International News:

Sarma - 6th cave in the World

Since the year 1987 cavers from Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk have been working at karst plateau Arabika in Abkhazia (part of Georgia). They discovered the entrance with a strong draught in 1990. After a short effort they made their way through into the Sarma Cave named after the windstorm winding at the lake Baykal. In the same year they came to the depth of 260 m. Next year they advanced and stopped at 310 m. The promising exploration was interrupted by the civil war in Georgia. It was not until the year 2000 when the Siberian cavers could continue and they reached the depth of 650 m in that year. In 2001 the exploration stopped at the depth 1530 m above the free continuation. The perspective of the cave touches nearly 2100 m, so it is possible that the September 2002 expedition will bring spectacular results.

Polish Activity abroad

Expedition under jungle

In January and February an international expedition took place in New Britain (Papua New Gwinea). The team consisted of 11 Frenchmen, 2 Spaniards, 2 Australians and 2 Poles. The exploration was carried out from the plateau above the Ba River. During the expedition a few bigger caves were discovered and explored: Maito-Serenguna System (length 1297 m, depth 113 m), Sorilong Cave (length 625 m, depth 76 m), Natnat Cave (length 428 m, depth 224 m), Ummagumma Cave (length 287 m, depth 117 m) and Salangana Cave (length 992 m, depth 168 m).

Reseau de la Dent de Crolles - 45 years leter

On the turn of the June and July a eleven-person expedition visited the Dent de Crolles System. The author describes the parts of the cave which they visited. He reminds the circumstances in which —reseau des Polonaisln was discovered 45 years ago.

Prekornica - karstic extermination of the mountains

In June seven Poles, two cavers from Beograd and one from Podgorica were exploring the Prekornica Massif (Dynarskie Mts, Montenegro). The highest peak - Kula reaches 1927 m a.s.l. The author describes a fully developed surface karst. A few bigger caves were discovered during the expedition. The most interesting are: P 2 with 260 m of length and 186 m of depth, P 3 with over 120 m of depth and P 1 with 50 m of depth.

Tatra Mts

Mnichowa Studnia Wyżnia

During systematic exploration of the Koprowe Mniszki (Mała Ląka Valley) a new entrance was found (1704 m a.s.l.). After descending a 27 m pit the author found a connection with Mnichowa Studnia Wyżnia. Now the cave is 79 m long with 31,5 m of depth.

9 km in Śnieżna Studnia

In August, the length of discovered corridors in the second deepest cave in Poland exeeded 9 km. The author describes climbing which started from Inka Room (level -400 m). Over 480 m of chimneys and corridors in three parts
were explored. In the other part of the cave, near Boskie Marmity, 200 m was explored. Near Wazeliniarzy Pit, a new corridor was found too. The exploration is done by Speleoklub Tatrzański.

The Jura

Caves of Pieskowa Skała

In May, the next part of cave cataloguing was carried out in Ojców National Park (South Kraków-Czestochowa Upland). The author describes an interesting object situated in the area of the Pieskowa Skała Castle. Another cave is
situated in a characteristic rock called Mace of Hercules.

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Last change 2002.10.07