SINJAC 2008
I arrive in Croatia on January
2nd to resume my cave explorations after having stopped for two months: my last
deep dive was the most shocking of my life, the dive that allowed me to recover
the body of Jean Jacques, who died on 29-10-07 in the source of Lili.
Snow is everywhere around us and
the temperature is several degrees below zero, but to assess our programs we
easily find a little warm refuge. When we arrive at Plaski on January 4th, at
noon, after having a cup of coffee with the mayor, we head quickly toward the
house that will host us. There are 11 people in total who will spread
fraternally in two 5x5m rooms. We choose our spaces, we unload the equipment
from the cars and with curiosity we head towards the source. The road is covered
with snow compacted by the few cars that come and go from the inhabited small
farms. We park the cars under the porch of the landowner’s farmhouse who is
currently absent because during the winter he lives in town: that is a pity,
because besides the kindness he bestows us, he always offers us food and drinks.
We go out on foot into the
countryside which is completely covered by snow. The landscape is very
different compared to that of the summer. The plants in the forest are
completely white and covered with snow, which has not yet fallen because of the
low temperatures which characterize the area at this time of the year; not even
near the source are there the plants whose leaves protected us from the hot
sunlight during the summer, but only a few bare bushes remain. The water level
is about 20cm higher than the last time we came here in the summer, but the
visibility seems better even though we can not satisfactorily estimate it,
because of the fact that it is not a sunny day. Unfortunately, in these places,
during the winter months the sun remains hidden above the fog layer that
stretches constantly 400-500 m. higher than where we are.
On January 5th we prepare all
the equipment to carry to the source. We prepare the closed circuit filters and
we check the sensors staying in the warmth of the house ; here, we are only at a
height of 375m, but we try to finalise as many jobs inside the welcoming walls
before exiting outside, where the temperature is several degrees below zero, to
choose tanks, regulators, the new helmet lights, etc.. As always the first day
is the most laborious: we manage to finish all operations at noon, a snack and
then by finally setting off to the cave. We unload the jeep under the farm roof
and we carry the equipment to the small lake that is a hundred meters from here.
We organize it in such a way as to allow Alan who must film me on my way, to
enter the water first to reach the cart that has lain at -38m for about a
century.
It starts to rain and quite
honestly the new weather condition is not something I like: however, without
wasting time, we begin to prepare for the dive. Besides Alan there are three
other people with wetsuits who will enter the water and be in charge of
positioning the lights for the film. On the edge of the basin, Tihi has built a
fire that will certainly warm not only those who will not be diving but also
those who are chilly after remaining for several minutes, in wetsuits. Looking
at the water, there are signals that make it clear that it is not as hot as in
summer, but as always happens, these small signals are ignored when you are
convinced otherwise.
Before leaving I was told that
the water temperature would not have been below ten degrees, but once there,
given the external temperature, when I threw a block of snow into the water, I
should have seen it dissolve quickly while in reality it remained floating on
the surface for several minutes. Because of the cold and barely managing to put
on my gloves, I ask the help of Tihi, then I get up and I go at the point where
in the summer i normally enter the water.
I have already prepared the
emergency tanks that I will take with me and placed them on the boulder that is
just below the water level, near to where I will descend. Alan, before
disappearing beneath the surface of the water, warns me that the water
temperature is 5 °, but encourages me by saying that perhaps it is only the
surface temperature, since the current is almost absent. When I am loaded with
all the tanks I have to take with me, three of 20 lt. and one of 7 lt, I move
myself into the middle of the lake where the visibility is better than that
found in the summer of 2006. I observe the underwater cave divers that are still
descending, I take advantage of the time to check all the little details and
after a few minutes, as agreed, I let myself sink down vertically without
halting the descent and in less time than you can say, I am close to the cart.
After stopping, before putting on my fins at the bottom covered with mud, I wait
for Alan to give me the signal and then continue to go down toward the bottom.
At -75 meters, about a couple of metres from the bottom, I leave a tank attached
to the line. I can see the contours of the gallery clearly, and here at-90m, is
another point where I should leave a tank. On the two instruments that I have
with me, unfortunately, I read that the water temperature is only 4 °, too cold,
so I consider it wise to abandon any further exploration.
In summer, according to the
period, the water temperature ranges between 13° and 17°c, so it is stupid to
think of going beyond -155m, the depth achieved in 2006, and stay several hours
in water at 4 ° with all the problems associated with low temperatures both from
the physical point of view and that of the equipment. I can reach the same goal
in decidedly more comfortable and secure conditions. The idea of coming in
winter, arose from the possibility of finding better visibility, but the
benefits do not outweigh the disadvantages. I return recovering the tanks on the
way, I get back to the surface after 45 'and before I even leave the water,
announce my decision.
By analyzing the behaviour of
this source, we can understand that the absorption basin is not far away and
therefore the water temperature is very sensitive to external temperatures, not
having the time to heat itself inside the earth.
Beyond the resulting failure,
this adventure was a lot of fun, entertaining and constructive, because we
worked in extreme conditions, and we saw an environment which although
fascinating in summer, increases its charm in winter perhaps because due to
increased fear and its demand for respect .
Partecipants: caving group DDISKF
members and its chairman Tihomir Kovacevic, Alan Kovacevic, Alen
Milosevic, Alessandro Fantini, Luigi Casati.
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