; a look towards the bottom and I see an avalanche of mud
slipping down. The damage is made and if I want to have a minimum of visibility,
I have to go quickly. I cut the line, I put away the exploration reel and the
scissors and beginning to descend: the visibility doesn't pass one meter.
I reach the scooter, stow away the last
things and begin the return.
I
stop at 800m to pick up the emergency scooter and, reaching the usual zone of
decompression after 90 minutes, I start the deco leaving the material beyond the
gravel bed.
Ennio, Cicici and Gp are alternating to look after me, but above all to recover
the material that I have brought back. When I get the head out of the water
after 170 minutes, I see some hard-working guys of the Caving Group Giara Modon
that help to transport the equipments that have remained out of the cave for a
long time to the other side of the lake: this is the hit of the tail of the last
works that conclude the exploratory phase of this year.
From
now on the works to be completed will be the development of the topographical
sketch in order to be able to identify on a table, what has become really little
productive with the pure exploration. With the help of geologic studies and the
detailed analysis of the topography, we will perhaps succede in identifying the
point from which to continue the exploratory attempts.
Thanks to:
Municipality of Valstagna, Underwater Archeology and Speleology Administration
of the Oliero Caves: Ivan Pontarollo, Cavino Group Giara Modon, Diving Section
of the Fire Fighters of Vicenza
Participants:
Alberto Cavedon (Proteo) Italy, Claudio Carnello (Caramella) Italy, Christos
Barous (Why not) Greece, Davide Bernardotti Italy, Dilda Modesto Italy, Ennio
Lazzarotto (Enniosan) Italy, Enrico Piva (Maceria) Italy, Francesco Boaria
Italy, Giovanni Foti (Gp) Italy, Giuseppe Frison Italy, Jean Jacques Bolanz
(Kaiser) Switzerland, Lorenzo Del Veneziano Italy, Luigi Casati (Gigi) Italy,
Massimiliano Cicchellero (Cichita) Italy, Massimiliano Valsecchi (Cimabue)
Italy, Massimo Ardizoni (Max) Italy, Marc Vandermeulen (Asterix) Belgium, Matteo
Bertulessi (Viki) Italy, Michele Modolo (Sarchiapone) Italy, Roberto Delaide
Italy, Roger Cossemyns Belgium, Simone Piscitelli (Cicici) Italy
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