FRENCH CAVING EXPEDITION IN SAMAR ISLAND

2007-05-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

SAMAR ISLAND GUIDE: EXPLORER JONI A. BONIFACIO TEL: 055-2512301
CELL:09192943865 / 09053233572
WEBSITE: www.bonifaciojoni.blogspot.com

FRENCH SAMAR CAVING EXPEDITION 2007

THE SITES:
BLANCA AURORA FALLS
PINIPISAKAN FALLS
SULPAN CAVES

PLACE:
SAN JORGE,SAMAR

DATE:
APRIL 5-9,2007

CAVING TEAM:
1.PAUL MARCEL-FRENCH CAVER
2.FERRON CEDRIC-FRENCH CAVER
3.JOVENT LAURENT-FRENCH CAVER
4.JONI BONIFACIO-TREXPLORE/FILIPINO CAVER
5.SHERWIN ORBETA-TREXPLORE/FILIPINO CAVER
6. BELINDA MORILLO -TREXPLORE/THE ONLY FILIPINA CAVER

Photo by: JONI A.BONIFACIO

2005-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

SAMAR ISLAND GUIDE: EXPLORER JONI A. BONIFACIO TEL: 055-2512301
CELL:09192943865 / 09053233572
WEBSITE: www.bonifaciojoni.blogspot.com

MATUGUINAO CAVING EXPEDITIONS 2005
BRGY.TARABUCAN MATUGUINAO,SAMAR
APRIL 2,2005 TO MAY 9,2005

CAVING TEAM:
1.PAUL MARCEL-FRENCH CAVER
2.FERRET GERARD-FRENCH CAVER
3.FERRON CEDRIC-FRENCH CAVER
4.JOVENT LAURENT-FRENCH CAVER
5.JONI BONIFACIO-TREXPLORE/FILIPINO CAVER
6.SHERWIN ORBETA-TREXPLORE/FILIPINO CAVER

CAVES:

1.KATIAKLIHAN CAVE--(1 KM)
2.LOBO CAVE--(500 M)
3.SUPLAN CAVE--(8 KM)

CEDRIC FERRON (PICTURES)

FERRET GERARD (PICTURES)

PAUL MARCEL (PICTURES)

JONI BONIFACIO (PICTURES)

MATUGUINAO CAVING EXPEDITION 2005

French Tree Climber says, ‘I shall Return’

MATUGUINAO, Samar Fifty-year old Gerard Ferret, a tree climber from France, has promised: “I shall return!” He has been to this cool town that is home to six karsts and stayed there for 15 days.

Gerard was in samar eight years ago but he did not proclaim a promise to return. Last May 15, 2005 he made his first proclamation. He had gone through the Sulpan Cave which is also known as the Pinipisakan Cave. He was with three other Frenchmen and together they composed one team. They wanted to explore the whole of the cave, but strange things occurred as they were about to start surveying the numerous chambers and wonders of that karst. Those prompted them to wind up their trip. A retreat should be in order, not in defeat but as a tactical method of reevaluating their initial findings so that they would have a good reason to return.
He wrote on the diary of Joni A. Bonifacio, their Filipino contact who guided them from Catbalogan to this town guides for them:

“After 8 years in France it’s a very nice come-back. March 31 before the Samar Island Biodiversity Project representatives consultant Dr. Marcelino Dalmacio and planning chief Rosario Cabardo were asked to give an overview of the Gandara watershed.

He also cited the many repeated emphases made by the vice-governor on the need to find solutions to the flooding problem in the TAGASAPA zone, each time Vice-Gov. Redaja attended meeting and workshops of the work group.

Last May 31, Dela Torre argued strongly for an immediate focus by the members of the Samar Provincial Technical Working Group on those emphases made by Vice-Gov. Redaja. His manifestations resulted in the creation of the project team. In a subsequent meeting cum workshop on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, he inquired about timelines for the completion of the original task of the group which is to find short-term solutions to the flooding problem.

The place here in Sulpan was a very good experience. For the few days we had it’s very positive. The karst is also interesting and the studies must be continued. We have to plan a new expedition of other places. The exchanges with all the people were great. ‘I shall return’!”

Paul Marcel, the team leader also wrote into Joni’s diary” WAOOUH! Like every time, we meet friendly people and big caves. I hope to be back as soon as possible to go further and deeper in the forest and in the caves, to meet the people of Samar, in the towns and in the forest. Special thanks to Joni for his help.. I wish he can form a good team … don’t forget to survey the caves you will explore!!”
Electrician-Caver Laurent “Lolo” Jovet just wrote down his e-mail address and telephone number.
Cedric Ferron, an acrobat, had this to tell Joni: “It was a nice expedition! Beautiful cave with many galleries, full of animals, sometimes full of shit off bats. The camp was like paradise. The guides very, very friendly and efficient. Exploring the caves with the Best Samar’s caver was a pleasure. Salamat Po to every body.”

