Quest The Journal of Global Underwater Explorers
Vol. 24, No. 4 – November 2023
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PHOTO GRAPH ER PORTF OLIO: JASON BROW N
QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE AROUND THE WORLD
Jarrod Jablonski looks back at the The NextGen scholar recounts first 25 years and ahead at the next her experiences in 180 dives
BRAZILIAN CAVES
The country has tremendous potential for cave exploration
CAVE PLANNING
Lights are an essential element of the GUE configuration
EDUCATION · CONSERVATION · EXPLORATION · COMMUNITY
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EDITOR’S LETTER Conference time
W
hen this issue of Quest is published on November 10, 2023, we will be ready for the next GUE conference in Florida and gearing up for the 25th anniversary celebrations of Global Underwater Explorers. This presents an ideal moment to contemplate the significance of these conferences and their pivotal role in fostering organizational cohesion. In our rapidly evolving technological world, the value of in-person gatherings has become all the more evident. Digital interactions, while functional, can never truly replicate the warmth of a firm handshake or the depth of an eyeto-eye encounter. The conferences provide a unique opportunity for attendees to bond, learn, and grow in an atmosphere that transcends screens and pixels. GUE stands on three sturdy pillars: education, conservation, and exploration. Yet, it is the intangible fourth pillar, the community, that holds the organization together, weaving a tight-knit fabric that unites the other three. As you delve into Brad Beskin’s QC Corner on page 6 or Jarrod Jablonski’s 25th anniversary article on page 44, you’ll notice a common theme—the unwavering focus on the community, on the people. It’s the passion of the people that propels GUE forward, and the conferences were conceived as a catalyst to enhance this sense of belonging and togetherness. The inaugural conference in 2005 was also held in Gainesville, Florida, and over the years, a total of 14 conferences have been convened. While most have been in Gainesville, other locations such as Budapest, Hungary (2007), Riviera Maya, Mexico (2010), Kiel, Germany (2011), Catalina Island, CA (2012), and Porti-
mao, Portugal (2013) have hosted the event. These diverse locales reflect GUE’s global reach and the passion for underwater exploration that transcends borders. Furthermore, the conferences are not just about professional development but also about personal growth and exploration. Many GUE instructors use this opportunity to partake in mandatory renewals that keep their skills sharp, all while seizing the chance to embark on cave dives before or after the conference. The conferences encompass a rich tapestry of experiences, from citizen science and marine conservation to embracing the latest in marine biology and technology. As we stand at the threshold of the 2023 GUE conference, it is not merely an event; it is a celebration of the enduring spirit of exploration and community. I hope to see you at this conference or the next one. Jesper Kjøller Editor-in-Chief jk@gue.com
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Quest IN THIS ISSUE The Journal of Global Underwater Explorers
Vol. 24, No. 4 · November 2023
Editor-in-chief // Jesper Kjøller
Editorial panel
// Michael Menduno // Amanda White
Design and layout // Jesper Kjøller
Copy editing
// Pat Jablonski // Kady Smith
Writers
// Brad Beskin // Sergio Rhein Schirato // José Antonio Ferrari // Jenn Thomson // Kirill Egorov // Daniel Riordan // Fred Devos // Todd Kincaid // Chris Le Maillot // Jarrod Jablonski
Photographers
// Kirill Egorov // David Rhea // Ingemar Lundgren // Jason Brown // Jesper Kjøller // Julian Műhlenhaus // Peter Gaertner // Jenn Thomson // Mario Tadinac // Oceanx Dive Team // Mohamed Khamis // Emily Cox // Devina Wijaya // Maria Williams // Erik Wurz // Sam Ooms // Olga Martinelli // Nico Lurot // Taj Howe Quest is published quarterly by Global Underwater Explorers 18487 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida 32643 www.GUE.com
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6 QC CORNER // 25 YEARS IN THE MAKING In this issue’s QC Corner, Brad is joined by GUE Vice President Dorota Czerny for a deep dive into the phrase that has helped shape GUE: commitment to excellence.
12 CAVES IN BRAZIL
Brazil offers enormous potential for cave exploration. However, the country’s vast size, challenging road conditions in some areas, and the remote nature of most karst regions create logistical challenges that restrict exploration.
