NEW CAVE DISCOVERY

NEW PASSAGE DISCOVERED IN CALBIGA CAVES

Catbalogan, Samar, August 18, 2009 – Bruce Konefe, a Thailand based, American Full Cave Diving Instructor Trainer with ANDI (American Nitrox Divers International), together with William Hudson, cave diver and Scuba Instructor from Alaska, and Thomas Bodis, a German cave diver, have penetrated a sump using open circuit scuba within the recesses of the Calbiga Cave system, located south of Catbalogan City, Samar Island.

Caving for 3 days and 2 nights, the expedition was supported and guided by Joni Bonifacio of Trexplore, an outfitter based in Catbalogan City, and 12 porters as the team had to haul climbing gears, diving equipment, tents, food & water supplies, and other logistical needs. Also with them was guest caver Geraldine Antonio from Manila. Crossing mountains and streams, and trekking inside the Calbiga Cave system’s (locally named Gobingos-Langun ) vast and complex passages which is claimed to be the biggest in Southeast Asia, the team had to rappel down a seventy meter wall and follow the waterways of an underground river that took a day and a half before reaching the sump.

At around 1pm of August 17, the 3 cave divers set up their gears, did a recon dive around the sump, found a hole which they penetrated, and came out into new dry passage where no one has ever set foot. This newly discovered cave section is now specifically named Gobingos-Langun-Lurodpon. “Lurodpon” in Waray dialect means a place that could be reached by swimming underwater. They explored the passage for about 100 meters onwards until it was decided to turn around. Bruce said he could hear waterfalls further ahead.

More from Bruce…..

"The first day we left at 10 in the morning and did not get to the base camp until around 6 pm at night. We got up the next morning and hiked about 3 hours to get to were the sump was at. We had to go down a water fall to get to the very end or supposedly the end. We put on our sidemount equipment and searched around the sump before we found were the water passage kept going. We had all surfaced on the other side and could not believe how big the dry passageway was. We took off are equipment and walked at least 100 meters or so and the cave had kept going. The passage was humongous, in the back ground farther up in the cave you could hear water walls! I was the leader of the trip and organized it from the start. We spent 3 days and two nights in the jungle/cave and it was one of the most exhilarating expeditions I have ever been on. We had to scale down a 70 meter cliff with all the equipment and tanks plus cross many water crossing. We come across a few snakes and a lot of bats in the cave. Coming in a room where no one has ever been in before was awesome. Hard to explain the feeling you have of accomplishing something others had failed to do. The trip was both physically and mentally challenging. There were times I almost wanted to turn around especially when you see us squeezing through the very small holes. This was definitely facing all my fears crawling through that. It was a good thing I didn't stop since once you squeezed through the small hole the passage was so big you could drive a truck down the middle of the cave. We had hired 12 porters and one guide to help get us there and back. Actually two of us wore out two pairs of shoes between the two of us in just a couple of days. Thomas is the taller skinnier person with his girlfriend Geraldine. This girl was a real trooper. When in town she would dress up in a dress and once we hit the jungle, she’d be in overalls. She impressed us all."

Sump diving is the most dangerous form of diving activity there is. It entails being super cool in very extreme environments where water visibility could turn into a serious zero in an instant, where underwater passages could shrink into squeeze holes the size of a coffin, and where time becomes an eternity as your air supply diminishes while your mind shrieks “get me outta here!”. But seriously it involves a high level of discipline, dedication, skill, and courage. Above all it requires tremendous and unyielding passion from an individual. And the essence of exploration may be summed up with the famous line “to boldly go where no man has ever gone before”. More of that is left for other cavers to push….. in “Lurodpon”.

And the cave goes on…..

By: Bob Manas

September 29, 2009