Scintilena - English Version

News by Stefano Masserini

The activity in Fa 7 (Cima dei Foppazzi - Premolo - Bg - Italy) has been suspended for the difficulties to reach the entry, the end of the thaw must be waited. In 2007 two new branches have been explored: Gasteropoli, a beautiful series of pits that go back to the principal way to - 200 and The Wall that it begins to -150 and it goes straight down with two beautiful pits of 80 and 85 meters. Follows a 30 and then a cranny of few centimeters… the fund of this branch to -354. The principal way has brought us in a discreet dimensions active meander. This with some small pits it reaches -410 in a little passage where is necessary to be enlarged and where a little area and a curve are seen beyond. The air tide is always beautiful strong. The relief developed is 1.150 meters, almost all vertical. For the G. S. Valseriana Talpe Stefano Masserini.

Traslated by Annalisa Basili

News from Michele Tommasi traslated by Annalisa Basili
Extraordinary exploratory novelties from the “Abisso del Corno” on the Asiago Plateau.

Protagonists the speleos of the GSM - Malo (VI) and obviously, the great abyss.
The abyss “Corno” reaches now -620 mt of depth around. We are stopped above a pit esteemed around 100 mt.

The exploration report, here: http://www.speleomalo.it/news/

The “Antonio Núñez Jiménez” Foundation for Nature and Humanity, the Cuban Society for Speleology and the Montané Museum of Anthropology are pleased to invite you to the III INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON CAVE ART, to be held on
November 17 to 22, 2008, in the Conference Hall of the “Antonio Núñez Jiménez” Foundation, located at: 5ta. B No. 6611 entre 66 y 70, Miramar, in the beautiful city of Havana, Cuba, on November 17 to 22, 2008. (more…)

News from Davide Corengia Gruppo Grotte Milano

Abstract by Annalisa Basili   Translated by Claudia Rossetti

The cave 1661 in Grigna ( so called “Abisso Speleo Salmonato”) had been explored in october up to a well with departure in a bottleneck to be enlarged, from where was possible to see a following vertical. Once furnished with the necessary equipment to dig out, Davide Corengia, Fosco Ratt and Andrea Maconi restarted exploring. After having widened, in about one hour and half of work, the narrow passage on the well and the window, that gives access to this new zone, they begin the exploration: a first P15, a following P10, two jumps and a further well. The place is getting wider below us; we are in a big fracture 25 meter high.

Here the cave starts to become wet. To the base a landslide, a new jump (P20) and it is needed to secure the well’s start (instable rocks of 20-25 kg). At the bottom of the well (about 25-30 meter deep), a window shows an enormous ambient. It is getting late, the drill is unloaded… we have to come back, but now the explored well reach -100 meter and we think 200 meter extension…there are still many things to see and the well is waiting to be explored..

from Laura Samsó
The Comite de Descens de Barrancs from FEEC (Federació d’ Entitats Excursionistes de Cataluña) and the Departament de Canons i Engorjats from FCE (Federació Catalana d’Espeleologia), have already began working in the organization of the Vth edition of Gorgs, that shall take place the 23,24 and 25 of May, in the area of Ports, Tarragona (Spain). Gorgs is the International Canyoneering Meeting event that was born in 2004 with the target of knowing the canyoneers, professionals and beginners, no exclusions.

Gorgs 2007 was a succes with 341 participants, it took place in Tremp (Lérida) and by the 1st time in Spain it was co organized with the FCE (Federació Catalana d’Espeleologia).

In parallel it will take place the II International Canyoneering Congress, with a good number of proposals including technical and scientific conferences.

The limit for the sending of abstracts is the 24 February (included) and for the accepted articles, the 15 May.

It will also take place the I National and International Photography Canyonneering Contest and the Ist Symphosium about Regulations and Prohibitions in Descente Canyon.

You are invited to participate in them,please if interested write us.

The official web link: http://www.feec.org/
The dates to present proposals for projections, conferences,etc is already open. If you wish to participate please write to: barrancs@feec.org.

In the frame of the European Congress, we are sending a Call for presentations/lectures in the specific following fields :

1/ Speleology/Caving Teaching
2/ Development of Caving among Youths
3/ Ethics & European Legislation
4/ History of Speleology
5/ Initiatives of Underground “protected” Heritage/Conservatories
6/ Medecine & Caving
7/ Bats Session
8/ Cave Diving
9/ Survey, Inventories & Databases

If you have already written an interesting article on (more…)

The European Speleological Federation (FSUE) and its European Cave Protection Commission (ECPC) is very pleased to announce the launching of the Call for the EuroSpeleo Protection Label available here:
http://fsue.org/commission/protection/eurospeleo-protection-label-ni02.rtf

(deadline is 10th of June 2008 for applications).

During Vercors 2008 one unique qualitative cave protection project form all over Europe will be awarded for the first time with this European award.
The aim of the EuroSpeleo Protection Label is to support the active cave protection in the speleo clubs, commitees, national commissions, etc, all over Europe and to share this knowledge European wide.
We as cavers are combined by our passion for the underground and by (more…)

K O S O V O

“GRYKA E MADHE expedition 2008”
SUMMARY REPORT OF THE BULGARIAN CAVING TEAM
26th January-2nd February 2008

After many years of research in the caves of all Balkan countries, Kosovo still remained the last area (or country) where Bulgarians have not been yet to survey caves, springs and other karst phenomena.

In December 2007 we were very happy to receive invitation from the Slovak cavers to join their traditional winter expedition in the area of the cave “GRYKA E MADHE” near the town of Peje in January 2008. The invitation was published in the web site of the Bulgarian Federation of Speleology and the team was selected from the cavers who applied. At (more…)

On the 10th february 2008, the international expedition Kota 1000/Cavex Skalarjevo Brezno 2008, having been a part of a speleological project Mt. Kanin -2000 m, finished.
25 speleologists from Czech republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Great Britain, Slovenia and Spain have participated the severe winter expedition. The expedition faced a bad weather, a strong gust wind up to 100 km/hour and a frequent snowing right from the start.
An entrance localization and its digging to open the cave lasted nearly 3 days in up to 10 m thick snow layer. The expedition basecamp was in (more…)

from Olivier Vidal
This message to inform you that the preferential rates for Vercors 2008 will end within a week (15th of February).
We encourage your club, commitee, federation, association or society to register as soon as possible as a group.
And you can send us afterwards the list of the confirmed persons when you have it.
All the details are on the “Registration” page of the website www.vercors2008.eu :
http://vercors2008.ffspeleo.fr/registration.htm#registration

Have a good day and see you soon overthere,
the Organisation Comitee,
contact.vercors2008@ffspeleo.fr