24 AROUND THE WORLD IN 180 DIVES
Jenn Thomson, the second-ever recipient of GUE’s NextGen Scholarship and the first post-pandemic awardee in 2022, shares her journey through 180 dives worldwide, focusing on skill improvement, dive training, and exploration operations.
38 PORTFOLIO // JASON BROWN
Jason excels at capturing distinctive and challenging images in environments like frigid waters or deep caves. His passion lies in pushing creative boundaries through off-camera lighting.
44 JABLONSKI’S QUEST FOR EXCELLNCE
In 1998, Jarrod founded GUE with a profound mission: to reshape the world of diving, emphasizing safety, skill, and exploration. He looks back at the first 25 years and ahead at the next.
56 CAVE DIVING // PLANNING PART 2
Cave diving logistics play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and success of cave diving expeditions. We continue to delve into the multifaceted aspects of logistics, from transport options to gas supply considerations.
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GUE’S COMMIT MENT TO EXCELLE NCE
6Professionalism Family
Passion Intrepidness
AdvanceIntegrity Authenticity ment Adventure C ommitm Perseverance
ent Leadership Friendsh ip Safety Legacy Community Loyalty Mentorship
Reliability
Support
Responsibility
Global m Trust indedne ss
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44
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COVER PHOTO JASON BROWN
44 November 2023 · Quest
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QC CORNER
25 YEARS IN THE MAKING
TEXT BRAD BESKIN & DOROTA CZERNY// PHOTO JESPER KJØLLER
In this issue’s QC Corner, Brad is joined by GUE Vice President Dorota Czerny for a deep dive into the phrase that has helped shape GUE: commitment to excellence. We encounter this adage so frequently that we often gloss over what it truly means. But it remains the lighthouse that has guided GUE’s development over its first 25 years, and it will remain the north star that shows us the way into the future.
H
appy 25th anniversary, GUE! Congratulations to each of you who has contributed to this momentous achievement. Whether you were there at the beginning in 1998 or just performed your very first S-drill this year, each of you has contributed to GUE’s legacy and achievement in a meaningful way. Whether you push the end of the line, or simply push yourself to go farther down the line, your spirit of exploration has and will continue to drive GUE forward.
Where we’ve been
Much has been written about where we’ve been. Indeed, GUE’s first 25 years are marked by substantial achievements in the technical, overhead, and rebreather diving spaces. 6
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Unquestionably, our genesis lies in exploration. What Jarrod Jablonski and his trusted peers created was an exploration-driven model, with mission-focused diving supported by comprehensive training programs. “During the 1990s we were a small group of extremely passionate diving explorers and researchers. We hoped to develop training that encouraged greater safety, allowed more fun and empowered divers with enough capacity to join a variety of projects, including our many conservation and exploration projects. I am proud of the innovations that we’ve made in diver education and the fact that many of these have been adopted to varying degrees by the dive industry. GUE helped create industry-wide awareness of proper buoyancy and trim and pioneered a team-focused approach including standardized equipment configurations and common protocols for
GUE’S COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE m s i l a n o i s s e Prof
P as si on Family
Intrepidness
Authentici y t i r g e t ty In
Advancement
Perseverance
Adventure Commitmen t Leadership Safety
Friendship
ability i l e R Lega
cy Mentorship Loyalty Community
Support
Responsibility
Global m i ndedness t s u r T November 2023 · Quest
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gas switching and emergency procedures. We were the first to require instructor requalification and dive certification renewals as well as the first to eliminate ‘deep air’ diving, include nitrox in all classes, introduce helium to recreational divers, and prohibit smoking. These and many other initiatives were developed upon a backdrop of rigorous, capacity-based training that helped ensure qualified individuals were not merely paying for a card but developing reliable capacity.” Jablonski, “In Retrospect: Twenty Years of Global Underwater Explorers”, InDepth (Dec. 5, 2018). GUE revolutionized the diving industry by developing and implementing standardized gear configurations, procedures and protocols, gasses, team dynamics, and educational programming. Over time, GUE expanded more broadly into the diving industry by, for example, developing a recreational training model and embracing equipment like dive computers and CCRs. Each of these developments has furthered the paramount end goal: GUE’s commitment to excellence. GUE’s compelling history begs the question: What does the next 25 years hold in store for GUE? Where does this commitment take us next?