These foursome gave Joni some caving equipments like harness, caving suits, carbide lamp, and SRT equipment which is used for climbing mountains, all courtesy of the French Caving Federation.
It was Joni’s first time to personally meet Paul and his members. Before, their only contact was via e-mail.

Paul, Gerard, Lolo and Cedric enjoyed the company of their guides whom Joni mobilized to attend to the foreign visitors needs. The guides: 24-year old Sherwin S. Orbeta of barangay Minda, Gandara, Samar, a member of Trexplore the Adventures Club which Joni heads, who accompanied them through a thrilling riverine ride to Matuguinao; and 35-year old Allan V. Garcia of brgy. Del Rosario, 46-year old Ermito Velardi of brgy. San Isidro, and 22-year old Nemuel E. Diaz of brgy. Mabuligon, all of Matuguinao.

Nemuel had stayed longest with the French as he was the only available local guide who can speak English. Into Joni’s diary, he also wrote: “Nalilipay ako nga nagin usa ako san mga guide nga nahiupod sini nga expedition ‘coz this is my first time, so I want to say, thanks to Joni & Sherwin for everything that they’d done for me, and also to my 4 French friends.”

For his part Sherwin had this to say: “I enjoyed exploring the cave with Kuya Joni, the local guides and the four French . . . Nice gallery inside, I felt nervous when we saw a snake but after that enjoyed caving again, because these four French, Kuya Joni and the local guides tough us how to be brave and strong inside the cave . . . I found new friends in this expedition . . . “

Allan could not hide his excitement. He wrote: “Nalipay gad ako nga nagsulod han lungib kay nakit-an ko sa sulod halason, higlarom an linaw. Nahadlok ako san linaw kundi maupay an design sa lungib. An French mga buotan. Dam an ira pagkaon, kompleto gamit, di nahahadlok pagsulod sa lungib. Bisan adlaw, bisan gab-i diri hadlok. Nagpapasalamat kami nga may inabot nga igsipareho Waray, kay nasabot kami han istorya. Maupay an batasan ni Joni, taga Catbalogan, ngan ni Sherwin, taga Gandara.”

Ermito had similar feelings: “Nagpapasalamat ako pag upod kay damo akon nakikit-an ha sulod nga maupay, sugad han igang. Maupay pagkita ha sulod. Sugad man han mga tamsi nga gudti sugad han Sayaw Tiakle ngan waray makaharadlok sugad han halas. An mga upod namon nga Frances nga foreigners, mga buotan, diri nahadlok, amo nakasubad ako pagsulod lingib. Nagpapasalamat ako nga umabot si Joni didi sa amon pag-api sa sulod sa lingib kay diri liwat nahadlok sa sulod. Kay nagkakaintindihay kami pag istorya han waray dialect.”

Matuguinao occupies an area of 172.51 square kilometers. Its 2000 population stood at 5,361 its internal revenue allotment (IRA) share based on population is 2,416,430 pesos, and based on land area, P6,437,771.53 while its equal share is P7,628,841.70. Its appropriation for last year was P17,522,427

Caving Experiences at Matuguinao

Future adventurers who dream to visit Matuguinao very soon for its bewitching caves and caverns may want to learn from the experiences of its most recent visitors - 4 Frenchmen, 4 locals.

Once you are in any of those caves, never say you’ve completed your adventure. Something more amazing could be just somewhere near your first target. This early, therefore, prepare for a longer trek into the unknown. Ten days may not be enough!
Look at this.

Exploring the big Sulpan Cave on May 5 without completing even half of it in their survey, the French cavers, equipped with advanced technology gadgets and device, found out two things: first, there was still much left to be surveyed; second, there was another object of bewilderment: a big gallery with its own serial chambers inside, each with its own irresistible attraction.

Just these alone already make the heart of Matuguinao an amazing town in the forested area of Western Samar. The rest-still so much unknown. That yielded another discovery: the foreigners must go back to France and come back only when they shall have gathered more sophisticated and complete caving equipment, perhaps a hundred others, far more enabling than what they have just brought in for their 13-17 days superb adventure into Matuguinao’s substantially untouched natural wonders.

On May 7, they went back to the Sulpan Cave, via the same route, to get through another gallery, one to the right of the cave, reaching it at past 11 o’clock in the morning. As in the previous day, the troupe fixed their bamboo raft and had two of the Frenchmen and a local guide wading through the river water while pushing the raft forward to get their gears across. They had with them cameras, 5 rolls of 135-36 shots Kodak color film, batteries, flash bulbs, Laser Survey equipment, food packs, and others. There had to be some swimming, too, for some 300 meters.
There was already a dead end for the right gallery, but further ahead, outside, more than 40 meters distant from the cave’s exit, was that awe-inspiring find. From the edge of the fairly wide surface of that gallery, they estimated a depth of also more than 40 meters, and then a giant stone wall that led to another gallery.

