Divers Discover Maya Relics in Caves That Became Rivers

[Starfish]

Here is an article in todays (May 22, 2002) NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/science/21MAYA.html

Nearly 100 feet beneath the Yucatán Peninsula in southern Mexico, cave divers are mapping the world's longest underground river. More important, they are unraveling the mysteries of a fragile ecosystem that may be destroyed before it is fully understood.

That the peninsula is rich in human history is attested by the temples and pyramids built by the Maya during the first millennium. Underground runs a common thread that has woven the fabric of life and directed the distribution of human settlement for the past 10,000 years: a complex system of rivers and natural wells whose formation began more than 100 million years ago, when the peninsula lay beneath a shallow seas.

Over a succession of ice ages, sea levels dropped some 300 feet, exposing the limestone platform that makes up the peninsula. Over time, rivulets of carbonic acid (a byproduct of rainwater bonding with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) carved out the caverns. When sea levels began to rise with the last ice age 18,000 years ago, the once dry caves began to fill with water, a process that continued until about 1,000 years ago. Collectively, these submerged river systems provide all of the peninsula's fresh water. . . .

[wrecNcaver]

I have been privilaged to dive many of the caves along the Riviera Maya. Unfortunately, caves that we dove just a couple of years ago are no longer safe due to the raw sewage. These caves are treasures that may soon be lost forever to the diver but more importantly to the fragile eco system. The article mentions a "minor cave sytem near the resort of Puerto Aventuras has already been pmped full of sewage," I have been in that cave system and it was not a MINOR system. It was a beautiful cave. Let's just hope that the Mexican government can do something before all the caves are lost. :(

[Starfish]

Friends who have been to the area are just sick to hear of the iminent development of the area. At the least, we can hope they stop the sewage pumping system. Better would be if they restrict building and pump into a sewage system. Ideally it would become a protected preserve.

Anyone know if we can help lobby the latter?

[wrecNcaver]

Originally posted by Starfish
Friends who have been to the area are just sick to hear of the iminent development of the area. At the least, we can hope they stop the sewage pumping system. Better would be if they restrict building and pump into a sewage system. Ideally it would become a protected preserve.

Anyone know if we can help lobby the latter?

There is an effort to call attention to this issue. You can find more information at: www.cenotes.com/save/

This is the website of the DeRoses who run AquaTech Villa DeRosa in Akamul. They are very active in fighting to perserve the caves. Almost all of the dive operations in that area are actively fighting to keep the sewage from being pumped into the ground. Any attention from divers around the world can only help.

[Starfish]

Thanks for the link. --Starfish