asscciation for mexican cave studies box 7672 ut station austin ...

the right wall while Steele and Grubbs went left. The immensity of thischamber is rivaled by few caves. The high vaulted ceiling looms 200 m overhead.Light from the entrance is still visible as deep as -430 m: Steeleand Grubbs shrunk to specks as they traversed the far wall 200 m away. Thirtymeter survey shots hardly made perceptible progress. Ediger and I surveyedfor three hours in an apparent straight line. Once the loops were tied, Edigersketched in the detail for the "hole" of our doughnut survey and headed out.The rest of us surveyed through a near guano sump and down the phreatic tubeSteve Zeman and I had found several years before. The passage was somewhatdrier and the sump at the end had receded close to 10 m vertically. With thesurvey complete Steele and I dug out our diving masks while Grubbs fished foran evasive, blind crayfish. No one had any luck. Grubbs missed the critter,but was highly successful in murking up the sump. Steele kicked around. decidin~not to fre~ dive. Following some indecision I cracked a lightstick, turnedon my nicad and dove it for 6 m or so with Steele belaying. The ceiling continueddown on the same dip with no signs of a change so I turned around and gavea yank on the belay line. Steele then pulled me to the surface. Surveyeddepth to that point was 465+ m (1540 feet). Only a dry season push with divingtanks will tell if Guaguas is really finished. We returned to the entrancechamber well after dark and began the long prusik. Sprouse and Ediger providedsome diversion with a spectacular 200 m glowing cyalume "waterfall." In returnSteele ignited several strips of magnesium. We drove home the following morningafter a dip in the Rio Pimienta. The high side drop was later measured inAustin at 202 m with the low side 147 m.POEM IN HONOR OF RETUR.~INGHEROSDown through the cornfieldsOn precarious slopesHeads filled with vaporsHoping high hopes,Past cana crazed MazatecsThirsty for ropes,March the disciples. of Oztotl.Bent with the weightOf overstuffed packsBuried in BluewaterRattling their racks;One more grain of granolaWould have broken some backsOf these brawny children of Oztotl.Bent on descentOf impenetrable gloomForsaking bright hillsideFor dank dripping room,Living for daysWithout use of a broom ­Brave brethren of Oztotl.For over a weekTo chimney and crawl,Gliding down dropClawing up wallPlunging the sumpThey follow the callOf the Great God Oztotl.Now battered and bruisedThey ascend from the depthsTheir dope stash is emptyTheir muscles crave rest,But Salvation is certainFor they answered the testOf Omnipresent OmniscientOmnipotent OmniverousOztotl.Cathy Rountree31