We are confident our commitment perseveres, and we are unreservedly excited for the future of GUE. Undoubtedly, what comes next will continue the success of our existing robust Fundamentals, technical, and cave diver programs. It will continue to advance our CCR and Project Diver initiatives. And, it will embrace a recreational civer program that will help revolutionize entry-level diving experiences in the same way GUE revolutionized technical and cave diving. There are, of course, those who find the idea of change off-putting. With respect, growth and quality are not mutually exclusive. In Built to Last, Collins and Porras caution against succumbing to the fallacy that certain outcomes are mutually exclusive. They explain that visionary organizations abandon the “Tyranny of the OR.” Indeed, GUE (like any values-based, visionary organization) is vulnerable to such a fallacy.
Different journeys
We succumb to the tyranny of the “or” when we believe things must be one way or the other, but cannot be both. Highly visionary organizations should embrace the “Genius of the AND”—the Where are we going? ability to embrace both extremes and a multiIt is not our privilege to share with you what hap- tude of dimensions at the same time. So, too, pens next. That privilege lies with the GUE Board can GUE embrace the change that comes with of Directors, who are working feverishly with our growth while preserving and advancing its comtalented instructors, members of the Training mitment to excellence. Council, and dedicated HQ staff to chart a path Our first generation divers and instructors through the next 25 years. Those of you attend- were those whose names adorn the mastheads ing the conference will likely learn much about of classic surveys. They made the Turner-Wakulthese plans, and I’m confident GUE’s leadership la connection, found Mars, and added innumerawill share them with all of you ble kilometers through this publication and of line to the other media when the time labyrinthine We are confident our comes. tunnels undercommitment perseveres, and Of course, any conversalying the Yucatwe are unreservedly excited tion about strategic planning an. They are at for the future of GUE. and future objectives can home sleeping bring trepidation: How can in sumps or GUE continue to achieve its reading books goals and add value for its during hours of members? Are our plans for the future congrudeco. They created a new paradigm for technient with our past? Are we still the same organical and overhead diving. zation created so many years ago? Are we still That intrepidness still exists in GUE today, driven toward and committed to excellence? and you can find it all over the world. That explo-
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PHOTO JESPER KJØLLER
GUE has broadened its presence through innovations such as recreational training and the adoption of CCRs. November 2023 · Quest
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ration will continue, and one will always find GUE The connotations are all subtly different, but divers at the end of the line with a compass and the distinction isn’t critical. What is critical—and a survey with a fire in their eyes and bravery in what has been critical since GUE’s founding—is their hearts. But we must remember that there the congruence across the value set from diver is ample room in GUE for all those who commit to diver, teammate to teammate. to excellence—both at the end of the line and in Earlier this year, the authors had the opportua single tank on a shallow reef. We have instruc- nity to dive together for two weeks in Sardinia tors who are truly excellent (and committed to at Base1, one of GUE’s Premium Dive Centers. staying on the cutting edge of that qualification) The experience was a bucket-list adventure that teaching exclusively at the recreational levels. afforded memorable dives, new friends, and a GUE’s commitment to excellence embraces deeper appreciation for the incredible opportudifferent journeys for nities membership in different divers. GUE affords. Of course, we don’t For fun, a few of us The greenest Rec 1 diver or the have to continue to engaged in late-night, newest Fundamentals diver grow. But growth and deep conversation can demonstrate a stellar development is a natabout GUE and what it ural consequence of means to each of us. commitment to excellence that GUE’s visionary qualThrough brainstormexemplifies GUE’s core values. ities. In Built to Last, ing, we identified the Collins begs three several shared GUE questions of visionary nonprofit organizations values that we believe permeate all aspects of like GUE: (1) what is our passion? (2) where GUE. We believe there is a commonality and can we achieve excellence? (3) what drives our congruence between those who truly believe in resource engine? Our first 25 years has been GUE that tracks these values in some form or marked by excellent and outstanding achieveconstruct. As such, we relied heavily on these ments and accomplishments. Whatever path we values to guide us in suggesting certain changforge next through GUE is