I returned from a two week trip to
Oaxaca, Mexico where we searched for caves. Our initial plan (Plan A)
of backpacking into the mountains to find the "big caves" was shot down
due to political issues, so we initiated an alternate plan (Plan B) of
seeking caves around Chimilapas and Valle Nacional. Most of this area
was new territory, i.e. few reports of survey have been reported around
this region.
We found a veritable smörgåsbord of caves, flora, and fauna. The area is in the tropics, and this was my first time hiking through jungle. I saw and photographed some very interesting things. We even made it to the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. Walking around in the cooler weather of Veracruz was a treat after the hot, humid weather for the previous week.
I truly enjoy Mexico. The caving opportunities are awesome, the people are friendly and warm, the natural beauty is seemingly without bound, and the food is delicious. I hope to enhance my Spanish speaking skills and continue my travels there.
In all, I have over 600 images. I am sharing only a handful of them with you today.
\Tone
© 2008 Anthony J. Garot
Pictures taken with Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80.
Disclaimer: If you would prefer not to receive these E-mails because the images are too large, or you just aren't interested, do let me know.
Cute Mexican girl from the small town of San Antonio in Oaxaca looking into my tent. San Antonio would have been our launch site if Plan A had transpired.
Mummified bat.
Geoff searching for leads under water in Cueva de Gavilan.
Pot shard inside a cave near San Rafael. Probably part of a burial ritual.
Human skull inside same cave as pot shards. Further into the cave, we found piles of bones with pots on top of them. Cave archeology is yet another interesting study in the world of caves.
Pulling myself out of the entrance of a cave near Valle Nacional. All of my caving shirts are red in an attempt to keep bees away. Apparently they can't see the color red.
A dead rat inside a cave hosts a variety of cave insects suitable for collection and analyzing.
This wasn't in a cave. We found these along the beach of the Gulf somewhere in the state of Veracruz.
Some sort of cave lizard hiding in a little knoll in the roof of the cave.
While Geoff takes a distance measurement, a bona fide vampire bat flies out of the cave. The vampire bats' guano was a dark, black liquid, which is very different from insect eating or nectar eating bats. The thought of blood drinking bats was sort of spooky at first, but apart from dive-bombing me, these bats are more skittish than scary.
A tarantula inside the cave.
We found a veritable smörgåsbord of caves, flora, and fauna. The area is in the tropics, and this was my first time hiking through jungle. I saw and photographed some very interesting things. We even made it to the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. Walking around in the cooler weather of Veracruz was a treat after the hot, humid weather for the previous week.
I truly enjoy Mexico. The caving opportunities are awesome, the people are friendly and warm, the natural beauty is seemingly without bound, and the food is delicious. I hope to enhance my Spanish speaking skills and continue my travels there.
In all, I have over 600 images. I am sharing only a handful of them with you today.
\Tone
© 2008 Anthony J. Garot
Pictures taken with Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80.
Disclaimer: If you would prefer not to receive these E-mails because the images are too large, or you just aren't interested, do let me know.
Cute Mexican girl from the small town of San Antonio in Oaxaca looking into my tent. San Antonio would have been our launch site if Plan A had transpired.
Mummified bat.
Geoff searching for leads under water in Cueva de Gavilan.
Pot shard inside a cave near San Rafael. Probably part of a burial ritual.
Human skull inside same cave as pot shards. Further into the cave, we found piles of bones with pots on top of them. Cave archeology is yet another interesting study in the world of caves.
Pulling myself out of the entrance of a cave near Valle Nacional. All of my caving shirts are red in an attempt to keep bees away. Apparently they can't see the color red.
A dead rat inside a cave hosts a variety of cave insects suitable for collection and analyzing.
This wasn't in a cave. We found these along the beach of the Gulf somewhere in the state of Veracruz.
Some sort of cave lizard hiding in a little knoll in the roof of the cave.
While Geoff takes a distance measurement, a bona fide vampire bat flies out of the cave. The vampire bats' guano was a dark, black liquid, which is very different from insect eating or nectar eating bats. The thought of blood drinking bats was sort of spooky at first, but apart from dive-bombing me, these bats are more skittish than scary.
A tarantula inside the cave.