SKP goes to the USA again

The last results of the Soqotra related research are presented at the American Geophysical Union meeting 2006 in San Francisco (USA), during an oral presentation.
Besides this we visit the Zoo and surroundings with my wife.

SKP at the Belgian coast!

During the "Speleo aan Zee" (Caving near the sea) festival in Ostend, SKP shows off with a few informative kiosks. The weekend afterwards its science agains at the annual scientific caving days in Han/Lesse.

Thalassa 3 and Abgar.

Preparations are being made and Thalassa 3 from the French Television (FR3) buys some pictures from the Tablet of Abgar.

Preparations of SKP9 and SKP10

September 18th 30 people come together to discuss new SKP9 and 10 initiatives. SKP9 will focus on length/depth records in the beginning of 2007, while SKP10 will do the rest at the end of the same year, Inch Allah...

The Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte Band 20!!!

Dear visitor: may I announce to you the "Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte Band 20", nothing less than our first English SKP2000-2004 report. Copies kan be ordered through Michael Laumanns (see website).

Cavers are caving!

It's holiday so most of the team is abroad, even exploring the Lukina Jama (one of the world deepest caves these days). So time to work from home. The new Tayf magazine (from the FoS is on-line and downloadable).

Continuation of the scientific parts

Thanks to a Marie Curie-scholarship important networking can be done at the "International School of Karst” in Postojna (Slovenia). Their annual meeting is this year dedicated to “Cave Management”. Through Prof. Dr. Em. Hamilton Elery-Smith (Autralia) important contacts emphasising cave protection and sustainable development of Hoq cave are started. The SCDP/EPA of Yemen offers even a small budget to start up infrastructural work for potential eco-tourism on-site.

Scientific meetings and international prizes!

Google Earth offers new high resolution images from Soqotra, so prospection can start at home now!
The Soqotra science story wins the best poster award at the International "PAGES PEP2" meeting in London in the session “Rapid Hydrological Changes” at the UCL. Just time enough to have some beers with our English participants and talk about future mutual project (Picos, China, Wales,...).
Of with my wife to Romania where we participate at the “The Karst Record IV: Climate Change” symposium in the beautiful area of Baile Herculana. The world top scientist studying speleothems are present.

SKP9 overbooked?!

We have already too many potential SKP9 members (>40 people), so we have to make strict rules to join the team now, otherwise the success of the project will work against us?!
The Dutch caving community "Speleo Nederland" exits 30 years and we have the honour to talk about our project, thanks guys.
As we are Dragonsblood-hunter, my wife and I go to Tenerife to enjoy the sun, nature and... pyramids!

The annual cave exploration day

At the annual "Journée de l’éxplo" in Schaerbeek, Rik can (almost) show the trailer of the new expedition documentary and Peter talks about the adventures with Nicolas Hulot on Soqotra.

SKP8 debriefing

The debriefing took place on the 23th. Processing of our results and data is subdivided into the sub units and hopefully we can provide them to you soon.

A spectacular SKP8, longer, deeper, more interesting!

January the 15th, back on European soil. The results are just spectacular:
The terminal siphon in the longest cave got passed, with another 3km explored ending on... nothing, just lack of time and already surpassing 10km!!!
The deepest cave is now -220m and exploration is also here ongoing (>4km of development). 14 new caves could be added to our database (>1,5km) and some know caves revealed more than 3km new passage ways!!!
Not to speak about the discovery of more than 150 new epigraphs, probably dating from the 1st-3rd century, a fossil bat and a magnificent hiking tour of a few days through the Haggeher Mountains... A detailed report will be added on-line.