The Danger of Underground Caves

 

 

Deep down at the bottom of a cave Kenny Broad, a diver was returning. He had been looking for his partner Ian Rolland who had failed to return from a u-shaped tunnel. This tunnel called a sump, almost 4000 feet below the ground, is in southern Mexico. It is the second deepest known cave in the western hemisphere. The date is March 28, 1994. Unfortunately, Ian Rolland had drowned.   Kenny thought of Ian’s wife Erica and their three children back in Scotland. Kenny also had to tell Erica of the tragedy. Kenny flew to Scotland and broke the news to his friend, Norman Shilling, a close friend of theirs before driving to Erica’s.  Kenny, Norman, and Ian explored the caves together. Kenny thought how beautiful the caves are. He still wanted to return and go to the deepest cave, which is 6000 feet deep in the western hemisphere. After the tragedy of Ian Kenny and Norman would have to be extra careful.

 

Kenny and Norman planned to drive to Mexico. They had put all the tools, lights, and scuba diving equipment in Kenny’s car.  It was Friday March 15th 1995.  This was one year later than when Ian and Kenny first went to the 4000-foot cave where Ian had died. Kenny and Norman were almost ready to drive to southern Mexico to a cave 6000 feet down where there is another U-shaped tunnel called a sump.  Norman had never been that deep.  So it was a challenge for Norman and Kenny. They arrived in Southern Mexico at the 6000-foot deep cave. They put on their diving gear and started down to the first level of the cave. It was beautiful. The rocks and ledges were all different colors. Norman had never seen any thing so beautiful. The colors were bright reds, bright golds, and yellows and blues. Unimaginable colors.

 

It was just beautiful. It is quiet down below. The men were surely amazed with the beauty surrounding them. They were surprised that even 4000 feet down the colors were changing. Kenny reached over to Norman.  He was having trouble with his air tank. So the men swam back up to the surface.  Kenny didn’t take any chances after the death of his other close friend Ian. The men fixed the air tank.  One of the lines had a hole in it.  As they checked their equipment Kenny gave Norman a bag.  This bag is for collecting pretty colored rocks.  The men dove back down to the underground cave. It is awesome as they chipped colored rocks and put them in their bags. The men had to explore the cave at 5000 feet. Kenny signaled to Norman pointing at a beautiful jagged rock. It was a color they had never seen before. Kenny and Norman got what they came for, a sump that was 5000 feet down. They collected the rocks which were for their collection. The men were satisfied and returned home.

 

Mark Renzi