achievable with the es to GUE’s form and leadership structure. same quality familiar to you, so long as we reThe list goes on. Each of us had a different main focused on our commitment to excellence. anecdote for how these concepts shaped our membership in GUE, but each disparate story GUE values sounded in familiar values, outcomes, and ideGUE has always been a values-driven organizaals. As we built our list, we began to realize that tion. GUE’s commitment to excellence and that of “From the outset I believed that divers’ trainits individual divers and instructors represents ing, their equipment, their configuration, their a synergy of these GUE core values and the knowledge, and their skill set should all contribmanifestation of what happens when they work ute to greater safety and enjoyment in the water. together in harmony. That was the reason I founded GUE.” Jablonski, “Toward A New and Unique Future”, Excellence, Individually We can look at excellence through both a perQuest Vol. 5, Issue 3. sonal lens and that of the organization more What many of us now summarize as GUE’s broadly. For the individual, excellence connotes “commitment to excellence” connotes a broader commitment to and the synergy of a shared value striving to be the best. But our focus must be on set. GUE’s quality lies in the congruence between the journey, not merely the destination. There is a substantial difference between the pursuit of what our divers do and that shared value set. excellence and perfectionism. How you define that value set is up to you. “Perfectionism is not the same thing as strivWhat you may identify as trust or integrity, aning for excellence and it’s not about healthy other might refer to as reliability or teamwork.
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achievement and growth. Perfectionism is a defensive move. It’s the belief that if we do things perfectly and look perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame. Perfectionism is not the key to success.” Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection. There is a key difference between striving to produce excellent results and perfect results. While excellence is attainable with effort, skills, and grit and perseverance, perfection is an unrealistic and markedly unattainable standard. What does this mean for you as a GUE diver? Does it simply mean a precision back kick and enviable trim? Or does it require something more—the traits and qualities that sound in the values stated above? Indeed, a GUE diver’s commitment to excellence is apparent in his or her value as a teammate, reliability in the water and on the surface, integrity, and hard work. While these may result in a flawless valve drill, for example, that is but an indicator of the powerful synergy of GUE core values underlying the skill. What does it require of the GUE instructor: simply a robust mastery of the curricula? I think not. Rather, it requires the confluence of education, communication, empathy, dynamism, magnetism, and the other exemplary qualities we find in our talented instructor cadre. Of course, we must remember that a diver can commit to (and achieve) excellence at various levels. Excellence does not require a CCR, two DPVs, and an array of decompression gases (although excellence is certainly achievable therein). The greenest Rec 1 diver or the newest Fundamentals diver can demonstrate a stellar commitment to excellence that exemplifies GUE’s core values.
Brad Beskin
Organizational Excellence
Organizationally, GUE’s commitment to excellence mirrors that found in its individual divers and instructors. “It’s not enough for organizations to be good. For those who want to be the top and timeless choice in the market, excellence must be the goal. Organizational excellence is achieved by focusing on culture and strategy.” Erica Callaway Karr, “Better Than Good: The quest for organizational excellence”, 9 Principles. If we find excellence in the individual who personifies a synergy of GUE values, then GUE’s excellence must lie somewhere in the shared work and effort of those excellent and highly committed divers. Excellence “is not achieved by fluke, but by systemically ensuring all elements of the organization work together to achieve the desired income.” Debashis Sarkar, “Four principles of organizational excellence which every small business should know”, The Economic Times (March 27, 2017). GUE’s excellence lies in our passionate instructors who work tirelessly with trainees to master skill sets. We see this in our dedicated divers who practice those skills over and over again. We see it in our community days, workshops, and conferences. We see it in project divers and teams who work together to bridge connections, discover wrecks, and identify new species. As we embrace the next 25 years of GUE, we will focus on strengthening the ways GUE empowers and advances these key demonstrations of excellence. We will focus on new ways to foster that commitment in our existing divers while bringing new divers into the organization. We are proud to be a part of Global Underwater Explorers with you!
