News

Diving in Romania

Romania was visited by four Polish cave divers and three accompanied cavers in February 2000. The main aim of the expedition was a sump in resurgence Cotetul Dobrostilor. One of the divers, Wiktor Bolek, covered the distance of about 240 m with the vertical extent of - 67 m. He used nitrox and trimix. The sump still continues.

Diving in Slovakia

Slovakia In March three divers, invited by Slovak cavers, went to Mokra Dziura - a cave situated in Jaworowa Dolina valley (Slovakian part of the High Tatra Mts.). They dived in the sump which ends this resurgence cave. The low temperature of water caused freezing of the breathing equipment.

Shapes of Caves	by Stanislaw Kotarba

Italy

Italy The survey data collected during last Polish and Italian activities in the Complesso del Foran del Muss (the Monte Canin massif, the Julian Alps) was computed. The current depth of the cave is 990 m. Next expedition to the cave will be organized in March 2000 by Polish club AVEN and some Italian cavers.

New anchors in Jaskinia Mietusia Wyznia

An accident in Czarna Cave

Italy During a training trip to Jaskinia Czarna one of the cavers fell down the slope and the 4 m high rapid situated below. He broken his leg, had some wounds on his face and lost one tooth.

Expeditions

Goll 99 - Zbigniew Rysiecki

An expedition led by Zbigniew Rysiecki carried out exploration in the Goll massif (the Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria) in the end of July and in August. The team consisted of 11 cavers. Following 7 cavers visited and helped the main team. Cave Kammerschartenhohle was the main aim of the expedition. In the middle part of the cave new series were explored. The series comprises several horizontal passages divided by deep pitches. The deepest of them called Smok (Dragon) is 206 m deep. There is a possibility to go deeper in this series. Totally, the passages of length about 1200 m were discovered in Kammerschartenhohle. Thus, the new length of the cave reached 6778 m. During the expedition ten new caves were discovered. The cave called Jaskinia Gadajacych Kamieni (Talking Stones) seems to be the most interesting of them. It is more than 300 m deep, and still continues by a gigantic pitch with the diameter of more than 30 m. The stones threw down fell about 20 seconds. The exploration of the cave stopped due to the big blocks of ice which fell through the pitch during the descend. Among the above described activities the expedition prepared the cave Gruberhornhohle for the next year exploration.

In Goll caves, photo: P. Krzyszkowski

The sunshine side of the Alps - Maciej Tomaszek

An 11-man expedition led by Maciej Tomaszek went to the Kanin massif (the Julian Alps, Slovenia). Some cavers from Krakow, Czgstochowa, Warszawa and Wrocfaw took part in it. It was the first Polish exploration activity in that area. About 40 caves were discovered. The deepest is BC-8. The expedition had been stopped earlier due to serious storm and hail which completely damaged the camp.

Kanin once again - Wladyslaw Baczek

Some cavers from Walbrzych went to the Kanin. They wanted to descend to Brezno pod Velbom, the third deepest world's cave pitch. The aim was ambitious because two previous attempts (one Polish and one Slovenian) ended at the big ice chock at the depth of about -400 m. The cavers were successful. The ice level was lower, which enabled them to pass by the ice chock. All team members reached the bottom of the pitch.

Mongolian caves - Andrzej Wojton

The author visited some Mongolian caves during his trekking activities. The caves are situated near Terhivn Tsagaan lake in the Horgo Terhyin Tsagan Nur National Park near the town of Tariat. All of ane developed in lava. The longest one is 30 m long.

History

Klub Grotołazów (Cavers Club) - J. Baryła

The author presents the history of Klub Grotołazów (Cavers Club) - the first Polish caving organization. The Club was established fifty years ago, i.e. in February of I950. Five cavers: Ryszard Gradzinski, Kazimierz Kowalski, Maciej Kuczynski, Wfodzimierz Starzecki i Wacfaw Szymczakowski were the clubccs founders. Totally, the clubs consisted of 18 panicipants. The club was an informal organization because it staned its activities during severe communist times. The Clubccs members explored several caves in the Tatras and took pans in many expeditions abroad (i.e. to Bulgaria, France, Mexico and Cuba). The club inaugurated modern Polish caving activities.

Klub Grotolazow activity, photos: R. Gradzinski

The Jura

Caves Near Grabowa and Niegowonice, My Point of View - Adam Polonius

The caves in the area of Grabowa and Niegowonice The anicle contains the list of caves situated in the area of Grabowa and Niegowonice. The author gives some remarks concerning the state of knowledge about the caves in the area in question.

Pieniny Mts.

Diving reconnaissance in the Białka rapids - Janusz Baryła

In August 1999 a team from Kraków attempted to find the possible sinkohole situated below the water level in Biafka river. Unfonunately, no accessible passage was found.

Białka rapids, photo: J. Baryła

Caving techniques

SRT - Wojciech Radecki

Another pan of the guide for caving beginners - this time the author presents the basic rules of the single rope technique.

BACK to index

EPIMENIDES polish speleo page.

Last change 2000.01.05