News
Boulder Foils Plan to Explore Underwater Cave
In 1976, two college students died while exploring the “Blue Hole,” an underwater cave connected to a deep lake in Santa Rosa, N.M. Shortly thereafter, local officials poured rubble and boulders into the bottom of the pool and sealed it off with a grate to prevent any more amateur divers from entering the cave. The ploy worked — all too well.
Beginning this past Friday, a team of experienced divers attempted to enter the cave and map it for the first time, although rough sketches of the cave were made by police divers in the 1970s, said Walter Pickel, part of the current team.
The team spent several days excavating the rubble and removing the gate, and one diver was able to get into an “antechamber” about the size of a car’s front seat. But a large boulder kept the explorers from entering the cave, said Pickel, a diver and logistics officer for Advanced Diver Magazine. A connection into the larger cave was made, but the passageway is too small to crawl through, he said.
“We can see into it; it’s taunting us,” Pickel said. “But it’s impassable.”
However, there was some upside — the excavation has allowed more water to flow from underground into the Blue Hole, which pours into a spillway that provides water for local farmers. “That made them happy,” Pickel said. Now that water is flowing more quickly, the lake has also become more clear, since the current carries away sediment more quickly, he said.
“With respect to the cave exploration, our team was disappointed,” he said. “But you have to find a silver lining.”
The lake is actually a type of artesian well, in which pressurized water seeps up from below, said Richard Delgado, the tourism director for the city of Santa Rosa. Delgado said he wagers it’s connected to other caves in the area, which is known for having several deep lakes consisting of flooded caverns.
The ADM team travels to caves around the world, often getting permission from private landowners to enter their caves. In return, ADM makes maps of what’s inside them, Pickel said. The team has no concrete plans to explore the Blue Hole cavern again, but Pickel said they might come back if the town gets funding to remove the boulder blocking the way. The team next hopes to explore a cave in Belize.
The Blue Hole was formerly a sinkhole caused by the dissolution of underground limestone and gypsum, according to the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. Many of the area’s caves and sinkholes were formed by the same process. Groundwater is plentiful in the region, as it lies on the western edge of the Ogallala Aquifer, Delgado said.
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Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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