Dubai Natural History Group Presentation

After becoming members of the Dubai Natural History Group last months, we had the honer to give a presentation about the Soqotra Karst Project. The audience was both plenty, interested and interactive, a real pleasure to talk to, thanks!

The longest cave of Arabia!!!

Giniba Cave becomes the longest cave of Arabia! The more than 13,5 km long system has been dived and explored post-siphon. There are still possibilities to crack the 15 km limit and go for 20 km, but the physical endurance part and logistics become more than challenging... All details in a few months time!

Counting and drawing...are there records to break?

He're currently counting all the topo data and building up Giniba cave.
There might be some records to break, although this has never been our ambition.
Anyway, Giniba Cave is situated in the hart of Soqotra, so it might be a nice symbolic gesture.
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Almost "live" from Soqotra!

Rudi Debbaut just called me minutes ago from Soqotra Island.
Most energy of the team has been put in Giniba Cave as Difshelei Cave received too much water and hence sediments blocking the lowest passages even more than last time.
Post siphon approx. 2km is mapped. The main gallery end on another siphon. Just before a side gallery heading south for another 2km also ends on a siphon. This gallery can also be followed in northern direction over another 400m.
The SKP9 team probably discovered the resurgence of the cave system at the surface.
Although the real counting has to begin, it is already a major succes, congratulations men!

SKP9, ready to set new limits...

Today the SKP9 team is ready to tackle the deepest and already longest caves on Soqotra.
The complex and labyrinthic Difshelei cave and fairly straightforward Giniba Cave.

Both caves have a rather difficult and intreaging genesis, which is not related to the actual drainage of the systems! Hopefully we obtain more insights to start to understand the karst development on the Island in a geological point of view?

Inch Allah!

SKP9 is finalising the preparations

Evenings of planning the logistics, preparing and training the team is coming to an happy end.
The last meeting was held tonight, just before the lift off, of SKP9.
Everyone is more than motivated and really enthousiastic, as limits are set to break.
Just received the image here in my mailbox in Dubai, sad that I can't enjoy a Belgian trappist Rochefort beer, as on this occasion, it is the only rectified beverage to drink!

Cheers,
Peter

General Update

Heidi and me are living in Dubai now. Organising an expedition is one thing, but moving abroad to become an expat is something different. Of coarse you do this only once, because once an expat, always an ...? Anyway, SKP9 is taking shape under the leadership of Rudi Debbaut this time. There is only one new member this time, all the rest are experienced SKP'ers. Just weird to see this shaping up from abroad this first time.