8MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

CENOTE NAHARONTULUM. QUINTANA ROOCompas•• Line Sun',,)'1 ,,]...... 1981 byJ""""" C. Coke, Job"n... deGroot;,PI.1I1DoltLQI.ch,JohnZworlckCENCJI'E NAHARONNaharon is one of the inland cavesthat has received much attention from localand visiting divers. To date, farthestpenetration on the spring side is beyondthe 1000 meter mark, and there are 1794meters of surveyed passage, all entirelyunderwater. Characterized by dark wallsand ceilings, it is considered one of thelargest underwater cave systems in QuintanaRoo. A halocline, the delineation betweenfresh and saline water, exists at a depthof 20 to 25 meters. Remipedia, a type ofcrustacean, have been collected below thishalocline.The siphon side of Naharon was exploredfor only 20 meters, due to the veryrestricted nature of the cave. In orderfor divers to enter the siphon side, theymust remove their tanks and push them aheadas they explore. Not being a particularI ycomfortable position, this was being donewith a purpose in mind - the possible connectionto be made with Cenote Hermana deNaharon.Hermana de Naharon (also called MayaBlue) is characterized by bright walls andceilings. The main tunnel system headsdirectly towards the Naharon system. Maximumpenetration on the spring side is now1000 meters. According to land and underwatersurveys, the end of the permanentline in Hermana was only 100 meters fromthe siphon side of Naharon.On 23 February 1987 a connection wasmade between the Naharon and Hermana deNaharon. Concerted effort of a number ofindividuals over four long work days foundthe elusive connection passage. This teamof individuals used 2750 cubic feet of airto make the connection. Underwater propulsionmachines (scooters) also played alarge role in this accomplishment. Theywere used to ferry tanks in order to createan air- station 600 meters back into thecave, and to make the final push to thesiphon cracks of Cenote Naharon.CENOT8S K!!:Rlo'oANA Y NAKARO~T\J~. QUINTANA ROOComp,UiS , Line SurveyDrawn by J4mes C. Cok. IV1 Ha...:h 1987ExplQred '"' Surveyed by O. AUilUlon.B. aeekar, J. Colle, S. Decarl!;>.J. deCroot, P.~r.o.eh. N. De~.S. Gerrard, It. Hile,., L. Hir•••.... J ..sper. K. I'ladde'n. H. ,..44.n.T. Mo.... i •• J.o3. TOuc:et. P. 'l'urr....r.J. zl,IIlIClek/Chuny&Xche... ,N......