“We decided to climb that wall,” Joni recalled from his diary. When they reached the top, a big but friendly black snake met them. “We had a souvenir picture taken with the snake,” Joni chuckled in.
Later, they found another cave entrance when they were strolled to the open area outside.
“That gave us the cue that somehow those galleries were interlinked, somewhat like what we discovered inside the Sulpan Cave, “Joni would tell this writer two months later.

In this new chamber there are also a thick bats population, and mud. But not just mud, but a Mud Mountain. For the cave survey, the troupe had irresistibly climbed that giant heap. The climb led to a small passage filled with wondrous stalactites and stalagmites of various forms and shapes, and that in turn disgorged them unto a Giant Room heavily covered with mud. At the end of the tunnel like room was another 40-meter depth, and from this section, the strong lights from their helmets allowed them to see a gallery across, another gallery at the left section, and still another to the right. At this point, Joni saw a small snake crawling in the mud, about two meters away from meters away from Cedric Ferron, the acrobatic French caver. The little creature was not any bother. Cedric fixed his climbing rope with “Hardwake”, and used it to cross the depth to reach the adjacent gallery at the left. Joni and Sherwin Orbeta, a Trxplore-trained tourist from barrio Minda, Gandara, Samar, waited. One hour later, Cedric was calling from across. Joni and Sherwin had fallen asleep while waiting. For Cedric to complete his climb of the slippery giant wall The young locals took their turn and like Cedric, they had to make some fixing of the rope every time they moved.

Cedric surveyed the entire length of this Left Gallery. It was 300 meters from end to end. Joining Cedric here were French team leader paul Marcel and tree climber Gerard Ferret who had just finished exploring another section.
That was enough for the moment. They worked their camp site outside the main entrance of the cave. It was already 3 p.m. and time for lunch. While Joni and the locals next took their buko meal and their foreign guests instant food, Paul suddenly remembered that he had left behind, inside the right gallery, his blue water container. Joni accompanied Paul to retrieve that precious life-giving thing.

An hour later, the foreigners went back to the cave to photograph themselves and other objects of interest. Joni and Sherwin took another course, the River Junction.
By 6:30 p.m., the French declared they were through with their survey. All faces smiled. Lolo, the French artist with them, held up his drawing of the Sulpan Cave. It almost looked like the cave itself as viewed from the outside, and inside.
The rest of the night was full of frolic Minutes into midnight, Lolo fell from his hammock two times. He was drunk with rum, and now vomiting, and then, without anything to cover his body, he slides back to the hammock for a comfortable rest.There.

Think about these experiences before going to the caves in Matuguinao. Better still, consult Joni for a complete briefing. It will help to be prepared at all times. You can personally visit Joni at Abesamis Store along Allen Avenue in Catbalogan, or contact him by his mobile phone, number 09192943865.

2005-09-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

SAMAR ISLAND GUIDE: EXPLORER JONI A. BONIFACIO TEL: 055-2512301
CELL:09192943865 / 09053233572
WEBSITE: www.bonifaciojoni.blogspot.com

MACTINGOL CAVING EXPEDITIONS 2004
MARCH 4,2004 TO APRIL 4,2004
MACATINGOL CAVE - MARCH 4-9,2004
CALBIGA,SAMAR

LAS NAVAS CAVING EXPEDITIONS 2004
KM 3 CAVE - MARCH 18,2004 TO APRIL 4, 2004
BRGY.SAN ISEDRO,LAS NAVAS
NORTHEN SAMAR

CAVING EXPEDITION TEAM:

1.Jean-Paul Sounier (Team Leader/French caver)
2.William Michel (French Caver)
3.Tristan Godet (French Caver)
4.Bruno Fromento (French Caver)
5.Philipe A. (French Journalist)
6.Guido Rossi (Italian Caver)
7.Matteo Rivadossi (Italian Caver)
8.Lorenzo Caramazza (Italian Caver)
9.Claudio Castegnati (Italian Caver)
10.Joni Bonifacio (Trexplore/Filipino Caver)

The Samar Philippines 2004
MACTINGOL 2004 - FRENCH ITALIAN SHIPMENT SPELEOLOGICA IN THE PHILIPPINES

The shipment “Mactigol 2004″, organized from the famous French speleologo Jen Paul Sounier in collaborzione with Geographic l’Associazione Odissea Nature Adventure and from the Group Coves Brescia “Corrado Allegretti”, he will operate nell’isola of Samar in the Philippines from 28 February to the 2 You open them. The ten participants: Matteo Rivadossi, Giacomo Rossetti and Claudius Castegnati of the Group Coves Brescia, Lorenzo Red Caramazza and Guido (responsible geologist of the scientific part) of Verona, Jean Paul Sounier and other four connects French.

