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Because it is NOT there
Why exploration is still important
George Mallory famously answered the question “why attempt Everest” with “because it’s there” a simple statement that celebrated the intrinsic value of exploration.
Discovering what has never been seen before, or mapping previously unknown places is what draws some of us to diving, whether it is the search for a lost shipwreck or discovering new marine species.
But expeditions are sometimes about what is NOT there. For the people of Baubau on Pulau Muna, an island in a remote corner of Sulawesi, Indonesia, access to what we consider the basics of life, is not so straightforward. Fresh drinking water, that so many of us take for granted, is not something that residents can rely on, yet below their feet lies an aquifer feeding a cave system with freshwater, potentially providing a life affirming resource for the people above. Currently, many of the local people do not have access to this ground water, in some cases needing to purchase bottled water brought by boat to the island, even though they live above a potentially vast water source.
Expedition Buteng intends not only to explore and document previously uncharted cave systems, but to discover more about this aquifer: to learn where the water comes from, to investigate what factors might contribute to its longevity as a water source and ultimately to protect a life giving resource. For the people of Baubau, this is about so much more than exploring “because it’s there.”
Fourth Element is proud to support the Expedition which is co-led by Rannva Joermundsson and Maria Bollerup. In her “day job” Rannva is fourth element’s Head of Sales, and Maria is one of fourth element’s team diver ambassadors. Divers on the team will be relying on fourth element’s thermal systems and drysuits to protect them on long dives using cutting edge rebreather technology and surveying equipment.
In an Instagram video (click button), team member, and award winning photographer, Alex Dawson shows the vastness of the aquifer and some of the technology that the divers are using to explore this incredible underground world.
They are joined in this expedition by divers from all over the globe to work alongside the local dive teams who make a living from diving tourism. Alongside scientists from Universitas Gadjah Mada, the team are investigating aquifer and dry cave systems, surveying the morphology and biodiversity in the caves, and mapping the systems.
While the international dive team explores the cave system and documents the fauna, flora and fossils, a dry caving team of expert Indonesian cavers is carrying out research in the system which are accessible without scuba gear.
We’ve had some fantastic interim feedback from the team as they near the completion of the mapping exercises. eDNA sampling is also taking place to catalogue the living organisms in the cave system to give as full a picture of what this aquifer contains and what is at stake in its protection.
The team has been presenting the findings in real time to the local residents, and also online through the Exploring By The Seat live classroom at exploringbytheseat.com
We’re looking forward to the results.
We’ve collated a number of photos from the expedition so far, click below to view them.