ROB & PAULA'S CAVING EXPEDITION TO MEXICO.

 

Map of J2During April of 2003 our senior instructor Robbie Warke took part in an international expedition to Sistema Cueva Cheve in the wilderness of Southern Mexico. The Cheve cave system has the potential to be the deepest cave in the world being in the deepest known karst (limestone) hydrology in the world. During a very arduous and exciting expedition the cave was extended to -1465m depth and 12 kilometers long. Also during the expedition he met Paula Grgich an American cave geologist who was a year later to become his wife.

In April 2005 Robbie and Paula were invited to take part in an expedition, exploring a cave discovered in 2004 during a reconnaissance trip to the high limestone “death karst” above the entrance of Cueva CheveJourney between camp I & camp II.

The cave named J2/Barbie cave was partly explored in 2004 but the passage remained ongoing when the expedition ran out of time. J2/Barbie cave could join with Cueva Cheve and provide a link beyond the terminal sump (water filled passage) and create a cave well over -2000m deep! The expedition was very successful, exploring J2/Barbie cave to -1100m, (one of a few caves below -1000m); breaking through a major sump and leaving the cave wide open for the future. After an extended last trip of 5 days underground the pair had to reluctantly return to the UK. Here are a few pictures of J2 and Cueva Cheve for your enjoyment. Watch this space in the future to see if J2 is part of the deepest cave system in the world!!!

Camp ll Entrance Series