Obbiettivo L’ambizioso of this initiative sara the attainment and l’esplorazione dell’inghiottitoio of the Mactingol river, situated in means of the carso dell’isola of Samar: the mythical one “fiume that romba”, it seems to disappear in a ciclopico ingressso in order to return to day a ten of kilometers more to goes them from the bewitched source of Kalidungan, one of the three larger carsiche risorgive of the world with 25-30 cubic meters to the second of capacity in regimen of “secca”! Just l’aspettativa of imbattersi in one of the course d’acqua underground larger to the world it has motivated numerous tried to you that they have been repeated between 1985 and l 2002, to work of Italians but also of French, always ill-fatedly it blocks to you from local the political tensions.

In the hope to go around the warm zone and above all to avoid one snervante approach on foot at least five days, d’accordo with the French friends, is chosen this time to use a helicopter that will allow to directly transport men and materials of the shipment in the heart of the forest where it will come installed the operating field base for a month. From quì the inspections will leave that will try to characterize, to explore and to topografare all the cavities around Mactingol. Therefore making it is hoped finally of sfatare the inviolabilità myth that gives a ventennio flutters around this idrogeologico colossus become for all the appasionati ones of speleologia by now leggendario.

This time will be indeed an adventure total in complete autonomy, a tenacious collaboration between speleologi French and Italian, sincere appasionati of the shape purer not sure speleologica d’esplorazione and little figures sponsored of some Italian organizations from the easy television appearances, that with the necessary dose R-di.fortuna it could be decisive.

E’ previewed moreover the collection of data on geology, the chimismo of waters and Biology, the realization of one photographic documentation and a video-documentary in digital format them.

Matteo Rivadossi

IT TURNS OUT YOU Of SHIPMENT SPELEOLOGICA ITALO-FRANCESE IN The PHILIPPINES "MACTINGOL 2004"
(from the official notice it prints of the 8/4/2004 of Matteo Rivadossi)

The shipment "Mactingol 2004", organized from the geographic association bresciana Odissea Naturavventura and from the Group Coves Brescia "Corrado Allegrettos", has operated in the island of Samar in the Philippines from 28 February to the 6 Opens them. the 10 participants: Matteo Rivadossi di Nave, Claudius Castegnati di Botticino, Lorenzo Red Caramazza and Guido (geologist, responsible of the scientific part) of Verona, Jean Paul Sounier (capospedizione) and others 4 connects French beyond to indispensable a revealed local fan like translator. In order to avoid the snervante of on foot several approach days in the intricatissimo varies problems above all but carso of the island of the Samar (wildest and incontaminata of the archipelago), this time is chosen a helicopter that has allowed to directly transport the members of the shipment and all the materials (nearly a ton) in the heart of the forest where it has been installed the field base with an autonomy of a month.

From here giornalmente, with the indispensable guide of some premises that live in zone, they have been carries out you of the inspections in order to characterize and to topografare all the cavities around the loss of the Mactingol river. After solo a single day of search the obbiettivo more ambitious than this initiative has been totally caught up with the ritrovamento of a inghiottitoio that after 200 meters sbuca on the enormous tenebrous gallery of the underground collector who collects all the waters of this part of the carso.

E' he the "river that romba" a lot dreammed that silent hour in the buio slides in order to more return to day a ten of kilometers to goes them from the bewitched source of Kalidungan, one of larger the carsiche risorgive of the world with approximately 20 cubic meters to the second of capacity in regimen of lean! The three km of galleries seed-flooded explored to taken with one the most dangerous current from 10 cubic meters to the second! Along the feature to they goes will be quite necessary of the corrimano in order to be does not drag to you via!

Long features “acquatici”, seed-flooded passages are the norm in the tropical coves of the Filippine… Great ipogei atmospheres “fossili” in the carso disowned situated to dell’isola north of Samar that, in rain case strong, because of the tracimazione of the external rivers, returns to being overflows to you dall’acqua.

"Unfortunately after solo four days of activity with very 5000 meters of new coves that continue to the field arrive some armed members pertaining to a gang that imperversa in the zone: threatening they obtain one large sum of money... We do not have other choice. The French journalist, perhaps very interpreting the situation, abandons the shipment. In many we are titubanti but the capospedizione is irremovibile. The every next day reservoir on the eventuality to abandon the plan comes definitively melted from the arrival of a command of maoisti guerrillas whom they seize, M16 in fist, all the photographic and speleologico material ordering one fast departure. Under an incessant rain (by now it is the sixth consecutive day!) in 9 lasciamo the field, the great and by now familiar burlaps, its beastly mud and our velleità. After 8 hours of march with 40 kg on the shoulders of new the guerrillas: they do not have doubts, they want my video camera and the telephone to satellitare having found the respective batteries yesterday... Me perquisiscono. Satellitare is in the mango dry, the video cameras wrapped in dressed the more becomes muddied... Video to you! Video! Phone! But they do not find nothing. The friends will riferiranno me become white man like one rag...

