8MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

AMCS ACTIVITIES NEWSLETTERNumber 16 August 1987PublisherAssociation for Mexican Cave Studieswith assistance fromWilliam Russell and Terry RainesEditorTerri Treacy SprouseStaffKatie Arens, Tyler Gill, Mark Minton,Bill Mixon, Dale Pate, Jim Pisarowicz,William Russell, Peter Sprouse,Mary Standifer, Duwaine WhitisTranslationsKatie Arens, Erika Heinen,Peter Sprouse, Luisa TapieContents4 Mexico News18 Long and Deep Caves of Mexico20 Nanta-Huautla Tie-in Mark Minton21 Chilchotla '85 Alan Warild30 Caving in Tabasco Jim Pisarowicz38 UN AM Expedition to Veracruz Andrea Raz-GuzmanMacBeth43 Chiapas-The Dutch Expedition Laurens Smets51 Belginan Explorations at Zoquitlan Georges Fellers,Patrick Bestgen, &Richard Grebeaude59 Underwater Caverns of Quintana Roo James Coke64 Sotano de Ocotempa Terry Raines68 Sea Caves of Loreto Dave Bunnell72 Camp Challenger-PEP 1986 Peter Sprouse &Carol Veseley80 Camp V-PEP 1987 Peter Sprouse89 Cueva de la Llorona Dale Pate, PeterSprouse & TerriSprouse94 Cueva del Tecolote Terri Sprouse, PeterSprouse, & CarolVesely100 Book ReviewsEDITORIALAlthough an Activities Newlsetter did not appear in1986, this in no way means that the caving activitieshave been slack the past eighteen months. On the contrary,caving activities in Mexico have been numerousdiverse, and at the forefront of world-class speleology:Most significant is the connection between Sotano deSan Agustin and Nita Nanta. On 26 March 1987Huautla cavers succeeded in making the elusive connectionthey had sought for six years. With a depth of 1353meters Sistema Huautla is now number three in theworld. Good going, cavers!This issue of the Activities Newsletter brings youinformation on caving projects in thirteen differentstates, by cavers of ten different nationalities. With theinflux of these various cultures comes differences instyle, technique, attitudes, and results. If you have beenreading the NSS News lately, you know that theEuropean-style of re-belay and the use of bolts in Mexicancaves has been an issue of hot debate. And with theresurvey of Ocotempa in Puebla, that shows an 80 meterdiscrepancy in the depth of the entrance drop, surveytechnique and accuracy is sure to become a lively issue.Let's keep the lines of communication open and flowing,so that we may all glean the knowledge and experi.ence from our collective methods.Before releasing you to devour this informationpackedbook, I want to pat some deserving people onthe back. First off, kudos go to Terry Raines for hisexpertise and support over the last several years as ourprinter. Aside from the actual expenses incurred in producingthis book, his services have been for the mostpart gratis. That includes the extra work involved inprinting the color covers. Thank you, Terry. Thanks alsogo to Bill Russell, who has continually put up the frontmoney,interest-free, to cover the printing expenses.Two other names appear on the staff list year afteryear without proper recognition. Bill Mixon, along withhis red pen, Chicago Book of Style, and humorouscomments, has been an invaluable asset to this publication.Steve Boehm has donated many hours of his professionalskill in the darkroom by helping us shoot anddevelop the negatives. And last, but not least, thanks goout to all the people who volunteer their time to helpwith typing, editing, proofing, translating, drafting, andwriting. Now, please read and enjoy.TerriThe AMCS Activities Newsletter is published by the Associationfor Mexican Cave Studies, a non-profit group dedicated to the conservationand study of the caves of Mexico. Articles, maps, and photographson caving and speleology in Mexico are solicited. A list ofpublications and prices is available on request.Cover Photo:Frontispiece:Back Cover:Tokamak River in SistemaPurificacion (Peter Sprouse)Bottom of entrance drop toSotano de Ocotempa (MarcTremblay)Dale Pate "ncounters theubiquitous death coral inSistema Purificacion (TerryRaines)Association for Mexican Cave StudiesP.O. Box 7672Austin, Texas 78713Copyright 1985 by AMCS Membership Committee.Printing by Terry Raines of the Speleo Press.