Brad Beskin has been diving actively for approximately 28 years. He first became involved with GUE by taking Fundamentals in 2002, and then Cave 1 with Tamara Kendel in 2003. He is now a proud GUE DPV Cave diver and is looking forward to undertaking the GUE
technical curriculum in 2023. When he is not diving, he earns his living as a civil litigator in Austin, Texas, and he also finds time to act as Director of Quality Control and the Chair of the Quality Control Board for Global Underwater Explorers. November 2023 · Quest
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CAVES IN
BRAZIL
– So much to explore, too little time
TEXT SERGIO RHEIN SCHIRATO, PHD & JOSÉ ANTONIO FERRARI, PHD PHOTOS KIRILL EGOROV 12
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PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV
With more than 6,000 known caves, out of an estimated number of 150,000 existing caves, Brazil has tremendous potential for cave exploration. Of course, the continental dimensions of the country, areas with difficult road conditions, and the remoteness of most of the karst regions pose many logistical difficulties, causing exploration to be relatively limited. Additionally, many of the caves are in state parks or conservation units, whose access requires permits, usually restricted to research projects. November 2023 · Quest
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Given the quantity of potential targets for exploration, choosing a location for a new project is never an easy task.
D
espite all the difficulties, a few relevant exploration projects are currently going on in the country. Different groups have been making some amazing progress in the exploration of the caves located in the western area of the state of Bahia, where thousands of meters of new passages have been explored in the recent years, as well as in the São Francisco River valley, in the state of Minas Gerais. As for the GUE community in Brazil, our efforts over the past years have been directed to exploring, mapping, and researching very interesting sites in the states of Goias, Tocantins, and Mato Grosso. In addition to exploration, one of our goals is to promote the exchange of knowledge with other GUE groups, having received over time our colleagues from CINDAQ, as well as leading explorers from Europe and the USA as guests in our projects. Given the quantity of potential targets for exploration, choosing a location for a new project is never an easy task. It has happened before that, after days of traveling, we simply find that the cave shuts down after a few meters. The fact is that the only way to find out is by going to pre-chosen locations and checking them out. After much discussion about potential targets, in 2022, GUE Brasil divers, in association with the University of São Paulo, started working on a plan to explore the caves located in the Gruta Azul State Park, in the city of Nobres, state of Mato Grosso, a place that has been on our list 14
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for years. In close collaboration with the Department of Geology, a research plan was developed and submitted to the local authorities, narrowing the targets to two main locations, Dolina do Pai João and Dolina do João Terêncio (also known as Dois de Maio). Once the research project was approved, logistical preparations started to move many thousands of kilos of equipment halfway across the country. Finally, in May 2023, we started our journey to Mato Grosso. A team of four divers, one archaeologist and one geologist, one filmmaker, two support members, and one local guide finally kicked off the project after driving 2,200 kilometers/1,400 miles.
Serra das Furnas
Serra das Furnas is composed of Neoproterozoic rocks from the Raizana Formation, consisting of sandstone and arkose with conglomerate layers and intercalations of siltstone and claystone that stand out from the carbonate surface of the surrounding area. The carbonate area is primarily formed by Neoproterozoic dolomites from the Nobres Formation. The area is part of one of the flanks of a NE-SW trending anticlinal structure, and the two caves are located at the contact zone between the carbonate rocks and the lithologies that make up the mountain range. Most of the area is within the Gruta Azul state park, a natural reserve managed by the state of Mato Grosso. Based on the available information, we decided to focus our efforts on two locations— Dolina do Pai João and Dolina do João Terêncio.
After the strenuous task of carrying dive equipment along the trail and into the sinkhole, the moment of descending into the cave is truly satisfying.
PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV November 2023 · Quest
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PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV
The entrance to Caverna Pai João is located at the bottom of a sinkhole situated on the slope of the mountain within the boundaries of the Gruta da Lagoa Azul State Park. It is an ephemeral or temporary sinkhole that collects water from a small basin. According to reports from the local community, during the rainy season, the water level inside the sinkhole can rise more than 10 m/33 ft compared to the level observed during dives. Starting from the parking area, it is necessary to walk a trail of 1.8 kilometers/1.1 miles to reach the entrance of the sinkhole. From there, a descent of approximately 50 m/165 ft on rough terrain leads to the water’s surface. Although it is not a long distance, transporting the various cylinders used in the dives (along with various support materials) is very labor-intensive, requiring the support of the local volunteers. Very little information was available about previous dives in this area, but it was brought to our attention that in the past twenty years, a few dives were conducted there, mainly on air in the main vertical tunnel. 16
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PHOTO HALCYON DIVE SYSTEMS
Straightforward logistics
The second target, Dolina João Terêncio, is a resurgence located in the thalweg of the Mutum River, near the section where the drainage crosses the lithologies of the Serra das Furnas. In this sector, the relief of the mountain is more subdued. The cave is within private property, outside the park boundaries, which uses its waters for agricultural activities. Tubes connected to the resurgence also supply properties downstream. There was no time to verify whether upstream and downstream of the resurgence, the Mutum stream is perennial, or if surface runoff has already been captured for underground routes. In this area, the logistics for diving are straightforward because vehicles can be parked next to the cave. The place has been explored on different occasions, and we found line placed by previous explorers down to a depth of approximately 90 m/295 ft in an area where the cave follows a steady slope in a reasonably small shape. In addition to the main targets, our group also planned to visit other caves in the area to evaluate the potential for future exploration, includ-
On our final day, the team examined potential sites for future projects. One standout prospect was the second siphon in Gruta da Lanterna. ing Gruta da Lanterna, Grutas das Pacas, Gruta Azul, and Lagoa Negra.
checked and clearly connected with the deeper section of the cave. Dives were long, followed by many hours of decompression. Most of the The dives equipment was left at the cave entrance, making The first day of diving was used to bring the the trail to trek back to the farm much easier. equipment closer to the entrance of the cave, On the following day we returned with even an effort that required a dozen people to make more tanks, with the specific goal of exploring multiple trips from the farm, where the trucks the deeper sections of the cave. Meanwhile were parked, to the cave and to do a first evalKirill, our official photographer, was registering uation of the site. The dimensions of the place everything with his camera. This was another are impressive, and tunnels only get bigger with fruitful and long day in the water, with most depth. The highlight of the day was the disof the exploration happening between 100covery of a siphoning tunnel on the west wall 120 m/330-390 ft of depth. In the original plan, under a ledge of the cave that was explored to this would be our last day at this location but, as a maximum depth of 45 m/150 ft. Dye tracing said before, no plans survive the battlefield. following the instructions of the research team Snakes and spiders helped in this discovery. After three days spent at Pai João, the focus Having a better understanding of the enviof the exploration was now Dolina do Joao ronment, we returned for the second day much Terêncio, a site where access to the water is better prepared—deco and stage tanks, trimix 10/70 for bottom gas and lots of positive disposi- much easier, but with more challenging diving conditions. The spring forms a small lake that tion. The conduit discovered on the previous day followed a S-SW trend and was explored down to feeds the nearby Mutum River. The entrance of a depth of a bit over 100 m/330 ft. Other passag- the cave is located at approximately 6 m/20 ft of depth and follows a constant slope down to es in the 75-85 m/250-280 ft of depth were also
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Cave exploration is a collaborative endeavor, with a dedicated group of local volunteers providing invaluable support to the project. 18
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FACT FILE // THE REGION
BRAZIL
Mato Grosso
Nobres is located in the state of Mato Grosso, the mid-western area of Brazil, in the transition between two biomes, the Amazon rainforest and the Brazilian savanna (“cerrado”). The area offers all sorts of options for nature lovers, from crystal clear rivers to beautifully sculpted limestone mountains. Nature is exuberant, making the place a great destination for wildlife observation. It is located approximately three hours from the closest airport, which is in the city of Cuiabá.
Nobres
The cave configurations, conduit directions, and geological context suggest the possibility that the two caves may be part of the same system.
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Exploring below 100 m/330 ft in the Dolina do Pai João system, one of the main targets of the exploration.
PHOTO
PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV 20
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Dives were long, followed by many hours of decompression. Most of the equipment was left at the cave entrance, making the trek back to the farm much easier.