Yesterday evening I had communicated the position to Sonia, together to the numbers of the 2 embassies... Not there is danger but he marks these data to you because if you did not have to recall to you tomorrow at least you know what to make... In order to catch up the first road the next day we will have to walk an other entire day. I will lose I use them of according to pair of climbing shoes while my feet will take one beautiful mycosis... Then a yearned for beer in the Calbiga relative, where in order more times in 10 years I have dreammed a permission in order to go to Mactingol."

But of it it was worth the pain, comes to wonder? Not an answer is sure rations them. Sure it is that just the expectation of imbattersi in one of water greater the underground course of the world has motivated numerous tried to you that they have repeated between 1985 and 2002, to work of Italians but also of French, always ill-fatedly it blocks to you from local the political tensions. In the impera zone in fact from years the maoista guerrilla who rivendica one independent management from the government of Manila: in the 1994 just forced Rivadossi and companions they had lived the disavventura of to have been stopped and, crews in fist, to deliver given topographical and photographies. In 2002 waiting for the permissions necessary in order to enter in the zone quite heavy threats had arrived.

"the idea of a shipment Italian-French who re-united the forces of who in the Philippines had arrived on the traces of this unsolved exploratory problem is born in the 2001 from me and Jean Paul in order to realize single three later years. A period this dedicated not even logistically to plan and to prepare in the details one not easy shipment.
This time has been indeed a complete adventure and in complete autonomy and creed that the secret of this happening is from searching in a profitable collaboration between Italians and French, sincere it gets passionate you of the purer shape of not sure speleologica exploration and sponsored little figures that they make reference to some Italian organizations from the easy television appearances... The forest of Samar still hides upgrades them exploratory immense and we had all the papers in order to continue the searches at least 4 weeks: the rest, the unexpected of the band that has derubato to us or of the guerrilla who you have to us removed in "determined" way are unexpected classics of the zones to risk, unfortunately. It makes part of an exciting game but never discounted in which something is attempted that nobody has never seen. E' speleologia.

Now however all know that the underground feature of the Mactingol river exists indeed and that the hours passages to dream rambling in those enormous buie galleries where the river that romba slides violent towards the source has been it goes some. Extraordinarily beautiful and unattainable also hour that has been found: around Mactingol that halo of inviolabilità remains that gives a ventennio accompanies this idrogeologico colossus become by now leggendario for all gets passionate you to it of speleologia.

And it is much difficult one that the things change within some year!". Counting on those political contacts that gia would have had previously to smooth the things in the hope to come to part of the material, the shipment very attends near the citizen of Calbiga 7 days. Then fortunately the situation is unblocked and nottetempo some sfiniti bearers unload the zaini outside of house... He seems that there is all!

The Italian members to this point push in order to more move the ingolositi searches to North from a beautiful photography that puts in evidence the carsico landscape to sides of the great Catubig river, in the North of Samar. Far away therefore from problems of guerrilla and for more in a completely new zone, escaped - he does not know himself like - to all the geologic and speleologiche banns till now produced! Finally the fortune smiles on them: in little enormous days they come explores 7 km very to you of gallery in the "3 Km Hollow" (is just local its toponimo) and other smaller, equally rich cavities of spectacular concretions and sometimes of cobra... The fury of a cyclone, that it will send in flood all the rivers of the zone until making them to tracimare in the cavities, not rendering the progression in adventurous cove particularly dangerous and the simple one to re-enter to the field the evening, will stop the speleologiche activities.

The booty total of the shipment Mactingol 2004 is attested to approximately 14 km of new topografate cavities. In all and two it is made has been carried out moreover the collection of data on geology, the chimismo of waters and Biology, the realization of one photographic documentation and a video-documentary in digital format them.

Gianni Garbelli

MACTINGOL AND LAS NAVAS CAVING EXPEDITION 2004
Calbiga, Samar ------------ Las Navas Northen Samar
March 4-9, 2004 March 18 to April 4 2004

MACTINGOL 2004.............4 FRENCH , 4 ITALIAN CAVER AND 1 FILIPINO CAVER

Pause during one struck to the cavity search: mud,water and hard work make it from padroni… Someaboriginal presents in native place at the moment areescape themselves alla.vista of the flying machine:they had not never seen before a helicopter from thealive one!

