August 11, 2013 was a red-letter day for FCD. The pioneer cave class did their first cave dives at Pawod, Mactan Island. This was a familiarization dive for both since they have never been in a true overhead environment. Typical of any weekend, the spring pool at Pawod was teeming with kids swimming and jumping from … Continue reading FCD’S PIONEER CAVE CLASS
REDESIGN OF HINATUAN’S ENCHANTED RIVER UNDERWATER CAVE SYSTEM – A NATURAL CAVE IN?
At Expedition 3, the team of FCD's Bernil and Doc and guest, Lou discovered the blockage of all accesses to Mayor's Chamber by what is now determined as mounds of coarsely granular limestone. A cave-in deep in the area of Mayor's Chamber was suspected. Dive #2 of Expedition 5 was done solely to look for … Continue reading REDESIGN OF HINATUAN’S ENCHANTED RIVER UNDERWATER CAVE SYSTEM – A NATURAL CAVE IN?
NATURE’S REDESIGN OF ENCHANTED RIVER UNDERWATER CAVE SYSTEM
MAD Cavers had the grand design of intensive exploration of Hinatuan's Enchanted River Underwater Cave System (HERUC) at Expedition 3 on June 11-14, 2011. However, the team met an unpleasant surprise - all entrances to Mayor's Chamber were blocked by mounds of either sand or limestone. A couple of theories were entertained as to the … Continue reading NATURE’S REDESIGN OF ENCHANTED RIVER UNDERWATER CAVE SYSTEM
The Enchanted Series (VIDEOS)
One of the areas revisited by the Filipino Cave Divers in the June 2013 Expedition was the Hinatuan Enchanted River. These shots were taken on June 20-21 from dives made to 50 meters deep and during decompression stops at 6m. Explorations have yet to fully measure the length and depth of the underwater cave system … Continue reading The Enchanted Series (VIDEOS)
Pawod Cave Samples-Preliminary Analysis
Rocks and water samples were collected from Pawod Cave on 30 May 2013 at a depth of 15 feet and 40 feet from the cave entrance. Water collected along with the rock samples had an average salinity of 5 parts per thousand and a pH of 6.0, consistent with brackish water. The rock samples are … Continue reading Pawod Cave Samples-Preliminary Analysis
CAVE DIVING PROPULSION TECHNIQUES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ld4chqQl_8 The two underwater propulsion techniques used in cave diving are the modified frog kick and the modified flutter kick. Technically, these are achieved by bending the knees at 90 degrees with the body in horizontal trim. These techniques are solely intended to avoid the fin wash from hitting the silty bottom of most caves. … Continue reading CAVE DIVING PROPULSION TECHNIQUES
OUT OF CASILI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqkAevcEuU0 When we first picked up Casili on the net, all we had to work with are a couple of youtube videos. I remember very well the one that really intrigued me. Going to the spring, you drive on the riverbed part of the way. That we did.
Exploration of Katipunan Spring in Siargao
Background At the onset of summer 2013, website designer and videographer JM Libarnes, accompanied by Siargao’s tourism officer Donna Tiu, visited a little known spring in Siargao. Libarnes published a video of the spring on YouTube , and from then on, curious visitors started to make a detour on their way to Siargao and take … Continue reading Exploration of Katipunan Spring in Siargao
PAWOD AND RA 10066
(This is a rather lengthy article. However, this may serve as reference to any questions regarding the legality of activities in and around the Pawod Underwater Cave system) Since the discovery of Pawod Underwater Cave System in 2002, there has been lots of changes due to unregulated diving activities inside the cave. Some changes are detrimental … Continue reading PAWOD AND RA 10066
PREHISTORIC DAO-DAO FROM PAWOD
Millions of years old dao-dao from Doc's Chamber of Pawod Underwater Cave. I wonder if those homo erectus Oponganons then were smart enough to knock the tip of the shell off and suck the meat out? The specimen was discovered by Bernil; Photography by Doc Amores.
PAWOD – A TREASURE TROVE FOR SCIENTISTS
Q & AHow old are these specimens?What geologic events and forces brought about the possible widespread scorching?If these coral skeletons are indeed scorched, what intense flash burn occurred? Super volcano (nearest one is in Carmen, Cebu)? Meteor/asteroid?If these are scorched, then the specimen were surface located..and eons older than Pawod cave.Pawod cave is a mute … Continue reading PAWOD – A TREASURE TROVE FOR SCIENTISTS
PAWOD COMPREHENSIVE PHOTO DOCUMENTATION PROJECT: PHASE I – NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF DOC’S CHAMBER
The staged comprehensive documentation project of Pawod Underwater Cave System (PUWCS) is underway. Phase I was done on May 31, 2013. Cave divers: FCD's Bernil and Doc Amores. Photographer: Doc Amores. Photography was done using Nikon DSLR in housing, Tokina 10-17mm fisheye lens, Nikonos SB 105 strobe. Phase I covers the northwest quadrant of Doc's … Continue reading PAWOD COMPREHENSIVE PHOTO DOCUMENTATION PROJECT: PHASE I – NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF DOC’S CHAMBER
Filipino Cave Divers 