BIENVENIDO A LA PAGINA DEL GRUPO ESPELEOLOGICO ZOTZ

Near tiny Acatitán, Colima, we were led to a small pit whose most notable feature was a hive of Africanized bees installed in one of the two vertical entrances. On this visit, John got down around 22 meters before receiving a sting and signalling "ABORT OPERATION!" to the rest of the gang.

A few months later, we returned near midnight, supposing the bees to be fast asleep. This time Susy, Mano, Claudio and John reached the end of the cave (through a tight squeeze) at about -26 M. but had to beat a hasty retreat to the tune of angry buzzing and a few stings for Mano and John.

Subsequent Internet "conversations" with caver-beekeeper Donald Davis revealed that night is indeed the best time to approach, but bees can still attack "anytime." According to Davis, bees can't see the red spectrum, suggesting red-light exploration for bee-guarded caves, as long as the explorers also keep quiet, move slowly and don't smell offensive to bees (some people say you should avoid deodorant and perfumes). Considering how most cavers usually smell, this should not be a problem.

Note: in certain places in Mexico - where the Africanized bees are well entrenched - some mountain climbers have now taken to wearing bee-proof veils and suits. BEE PREPARED!

Is Histoplasma capsulatum (which causes Histoplasmosis) getting stronger in Jalisco or are cavers getting weaker? In the two years since our last Subterráneo, the following individuals were laid low. Note that none of them had partaken of Zotz's tried and true HISTOSTOP (100% vodka) on the infecting cave trip!

SUSY PINT: for the second time in three years (experienced caver) in Bandoleros Cave, Skylight Room; dusty avalanche was caused by L. Rojas (at J. Pint's urging). Reaction: hacking cough for three months

LUIS ROJAS: for the seventh (!) time (experienced caver) in Bandoleros Cave, Skylight Room; dusty avalanche during survey. Reaction: two weeks of fever, phlegm, cough, chest pains, low blood pressure and weakness.

RAFAEL DIAZ: for the first time (novice caver) in Tampumacchay Cave, either in Henri's Gallery or Juan's Squeeze or both; caused by dust on floor during low crawl; Reaction: fever, incapacitation, lingering cough for over one year.

HENRI DE ST. PIERRE: for the first time (experienced caver) in Tampumacchay Cave, Henri's Gallery, which has dusty floor and low crawl; Reaction unknown but sufficient to warrant visit to a (very surprised) French Doctor.

MANUEL GALLEGOS: for the first time (new caver with some experience) in Tampumacchay Cave, either in Henri's Gallery (dusty floor and crawl again) or near Deadly Funnel (plenty of guano and bats); Reaction: fever, etc. followed by grave and persistent respiratory problems for over one year.

CHEMA MÉNDEZ : for the first time; novice caver; in La Cueva de Rogelio y Teresa (dry and dusty) where he wore a face mask the entire time; Reaction: fever, cough, incapacitation for a week.

JOSÉ JAIME IBARRA (MANO): for the first time; experienced caver, but had not been in any cave for a full year when Histo struck! Cause unknown; Reaction: fever, chest pains, cough, symptoms of tuberculosis, x-ray showing lungs totally covered with calcifications.

PEDRO MUÑOZ and friend (?): novices; both for the first time; in Cold Dunk (Chapuzón) Cave, which is almost totally a wet cave with small river; possible cause: slight dust at Easy or Breakdown Entrances or some method of transmission by bats flying in long, low passage. Reactions: fever, cough, etc. and positive histoplasma test. Note that dozens of non-cavers including boy and girl scouts had been taken through this cave over an eight-year period with no sign of infection.

DAVID BRICIO: for the second time; occasional caver; after visiting K3 cave which is half wet; weakness, cough, low blood pressure, phlegm; set in only five days after visiting cave and lasted about 3 days.

JOSÉ LUIS ZAVALA: first time; new caver; Salitrera or Bandoleros Cave; Reaction: worry, but no cought, fever, weakness, etc., just a positive reaction to the Histoplasmina Test, showing his organism responded with antibodies.

On February 5, 1993, John Pint represented both ZOTZ and SMES at a meeting in Toluca calculated to revive the Mexican Red Cross's recently founded Cave Rescue Network and training center. Pint was picked up at the airport by a screaming ambulance and treated like a VIP.

