15 seconds of heart failure

[simbrooks]

Thanks again Mike, i havent quite finished the cave book yet, but getting through it slowly!! Questions just came up in my head when i read Mark's story. I understand what you are saying, most of it is common sense, but until people start thinking about it a bit, its not so common sense if you know what i mean. I have looked around a little on CDF, but i know there is more on there than my brief checkout has shown me. Also i understand there is no hard and fast definate way of dealing with some of these kinds of occurances, just asking advice and what you and others might do in that kind of situation.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Check out the incedent reports section (IRAP) of the CDF. There's lots of good exaples of real life problems in caves.

 

[Mako Mark]

It's also sometimes a good idea to limit penetration into new cave just for this reason. The less unfamiliar cave you have to search the easier it will be to find something that you recognize.

That is a VERY good piece of advice.

 

[Wendy]

That is a VERY good piece of advice.

caves look very different going out than they do going in (both wet and dry caves) so whenever you make a turn or every so often look behind you and see what the area you just came thru looks like.

 

[simbrooks]

All points well taken and being stored up top until i get into the training.

 

[Mako Mark]

I just dived this cave again on saturday and took more notice and emphasis on the navigation markers this time. I placed non directional markers at every line arrow that I passed that was not pointing to MY exit. I also placed personalized arrows every 20 minutes, even though this cave is getting very familiar. Generally, I dont like placing arrows on the fixed line, but I will do it either 20, 15 or 10 minutes depending on cave complexity, passage size and silting probability.

The cave in question by the way for those that have been down here is Chiken Ha. Alex and I have been trying to do the traverse to Ponderosa (Eden), which is 1.2 km as the crow flies. On saturday we did a 100 minute dive and got past the jump onto the main line from Ponderosa, past the two cenotes in the middle, and actually hit the back end of Little Joe cenote when we made our third on double 80's and had to turn.

I guess we did over a kilometer penetration, and were less than 300 m from completing the traverse. I was hoping to do it without having to drag a stage, but that will be the final option, especially if we have to swim back to get the car at the end of the dive.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

So was the arrow still there?

That is a great traverse! Just a fun dive with lots of varied passage. Let me know if you want to get together and do it in July.

Now that I know the system you were in, I would think twice about removing the arrow. You really have to pay attention as there are many exit points in the system over head that show no natural light.

Dennis