Sistema Aktun Hu

[chac]

As many of you know, Sistema Sac Actun got a little larger when it was connected to Sistema Aktun Hu. Sac Actun is in a horse race with Wind Cave when considering cave lengths. Wind Cave maintains a small lead at this date, the link below is a little old.

www.caves.org/project/qrss/new.htm

Sistema Actun Hu contains a very deep underwater pit, and full of some remarkable remains. Here's some interesting news:

blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2011/02/skull-in-mexico-cave-may-be-oldest-american-found.html

For those cave divers planning to visit the Hoyo Negro, please don't. Please find somewhere else to go as further recreational traffic in this area is damaging the remains. There may be an opportunity for you to join the research team in the future, but for now let's avoid this vulnerable area. Thanks!

Jim Coke

[Kelly Jessop]

Thanks for sharing,and good to hear from you Jim.

[chac]

Hey Kelly,

Sure ! The mapping team is making lots of progress at the Hoyo Negro site. They are collecting sketch information that will be transferred to their working cartographic map. The preliminary goal is to produce a timely site map in both plan and profile views. This would include cross sections.

As this "base map" is realized, areas of interest can be selected by researchers. More detailed maps of each area could supplement the larger overview. Photographic and video documentation would probably provide the best detail in certain areas. A traditional cave survey or archaeological map grid approach is clearly not realistic at the deeper depths in this pit. Future decisions will be made as the inventory and base map are completed.

As you know, there is a video approach that maps the 3D space being recorded by the camera. The data is recorded to a PC. It is an interesting mapping tool, but it is limited to viewing on a computer. This can exclude many people who have interest in the cave.

Let's give these preliminary researchers some breathing room for a while. Once a good base map is created, a long-term research project can be initiated. It would be great to be inclusive to anyone with a desire to help in this project.

Jim