FINALLY FOUND The MYTHICAL "RIVER THAT ROMBA", ONE OfThe UNDERGROUND LARGE WATER COURSE PIU' Of the WORLD
IT TURNS OUT YOU Of SHIPMENT SPELEOLOGICAITALO-FRANCESE IN The PHILIPPINES "MACTINGOL 2004

(from the official notice it prints of the 8/4/2004 ofMatteo Rivadossi)

The shipment "Mactingol 2004", organized from thegeographic association bresciana OdisseaNaturavventura and from the Group Coves Brescia"Corrado Allegrettos", has operated in the island ofSamar in the Philippines from 28 February to the 6Opens them. the 10 participants: Matteo Rivadossi diNave, Claudius Castegnati di Botticino, Lorenzo RedCaramazza and Guido (geologist, responsible of thescientific part) of Verona, Jean Paul Sounier(capospedizione) and others 4 connects French beyondto indispensable a revealed local fan like translator.In order to avoid the snervante of on foot severalapproach days in the intricatissimo varies problemsabove all but carso of the island of the Samar(wildest and incontaminata of the archipelago), thistime is chosen a helicopter that has allowed todirectly transport the members of the shipment and allthe materials (nearly a ton) in the heart of theforest where it has been installed the field base withan autonomy of a month.From here giornalmente, with the indispensable guideof some premises that live in zone, they have beencarries out you of the inspections in order tocharacterize and to topografare all the cavitiesaround the loss of the Mactingol river. After solo asingle day of search the obbiettivo more ambitiousthan this initiative has been totally caught up withthe ritrovamento of a inghiottitoio that after 200meters sbuca on the enormous tenebrous gallery of theunderground collector who collects all the waters ofthis part of the carso.E' he the "river that romba" a lot dreammed thatsilent hour in the buio slides in order to more returnto day a ten of kilometers to goes them from thebewitched source of Kalidungan, one of larger thecarsiche risorgive of the world with approximately 20cubic meters to the second of capacity in regimen oflean! The three km of galleries seed-flooded exploredto taken with one the most dangerous current from 10cubic meters to the second! Along the feature to theygoes will be quite necessary of the corrimano in orderto be does not drag to you via! Long features “acquatici”, seed-flooded passages arethe norm in the tropical coves of the Filippine… Great ipogei atmospheres “fossili” in the carsodisowned situated to dell’isola north of Samar that,in rain case strong, because of the tracimazione ofthe external rivers, returns to being overflows to youdall’acqua. "Unfortunately after solo four days of activity withvery 5000 meters of new coves that continue to thefield arrive some armed members pertaining to a gangthat imperversa in the zone: threatening they obtainone large sum of money... We do not have other choice.The French journalist, perhaps very interpreting thesituation, abandons the shipment. In many we aretitubanti but the capospedizione is irremovibile. Theevery next day reservoir on the eventuality to abandonthe plan comes definitively melted from the arrival ofa command of maoisti guerrillas whom they seize, M16in fist, all the photographic and speleologicomaterial ordering one fast departure. Under anincessant rain (by now it is the sixth consecutiveday!) in 9 lasciamo the field, the great and by nowfamiliar burlaps, its beastly mud and our velleità.After 8 hours of march with 40 kg on the shoulders ofnew the guerrillas: they do not have doubts, they wantmy video camera and the telephone to satellitarehaving found the respective batteries yesterday... Meperquisiscono. Satellitare is in the mango dry, thevideo cameras wrapped in dressed the more becomesmuddied... Video to you! Video! Phone! But they do notfind nothing. The friends will riferiranno me becomewhite man like one rag...Yesterday evening I had communicated the position toSonia, together to the numbers of the 2 embassies...Not there is danger but he marks these data to youbecause if you did not have to recall to you tomorrowat least you know what to make... In order to catch upthe first road the next day we will have to walk another entire day. I will lose I use them of accordingto pair of climbing shoes while my feet will take onebeautiful mycosis... Then a yearned for beer in theCalbiga relative, where in order more times in 10years I have dreammed a permission in order to go toMactingol." But of it it was worth the pain, comes to wonder? Notan answer is sure rations them. Sure it is that justthe expectation of imbattersi in one of water greaterthe underground course of the world has motivatednumerous tried to you that they have repeated between1985 and 2002, to work of Italians but also of French,always ill-fatedly it blocks to you from local thepolitical tensions. In the impera zone in fact fromyears the maoista guerrilla who rivendica oneindependent management from the government of Manila:in the 1994 just forced Rivadossi and companions theyhad lived the disavventura of to have been stoppedand, crews in fist, to deliver given topographical andphotographies. In 2002 waiting for the permissionsnecessary in order to enter in the zone quite heavythreats had arrived."the idea of a shipment Italian-French who re-unitedthe forces of who in the Philippines had arrived onthe traces of this unsolved exploratory problem isborn in the 2001 from me and Jean Paul in order torealize single three later years. A period thisdedicated not even logistically to plan and to preparein the details one not easy shipment.This time has been indeed a complete adventure and incomplete autonomy and creed that the secret of thishappening is from searching in a profitablecollaboration between Italians and French, sincere itgets passionate you of the purer shape of not surespeleologica exploration and sponsored little figuresthat they make reference to some Italian organizationsfrom the easy television appearances... The forest ofSamar still hides upgrades them exploratory immenseand we had all the papers in order to continue thesearches at least 4 weeks: the rest, the unexpected ofthe band that has derubato to us or of the guerrillawho you have to us removed in "determined" way areunexpected classics of the zones to risk,unfortunately. It makes part of an exciting game butnever discounted in which something is attempted thatnobody has never seen. E' speleologia.Now however all know that the underground feature ofthe Mactingol river exists indeed and that the hourspassages to dream rambling in those enormous buiegalleries where the river that romba slides violenttowards the source has been it goes some.Extraordinarily beautiful and unattainable also hourthat has been found: around Mactingol that halo ofinviolabilità remains that gives a ventennioaccompanies this idrogeologico colossus become by nowleggendario for all gets passionate you to it ofspeleologia.And it is much difficult one that the things changewithin some year!". Counting on those politicalcontacts that gia would have had previously to smooththe things in the hope to come to part of thematerial, the shipment very attends near the citizenof Calbiga 7 days. Then fortunately the situation isunblocked and nottetempo some sfiniti bearers unloadthe zaini outside of house... He seems that there isall!The Italian members to this point push in order tomore move the ingolositi searches to North from abeautiful photography that puts in evidence thecarsico landscape to sides of the great Catubig river,in the North of Samar. Far away therefore fromproblems of guerrilla and for more in a completely newzone, escaped - he does not know himself like - to allthe geologic and speleologiche banns till nowproduced! Finally the fortune smiles on them: inlittle enormous days they come explores 7 km very toyou of gallery in the "3 Km Hollow" (is just local itstoponimo) and other smaller, equally rich cavities ofspectacular concretions and sometimes of cobra... Thefury of a cyclone, that it will send in flood all therivers of the zone until making them to tracimare inthe cavities, not rendering the progression inadventurous cove particularly dangerous and the simpleone to re-enter to the field the evening, will stopthe speleologiche activities. The booty total of the shipment Mactingol 2004 isattested to approximately 14 km of new topografatecavities. In all and two it is made has been carriedout moreover the collection of data on geology, thechimismo of waters and Biology, the realization of onephotographic documentation and a video-documentary indigital format them.Gianni GarbelliThe great mass d’acqua andstrongly current would want to drag to you via!

