12MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

was a sizable horizontal sectionwhich turned into a narrow downcuttingrift and then changed to a vast steeplydescending cascade. Mike led somedifficult unroped downclimbs in waterand heavy spray and was finally stoppedby a sheer drop as they had longbefore run out of rope.Fred, Jim, Bill and I gave Cuevade Xocotlat one more tryon January2, 1978. With plenty of rope we hadno problem in descending two additionaldrops at the bottom of the cascades,rappel1ing down beautifullyencrusted flows tone walls into alarge divided room. One side containeda mud sump while the other ledto a 1 by 2 meter passage which twisteddown a short ways before becomingengulfed in water. A waterfall filledhole! The name Turbine had previouslybeen applied to a feature innearby Sotano de Coyomeapan and theterm fit here also. Fred and Jimcarefully scouted the new obstacleand'decided to return during a driertime. We then surveyed out to thetop of the 65 meter pitch deriggingas we went, leaving the cave with adepth of 283 meters.In search of hidden treasureGerald AtkinsonThe Christmas '78 expeditionfound 14 cavers camped in a glade a­bove Xocot1at. Permission to cavehad been easily granted at Zoquit1anthe previous day. Color 5 x 7 photosof Sotano de Coyomeapan and a copy ofNewsletter No.8 seemed to pleasethe young presidente who also ranthe junk repair shop. Our entranceto the area seemed well receivedand much good will generated • • .from the Mexican officials anyway.Ignorant of any possible problemswe went about our business of transportinggear and setting up camp inthe valley.Camp was a vast improvement overlast year's damp and sunless swamp.The sun actually shone before noonand dried out your wetsuit. Cuevade Xocotlat was an interesting 5 minutewalk away, as was drinking water.Firewood was everywhere and of a variedsort, although some preferredusing wet pitch pine. It burned witha ferocious sputter yielding grandquantities of smoke; early on we settledany mosquito problem we mighthave had.Caving started out with a whimperas half the crew was strickenby turista or bronchitis (mal aireno doubt). Despite all this, Cuevade Xocotlat was rigged to the previouspoint of exploration and partiallyresurveyed by the 26th of·December. Dino Lowery, Steve Zeman,Mike McKee, and Jocie Hooper extendedthe survey to the terminus ofrigging on the 27th. On the way outOpposite: Rio Xocot1at with Cueva de Xocot1at in background. (Peter Strickland)78