Speleologists present at the weekend meeting suggested that potential cave rescuers should no longer be recruited from among non-cavers or mere climbers and recommended that selected Red Cross members join and actively participate in already established caving organizations long before attending the training school. John presented an anecdote/slide show on Preventing Cave Accidents.

In the months that followed the meeting, ZOTZ waited for the Jalisco Red Cross to start participating (as promised) in caving trips. We are still waiting.

In early 1994, Telemundo Spanish-Language TV Network aired a report on how school teachers in a town in Colombia have taught children to study the bats that "infect" their school. At a teacher's urging, the kids used brooms to stir up the bats, chase them around the room, kill them and then sweep up the bodies for "study." The bats shown had tails, suggesting they were not vampires but beneficial to the very people who killed them. Zotz has a video tape of this testimony to academic ignorance and savagery.

January 1, 1993 - ZOTZ sponsored a formal Tie-and-Helmet Midnight Champagne Party in Tampumacchay Cave in honor of visitors Henri and Anne-Constance de St. Pierre of Paris, France. More of this fascinating and ever more complex, multi-level cave was mapped, several archeological depravations in the area were visited and the St. Pierres took back to France numerous fond memories and one case of histoplasmosis (Henri's special souvenir).

Sometime in 1993, the

Tampu survey led a team up to previously unvisited rooms located directl

y above the Claraboya passage. Enrique Valdéz happened to be videotaping and recorded for posterity were all of J. Pint's deletable expletives at the moment of discovery that, when seen from above, the Claraboya hole-in-the-ceiling turns out to be a giant funnel whose treacherously sloping sides are covered with a thin layer of slippery guano... a death trap that would bring tears of joy to the designer of Europe's deadliest dungeon. Future visitors, beware!

After years of practicing, SMES (Sociedad Mexicana de Estudios Subterráneos) cavers Ruth Diamant and Ramón Espinasa have finally managed to tie a knot. The precise nature of the one they tied is "knot known" but it could be a figure eight which is famed for its simplicity, aesthetic beauty and bomb-proof durability.

Ruth and Ramón belong to SMES's provincial branch, located in some pueblito (forgot the name) 450 kms SW (108

While searching for a "hollow cerro" called El Tambor (the Drum) and not finding it, we visited La Cueva Prieta (Black-n-Ugly Cave) which - from its thick carpet of manure - appears to have been used as a shelter-cum-stable in the not too distant past. Cross this one off your list of the Splendors of Zacatecas.

"And how many granola bars are you carrying today?" Well, the NSS Caver Register ── a form you fill out before and after visiting a cave ── doesn't go quite that far, but it definitely asks more than NAME AND DATE. In 1992, John and Susy Pint translated the official register into Spanish for John Wilson of the NSS Contemporary Cave Use Study (CCUS). If you want to participate in this on-going 25-year project and put the registers in local caves, contact John Wilson at 9504 Lakewater Court, Richmond VA 23229 USA, Home TEL: (804) 740-0339, FAX: (804) 359-4207. Register books and containers are free, but must be maintained in specific manners.

In September, 1992, we began using the SmartLevel electronic level - originally designed for construction work - to measure the up-and-down angles between survey stations. So far this little device has survived hard knocks, stalactite and carbide-lamp drip and guano with little or no need for recalibration. Our only modifications were the additions of a neck cord and a phosphorescent Towards-Next-Station arrow. Readings can be taken by sighting along the top of the SmartLevel, holding it parallel to a taut tape or attaching it to a tight-beamed flashlight. Great precision could not be expected from such methods, but for some caves this gizmo is accurate enough while being quick and easy to use. (To see what this thing can do, read BOLT HOLE OF THE BANDOLEERS .

The SmartLevel is waterproof, uses a long-lasting 9 volt battery, shows pitch (in/ft) and slope (%) besides basic degrees (º) and features a Hold Button which freezes the screen while you untwist from that pretzel-like position, wipe off the guano and finally copy the degree reading at your leisure.

The surveys of Tampumacchay, Rogelio y Teresa, Bandoleros and Qanat La Venta used the SmartLevel for clinometer readings.