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Post by fireball on Aug 4, 2011 18:04:45 GMT 8
the seashells & plastic rubbish: The significance is of course that unless they were carried in (human / animal) which is always possible, given the substantial rise halfway along leg 2 that they did not come in from the entrance. Attachments:
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Post by fireball on Aug 19, 2011 11:28:53 GMT 8
Tunnel 1 has been blocked again following last month's heavy rains. Having discovered how hard it is to find the entrance even with the benefit of all the pics and info on this site AND the distinctive cliff above the tunnel AND starting my search just a couple of meters away at Norlito's house (he was not there at the time) it is easy to understand how easily other tunnels will have become covered then forgotten or lost. Attachments:
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Post by Karl Welteke on Aug 22, 2011 18:04:20 GMT 8
Hi fireball, thanks for the news. Some CDSG people would like to see the tunnel. Whenever they are ready we can have it opened again, it will be easier this time. Never thought about earth quakes but will keep it on mind the next time.
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Post by fireball on Aug 23, 2011 8:47:02 GMT 8
it was that 5.9 quake just north of Olongapo City late July - just seemed a bit close to Mariveles to make going underground a wise idea!
You are right, digging out the entrance looks far easier this time. I hope (again rain dependent) to get the tunnel opened for access next week.
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Post by fireball on Sept 4, 2011 8:32:19 GMT 8
Thanks to the hard work of Norlito and assistant (who both dug out the entrance and accompanied me) I finally managed to look inside tunnel No. 1:
Blocked righthand tunnel halfway along: Squeezed thru 2 nearly blocked sections but could not manage to find any vast extensions. d**n. But, I was a bit lazy and did not crawl to the end of what appeared to be the final section and so it may continue (as its where the bats come from)
While I got (floated on the SM toy section inflatable boat) across the two flooded vertical tunnels in both cases they appeared blocked to the ceiling. However, first I did not actually touch the very top so it is possible that the pile was not as solid as it looked and, secondly, piles of rock tend to be pyramid shaped so maybe access at the top would be possible. This would be dangerous.The vertical shaft at the far end is at least 9 meters deep - that is where my fishing line and weight stopped sinking.
I hope to return with Fots later this week.
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Post by fireball on Sept 4, 2011 10:13:30 GMT 8
Having looked at some of my pics, and in particular the view from the end of the righthand side tunnel I now remember I was not lazy rather scared to crawl the last couple of meters to the end of the final section! Attachments:
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Post by Karl Welteke on Sept 9, 2011 13:11:52 GMT 8
Thanks fireball for your last pic. I think that shoots my believe to death, that the right hand tunnel connects to a parallel tunnel. Well, I put that theory to rest. I was scared too. Your idea of measuring depth worked better, very good. Jesus, I wonder who dug that deep, must have been treasure hunters. Good hunting for your trip with fots2.
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Post by fots2 on Sept 9, 2011 15:28:53 GMT 8
We talked about a trip but I kept an eye on the weather. In the end there never seemed to be a few good days in the forecast so we just went anyway. Not much new was learned however I will add a couple paragraphs to my Mariveles Trip Report to keep the information up to date.
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Post by fireball on Sept 9, 2011 20:45:31 GMT 8
With the depth of the end pit I had the advantage of Karl's report and immediately on reading it I had hunted down an old fishing line for conversion into a sounding line.
That long lateral to the right could well continue to meet with tunnel No. 2 but at the moment it is completely closed. This second trip I actually crawled to the very end of the final section to fully confirm this (kitted with safety glasses & surgical mask due to the close proximity to the bats).
I was discussing with Fots floor levels and one thought, based upon the height of the entry arch of the first lateral to the right, was that the original tunnel floor may have been 2 or 3 meters lower. With the initial descent now on entering this would have put the entry as a gentle slope from just above the level of Norlito's house. But, we also found drill holes in the ceiling just inside the entrance as well as in the wall near where the bamboo ladder was (it fell to pieces while being retrieved by Norlito on my first visit).
As normal, once back the wondering re-starts as there did appear to be a slight indentation in the rocks to the left at the far end of tunnel. But against that on my first trip when I used the inflatable boat to get across and then climbed-up I didn't see anything.
I have not yet seen the blocked entry to what might be tunnel No.2 as Norlito seemed reluctant to show me on my first trip. While on this trip just as we were about to look it started raining and as everyone who knows the Philippines knows that when it comes to rain 'filipinos are not waterproof'. Norlito's reluctance is perhaps explained by the fact that while he was saying the entrance was completely blocked his wife piped up to say 'it could be opened but would take a lot of digging and cost a lot of money'. I don't think that it would be the wife doing the digging!
Finally, while returning to the car we were told of another tunnel ivo the corner just uphill from the Petron service station. We had a quick look but with no luck and a couple I spoke to pointed towards Norlito's house as being the only tunnel. Still, come dry season it might be worth a further look around.
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Post by The Phantom on Sept 10, 2011 3:15:06 GMT 8
Nice bat picture.......
Are we talking lots of bats in there? Evidence of lots of guano on the floor? Are there lizards inside also?
If so, SNAKES come to mind, pythons and cobras to eat those critters.
Those Mariveles tunnels were supposed to be deep and extensive, maybe other entrances for the bats to come and go, old ventilation shafts? The water would have been pumped out prewar or drains would have kept the water down.
Mosquito's there also? Dengue fever is rampant on Bataan at times folks. Rainy season...........(Selma's warning to me years ago).
I've had it, you don't want it.
You guys be careful out there. Dry season like Karl says............
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