JESPER KJØLLER
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approximately 90 m/295 ft, where the end of Early stages The next day we started carrying the equipthe line was found. The cave is much smaller ment at sunlight. Sometime during the mornand siltier than Pai João, making the presence ing, a local TV team joined us after hearing that of two teams in the water tough, especially some divers had found an unheard-of aquifer. for the second team that often descended in Before noon we were ready to start the dive very low visibility. At a depth of approximately and, in order to reduce total bottom times, we 100 m/330 ft, the cave opens into a massive split areas of survey, so that each team betunnel, in a configuration like the one observed came responsible for a part of the cave. The at Pai João. The tunnel runs in a N-NE orientadive worked precisely as planned and, before tion. Due to the limited visibility, team 2 called the end of the afternoon, divers and equipment the dive and, after a short deco, decided to were out of the water, ready to be transported explore other caves in the area while team 1 back to the trucks. pushed the cave for another 200 m/660 ft at an The last day we reserved for visiting some average depth of 100 m/330 ft. additional caves and investigating potential Later that night, when we regrouped at the targets for future base, we realized that some projects. One parsurvey data from Pai João The plan was quite simple: ticular lead, the was missing. As a group we second siphon agreed that there was no carry the equipment as fast as in Gruta da Lanpoint in ending the project we could through the jungle, terna, certainly with incomplete survey inlower it to the water with deserved another formation and adjusted the ropes, dive, retrieve all the visit. plan to go back to Pai João equipment, and be back at the Although we the next day. To execute this are still in the plan, however, we would farm before sunset. very early stages have to carry all the equipof the exploration ment through the jungle of this area, the configuration of the caves, the once more. To accomplish this mission, we had apparent direction of the conduits and wathe priceless support of the local community. ter flow—especially in view of the geological The plan was quite simple: carry the equipment as fast as we could through the jungle, lower it to context—meant that it might be possible to speculate that the two caves, separated by a the water with ropes, dive, retrieve all the equipdistance of 7 kilometers/4.3 miles, are part of ment, and be back at the farm before sunset. the same system. This time limit was imposed for two reasons: Of course, additional exploration and reFirst, we got lost enough times even in daylight, search will be made to either confirm or deny and second, all the snakes, spiders, and other poisonous creatures that we saw during the day the connection between these two extraordiwould still be there, but unseen, during the night. nary caves.
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Sergio Rhein Schirato Sergio Rhein Schirato is a passionate diver and a GUE instructor based in Miami. He is an active explorer who has been organizing expeditions to different parts of Brazil for many years. 22
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He has also been actively promoting GUE in Brazil by organizing events for the local community. Sergio holds a PhD in biosciences and a master’s in applied Math and Finance.
The team deployed both open-circuit and closedcircuit systems during the project.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to Carla Rocha and Pousada Casa de Pedra for the logistical support to Dr. Francisco William da Cruz, for working with the authorities and obtaining the permits, to the Government of the State of Mato Grosso, and of course to all the volunteers that supported the transportation of the equipment to the dive sites.
PHOTO KIRILL EGOROV November 2023 · Quest
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Third Dimension Diving – Tulum, Q. Roo, Mexico www.thirddimensiondiving.com
Zen Dive Co – Los Angeles, USA www.zendive.com
Zero Gravity – Quintana Roo, Mexico www.zerogravity.com.mx
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PREMIUM
November 2023 · Quest
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GUE DIVE CENTERS Buddy Dive Resort – Bonaire www.buddydive.com
China Dive Club – Hainan Province, China Dive Alaska – Anchorage, AK, USA www.divealaska.net
Diveolution – Kessl-Lo, Belgium www.diveolution.com
Faszination-Tauchsport – Sauerlach, Germany www.faszination-tauchsport.de
Innovative Divers – Bangkok, Thailand www.facebook.com/innovativedivers
KrakenDive – Tossa de Mar, Spain www.krakendive.com
Living Oceans Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.livingoceans.com.my
Moby Tek Dive Center – Pahang, Malaysia www.moby-tek.com
Paragon Dive Group – Arizona, USA www.paragondivestore.com
Scuba Adventures – Plano, TX, USA www.scubaadventures.com
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Scuba Seekers – Dahab, Egypt www.scubaseekers.com
Tauchservice Münster – Münster, Germany www.tauchservice.info
Tech Asia – Puerto Galera, Philippines www.techasia.ph
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