EXPEDITION MACTINGOL 2004 / MACTINGOL 2004 EXPEDITION

La dernière expédition que nous avons organisée est l'expédition MACTINGOL 2004 qui s'est déroulée aux Philippines et dont voici un résumé:
Pays : PHILIPPINES
Région / area : île de SAMAR (VISAYAS)
Chef d'expédition / Team leader : Jean-Paul SOUNIER

Participants / members :
France : FROMENTO Bruno, GODET Tristan, MICHEL William, SOUNIER Jean-Paul.Italie : CARAMAZZA Lorenzo, CASTEGNATI Claudio, RIVADOSSI Mattéo, ROSSI Guido.Philippines : BONIFACIO Joni.
Dates: 26 février au 6 avril 2004.

OBJECTIFS DE L'EXPEDITION / EXPEDITION OBJECTIVES

L'objectif principal de l'expédition était de se rendre à proximité de la perte de la rivière Mactingol et d'explorer la zone afin de trouver une entrée au réseau souterrain de cette rivière, dont les eaux ressortent à la résurgence de Kalidongan, au débit de 15 m3/s à l'étiage. Grâce à l'aide de locaux vivant près de la perte, il était également prévu d'explorer les nombreuses grottes connues par eux. Une perte importante située à 6 km au nord-est de la Mactingol était un objectif secondaire.

DEROULEMENT / PLANNING

En raison de la guérilla établie sur le flanc ouest du massif et la distance importante à parcourir si nous avions progressé, comme en 2000 et 2002, par l'est, nous avons choisi l'option de l'héliportage. Celui-ci a eu lieu le 5 mars. L'équipe est opérationnelle sur zone, 9 jours seulement après avoir quitté l'Europe. Le collecteur de la rivière souterraine de la Mactingol est trouvé le lendemain de l'héliportage. Du 6 mars au 9 mars inclus ; l'équipe explore le collecteur ainsi que 6 autres cavités. Le 10 mars, la guérilla débarque, donne l'ordre de quitter le site, et confisque du matériel. Le 11 mars, l'équipe quitte la zone pour se rendre à Calbiga. Le matériel est récupéré le 17 mars. Etant donné la faible probabilité de pouvoir retourner sur la Mactingol, décision est prise de se rendre sur une zone karstique située au nord de l'île. Ce karst est situé à l'est du fleuve Catubig, et n'a jamais était visité par des spéléologues.Le 18 mars, l'équipe établit ses quartiers au village de San Isidro. Nous sommes guidés à l'entrée de la grotte du Kilomètre 3, qui s'avère être un vaste réseau. Du 18 mars au 31 mars, l'expédition explore la grotte du Kilomètre 3, ainsi que 9 autres cavités. L'équipe quitte les Philippines le 6 mars. CAVITES EXPLOREES / EXPLORED CAVES
Zone de la Mactingol / Mactingol area

