Jun 17, 20233 min read

Introductory caving workshop - April - May 2023

Since we started with the caving initiation workshop in 2020, we have done 15 modules I, 8 modules II, 2 modules I PLUS and 2 modules II PLUS. There have been 27 modules of two or three days each and a total of 120 participants. Pandemic in between.

Of these 27 modules, one was held in Punta Arenas and the rest in the Metropolitan Region.

The workshops are organised and guided by Natalia Morata, the most visible face of the Association so far, with the help of people as crucial for the consolidation of our training activity as Leonardo Rivas, Marcelo Noria and Monserrat Jiménez.

Leo, Marcelo, Monse and Natalia contribute with their time, knowledge, will and even their own resources to transmit the technical basics of rope progression in caving.

Photos courtesy of Wilfredo Sepúlveda, Carlos Pardo, Alejandro Aguilera and Daniela Oyarzún

This year, the main objective is to consolidate the competences of those who have passed through our modules in order to be able to move on to module III (visit a cave) and organise a "speleoton", i.e. a sporting event that will allow us to share this budding passion in a fun and friendly environment. But we will tell you more details in another post.

To date, the modules planned for this year have already taken place in the Metropolitan Region. Now, efforts are focused on taking the workshop with Francisco Croxatto to Puerto Río Tranquilo (Aysén) in August and with Marcelo Noria, to Punta Arenas (Magallanes) in October. We will soon announce the exact dates.

One of the most rewarding aspects of our training activity, which we carry out on a voluntary and unpaid basis, is to see returning participants. It is not unusual for us to receive colleagues who decide to repeat a module in order to reinforce their knowledge.

Normally a lot of time passes between modules and it is normal that steps, concepts, etc. are forgotten. Therefore, we are working to create a training instance that allows those who have gone through our modules to continue with the activity even if it is in an artificial environment.

MODULE I: 29-30 April 2023

The complicity between the members of this group was such that almost all of them advanced together to module II.

Photos courtesy of David Cossio and Natalia Morata

MODULE I: 13-14 May 2023

The days are shorter at this time of year; however, our days are not. Both days we descended with the last rays of sunshine.

Photos courtesy of Natalia Morata

MODULE II - basic self-rescue manoeuvres: 20-21 May 2023

The difference between "fortune techniques", "self-rescue" and "rescue" has already been mentioned in this post. In the initiation phase we dealt with fortune techniques and self-rescue, as they are considered basic for an autonomous practice of vertical caving.

In this module we were able to work at different paces with a group in which there was a marked difference in level between one and the other.

Photos courtesy of David Cossio, Monse Jiménez and Natalia Morata.

MODULE II PLUS: 27-28 May 2023

During this module we were visited by Alejandro Aguilera, content editor of our association. The images taken by Alejandro, apart from their aesthetic value, are very useful to show details and key moments of the manoeuvres.

Photos courtesy of Alejandro Aguilera

MODULE II: 03-04 June

By popular acclaim, we decided to hold a second module II for David, Enzon and Yako. All the difficulties they had previously encountered seemed to vanish as if by magic... and there is no better recipe for learning than to practice, practice and practice. This is a hyper-motivated group with lots of ideas and a desire to continue forging a team and to be able to give shape to our main objective as an association: to explore caves.

Photos courtesy of Monse Jiménez, Ricardo Lourenço and Natalia Morata

It is enormously gratifying to receive the trust of so many wonderful people. We are making progress in creating a solid group, with people very motivated with the activity and with the association; eager to be able to venture into our first cave together.

Almost all of us are here. We missed a group photo.

Photos courtesy of David Cossio, Monse Jiménez and Pablo Cortés

Thank you all!

If you would like to be informed about the next calls for any of the workshop modules, we suggest that you sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media.

If you would like to organise a workshop in your region, please write to espeleopatagonia@gmail.com for options, formats, schedule and conditions.

The proceeds from the training workshops go to the Asociación Espeleológica de Patagonia and, in particular, to the organisation of more workshops.