Bisaro but Beautiful - September 1st 2013
Team members involved: Charlene Barker, Mel Stenner, Christian Stenner, and Nicholaus Vieira
A return to pass the sump first dove by Charlene in our one day marathon in February was over due. In July while getting some Scuba cylinders Charlene suggested we try on the September long weekend, plans were made, time off booked, porters located, and it was a go.
Driving in to Bisaro but Beautiful. A 4x4 with clearance is definitely required.
Due to various team member commitments we decided to do it in a day again, with the exception that we could drive with in 2km of the entrance, unlike the brutal haul on February 3rd. Everyone met in Fernie after acquiring chocolate milk we convoyed out to the staging area and began packing the bags. It took two trips to get the equipment into the cave. In the process I was bit by a dog and saw a bear.
Wounds from the pitbull dog bite.
Charlene and I kitted up and it soon became apparent that my dry-gloves were not going to work. They flooded with in the first meter, Charlene laying line and I surveying. After 55 meters we surfaced in an air bell with a large dry passage leading off. I removed myself from the water and with the numb hands dekitted. With Charlene waiting for me I quickly took a poke around the corner to find going passage (a belly crawl). Not wishing to tear my drysuit I returned to my gear to kit up.
A photo of the first passages beyond the sump. Well decorated passages hinting at what lays ahead!
Charlene and I parted ways, she would continue the dive trying to find the end of the sump and I would retreat knowing it would be stupid for me to continue without proper protection against the frigid temperatures. On my way back through the sump my primary light failed, really!... I surfaced in silence with a backup light illuminating the shore. I dekitted and began waiting for Charlene. Christian and Mel arrived around the same time Charlene surfaced. She was happy but not excited as she had found the end of the sump (Charlene is the happiest when diving, "it is not nearly as fun if you have to get out of the water"). She did not notice a further way on underwater, but had found another dry passage to explore.
Charlene, Christain, and Mel packing up.
After dekitting and sorting gear Christian had a great idea to do the gear shuttle in one trip! I did not think it was such a great idea (neither did my knees), as I had the short end of the straw carrying 2 -80cuft cylinders plus other dive kit. It just was not my day, I guess. We arrived back to our vehicles some 3 km away in darkness having down climbed the ladders etc with our burdens. Time for a well earned beer!
Mel hauling a load of dive equipment back to the vehicles.
Next step was to plan for an exploration trip of the newly discovered dry passage, a resurvey of the know dry cave and a surface recce above the cave.
Heading out of the cave.