Grotte MA - 1 / MA - 1 cave : 34 m topographiés / 34 m surveyed
Grotte MA - 2 / MA - 2 cave : 574 m topographiés / 574 m surveyed
Grotte MA - 3 / MA - 3 cave : 300 m topographiés / 300 m surveyed
Grotte MA - 4 ou grotte du Lézard Assassiné / MA - 4 cave or "The Murdered Lizard cave" : 1177 m topographiés ; 1700 m explorés / 1177 m surveyed ; 1700 m explored
Grotte MA - 5 / MA - 5 cave : 173 m topographiés / 173 m surveyed
Grotte MA - 6 / MA - 6 cave : 80 m topographiés / 80 m surveyed
Grotte MA - 7 ou grotte Noel / MA - 7 cave or Noel cave : 88 m topographiés / 88 m surveyed
Grotte MA - 9 ou grotte Renato / MA - 9 cave or Renato cave : 97 m topographiés ; 147 m explorés / 97 m surveyed ; 147 m explorerd

Zone de la Catubig / Catubig area

Grotte du Kilomètre 3 / Km 3 cave : 6600 topographiés ; 7000 explored / 6600 m surveyed ; 7000 m explored
Grottes Donding N° 1 & 2 / Donding N° 1 & 2 caves: 506 m topographiés ; 661 explorés / 506 m surveyed ; 661 m explored
Grotte du Kilomètre 4 / Km 4 cave : 285 m topographiés ; 325 m explorés / 285 m surveyed ; 325 m explored
Grotte du Miraculé / cave of the Saved : 197 m topographiés / 197 m surveyed
Grotte du Serpent / Snake cave : 332 m topographiés ; 352 explorés / 332 m surveyed ; 352 m explored
Grotte du Python / Python cave : 497 m topographiés ; 527 m explorés / 497 m surveyed ; 527 m explored
Grotte de la Dame Blanche / White Lady cave: m topographiés / m surveyed
W1: m topographiés / m surveyed
W2: m topographiés / m surveyed
Total topographiés pendant l'expédition Mactingol 2004 : non encore calculé.
Total explorés : non encore calculé.

PERSPECTIVES / FUTURE PROSPECTSSur la zone de la Mactingol, l'expédition a enfin trouvé le collecteur mythique de cette rivière, la plus importante qui se perd sur le flanc est du massif. L'intervention de la guérilla a empêché la poursuite des explorations, mais la cavité continue, en aval comme en amont. Le potentiel en découverte est énorme. Il est possible que ce réseau puisse être un jour connecté à Can -Yawa (13 km explorés), ainsi qu'à d'autres réseaux issus des nombreuses pertes situées en bordure du karst. Le problème de cette zone reste l'intransigeance de la guérilla, qui risque de ne jamais accorder de permission d'accès.
Notre incursion improvisée sur la zone karstique située au nord de l'île a permis de révéler un karst très intéressant. L'importance de la grotte du Kilomètre 3 augure de belles perspectives en découverte. Une expédition sera très prochainement organisée sur ce secteur.

2 - EXPEDITIONS EN PROJET

- EXPEDITION "SAMAR 2006" / EXPEDITION "SAMAR 2006"Lieu / Location : Ile de Samar (Philippines) / Samar island (Philippines)
Date probable / estimated date : mars -avril ou mai - juin 2006 / March - April or May - June 2006.
Objectifs / Objectives: Essai de retour dans la zone de la Mactingol. Exploration spéléo dans la zone de la rivière Catubig / attempt to return in the Mactingol area. exploration of caves in the Catubig river area

- EXPEDITION "SIPHONS SOUS LA JUNGLE" / EXPEDITION "SIPHONS BENEATH THE JUNGLE"Lieu / Location : Nouvelle-Bretagne (Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée) / New Britain (Papua New Guinea)
Date probable / estimated date : début janvier à Mars 2007/ beginning of January to March 2007.
Objectifs / Objectives: plonger les siphons des gouffres Arcturus pour la jonction avec le gouffre Muruk (réseau du Casoar), et du gouffre Aldébaran dans l'espoir de déboucher sur le réseau souterrain de Mayang (20 m3/s) Exploration de deux résurgences dans les gorges de la Galowé et de pertes sur le plateau. Diving of Arcturus sumps to link it with Muruk system. Diving of Aldebaran cave sump in the hope to find a way to Mayang underground system (20 m3/s). Exploration of two resurgences located in the Galowe gorges, and sinkholes on the plateau.