"Carma Cave,"
Costa Rica, summer of 1997.

THE DARK SIDE OF CAVING

By: Carlos Goicoechea C.
(NSS #29373)

"Whenever you go caving in a tropical cave,
don't you EVER underestimate the weather,
even if it is a lovely, midsummer afternoon.
This story will give a little light on why."

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 1997, 09:00 HRS

Caving group Nº1, composed of Gustavo Quesada (age 21), Randall Bermudez (22) and José Alfaro (24), enter "CARMA CAVE" (length: 2865'+ /depth: -321'+), with shovels and a load of empty sacks: their purpose is to reopen, at approximately -210', the "LOST CONNECTION" that leads to the breathtaking "UMBRELLA ROOM" and "ALMOST IN HEAVEN," which have been plugged-up by sand and mud since May of 1992.

At practically the same time, group Nº2, formed by Bryan Kakuk (36?) and his girlfriend Lorry (24), two North American citizens, Carlos Goicoechea (51), Ricardo Llobet (21) and José "Primo" Bermudez (30), enter nearby "ESCONDIDA CAVE" (length: 630' /depth: -45'), having the objective of a nice, fairly long photographic session, combined with showing the cave's treasures to the two visiting cavers.

(Note: All of the Costa Ricans, except for J. Alfaro, are members of the "GRUPO ESPELEOLOGICO ANTHROS," and at the same time active members of the National Speleological Society. The NSS will be integrating a Costa Rican chapter soon.)

SAME DAY, APPROXIMATELY 14:30 HRS.

Caving group Nº2 exit Escondida Cave without any problems, after having shot about 45 nicely worked-out photos, and immediately proceed to enter Carma Cave, having in mind to join forced with the "diggers," in order to accelerate the job. Lorry, Brian's girlfriend, decides to stay outside of the cave, in the company of a sharp machete, just watching and hearing the jungle sounds, mostly because her experience in vertical rope work basically reached her limits with the thirty-foot descent at Escondida, and Carma is a much more serious opponent.