divers cautiously descend an a dangerous and uncharted underground river
and uncharted underground river
and uncharted underground river searching for its mysterious source on
searching for its mysterious source on
searching for its mysterious source on their way they’ll look for new
their way they’ll look for new
their way they’ll look for new life-forms living deep within the cave
life-forms living deep within the cave
life-forms living deep within the cave nowhere else in the world are sport
nowhere else in the world are sport
nowhere else in the world are sport divers going so deep in such cold waters
divers going so deep in such cold waters
divers going so deep in such cold waters in a remote part of New Zealand’s South
in a remote part of New Zealand’s South
in a remote part of New Zealand’s South Island the Pierce River emerges out of a
Island the Pierce River emerges out of a
Island the Pierce River emerges out of a mountain beneath a cliff and after years
mountain beneath a cliff and after years
mountain beneath a cliff and after years of exploration and research its exact
of exploration and research its exact
of exploration and research its exact origin is still unknown the river
origin is still unknown the river
origin is still unknown the river emerges from a deep underground cave
emerges from a deep underground cave
emerges from a deep underground cave which might be the deepest Coldwater
which might be the deepest Coldwater
which might be the deepest Coldwater cave in the world the cave does not go
cave in the world the cave does not go
cave in the world the cave does not go straight down from the surface entrance
straight down from the surface entrance
straight down from the surface entrance but meanders a bit before taking a
but meanders a bit before taking a
but meanders a bit before taking a mostly sideways path into the mountain
mostly sideways path into the mountain
mostly sideways path into the mountain it’s a challenging environment the depth
it’s a challenging environment the depth
it’s a challenging environment the depth found in the cave make diving
found in the cave make diving
found in the cave make diving problematic and the cave itself is very
problematic and the cave itself is very
problematic and the cave itself is very dark the current in the river is strong
dark the current in the river is strong
dark the current in the river is strong and the water is just above freezing
and the water is just above freezing
and the water is just above freezing because of the extreme conditions divers
because of the extreme conditions divers
because of the extreme conditions divers have been unable to reach the cave
have been unable to reach the cave
have been unable to reach the cave source one diver lost his life
source one diver lost his life
source one diver lost his life attempting to explore the main shaft in
attempting to explore the main shaft in
attempting to explore the main shaft in 1995 the most recent expedition funded
1995 the most recent expedition funded
1995 the most recent expedition funded in part by National Geographic consists
in part by National Geographic consists
in part by National Geographic consists of a team of six Australian cave divers
of a team of six Australian cave divers
of a team of six Australian cave divers led by diving physician Richard Harris
led by diving physician Richard Harris
led by diving physician Richard Harris earlier this year a member of that team
earlier this year a member of that team
earlier this year a member of that team accomplished what no previous Explorer
accomplished what no previous Explorer
accomplished what no previous Explorer had he reached 194 metres in depth or
had he reached 194 metres in depth or
had he reached 194 metres in depth or about 636 feet the resurgence is in a
about 636 feet the resurgence is in a
about 636 feet the resurgence is in a remote location and getting five tonnes
remote location and getting five tonnes
remote location and getting five tonnes of equipment there requires helicopter
of equipment there requires helicopter
of equipment there requires helicopter delivery this trip required a nearly
delivery this trip required a nearly
delivery this trip required a nearly three-week long encampment but it takes
three-week long encampment but it takes
three-week long encampment but it takes special diving skills to go so deep and
special diving skills to go so deep and
special diving skills to go so deep and for so long
for so long
for so long the Glacial waters are about 43 degrees
the Glacial waters are about 43 degrees
the Glacial waters are about 43 degrees Fahrenheit and divers must swim against
Fahrenheit and divers must swim against
Fahrenheit and divers must swim against the flow
the flow
the flow they must also swim at a measured pace
they must also swim at a measured pace
they must also swim at a measured pace because overexertion
because overexertion
because overexertion can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning
can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning
can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning which can lead to death because of the
which can lead to death because of the
which can lead to death because of the great depths at which they are diving
great depths at which they are diving
great depths at which they are diving they must slowly over a period of hours
they must slowly over a period of hours
they must slowly over a period of hours return to the surface failure to do so
return to the surface failure to do so
return to the surface failure to do so could result in decompression sickness
could result in decompression sickness
could result in decompression sickness also known as the bends which can be
also known as the bends which can be
also known as the bends which can be fatal to overcome these obstacles the
fatal to overcome these obstacles the
fatal to overcome these obstacles the team constructed and placed habitats at
team constructed and placed habitats at
team constructed and placed habitats at four depths in the cave here divers can
four depths in the cave here divers can
four depths in the cave here divers can escape the cold water and sit in a trap
escape the cold water and sit in a trap
escape the cold water and sit in a trap bubble of air they can eat here and
bubble of air they can eat here and
bubble of air they can eat here and drink while they wait many hours for
drink while they wait many hours for
drink while they wait many hours for dissolved gases to be safely released
dissolved gases to be safely released
dissolved gases to be safely released from their bodies even with these safety
from their bodies even with these safety
from their bodies even with these safety measures in place this kind of diving is
measures in place this kind of diving is
measures in place this kind of diving is still dangerous during his
still dangerous during his
still dangerous during his record-breaking dive experience diver
record-breaking dive experience diver
record-breaking dive experience diver Craig challenge realized his breathing
Craig challenge realized his breathing
Craig challenge realized his breathing had become erratic
had become erratic
had become erratic and as I’ve got Gavin and I’ve just
and as I’ve got Gavin and I’ve just
and as I’ve got Gavin and I’ve just started breathing really heavily Hannity
started breathing really heavily Hannity
started breathing really heavily Hannity and that just struck and it’s just like
and that just struck and it’s just like
and that just struck and it’s just like self-perpetuating thing you know you
self-perpetuating thing you know you
self-perpetuating thing you know you trying to relax chill you just come it’s
trying to relax chill you just come it’s
trying to relax chill you just come it’s likely he had just enough time to reach
likely he had just enough time to reach
likely he had just enough time to reach a safer depth before the carbon dioxide
a safer depth before the carbon dioxide
a safer depth before the carbon dioxide levels could have led to unconsciousness
levels could have led to unconsciousness
levels could have led to unconsciousness there’s definitely 200 thing to dive
there’s definitely 200 thing to dive
there’s definitely 200 thing to dive there for someone that wants that chalen
there for someone that wants that chalen
there for someone that wants that chalen and the team know a record-breaking
and the team know a record-breaking
and the team know a record-breaking attempt is not for the faint of heart
attempt is not for the faint of heart
attempt is not for the faint of heart the mystery is part of the reason
the mystery is part of the reason
the mystery is part of the reason explorers keep coming back dye tracing
explorers keep coming back dye tracing
explorers keep coming back dye tracing so far has been inconclusive in finding
so far has been inconclusive in finding
so far has been inconclusive in finding a source of this River freshwater
a source of this River freshwater
a source of this River freshwater animals found in the cold aquifer like
animals found in the cold aquifer like
animals found in the cold aquifer like this possible new species of amphipod
this possible new species of amphipod
this possible new species of amphipod also offer scientists a unique look into
also offer scientists a unique look into
also offer scientists a unique look into a little understood and little-studied
a little understood and little-studied
a little understood and little-studied habitat the team hopes to return to the
habitat the team hopes to return to the
habitat the team hopes to return to the Pierce resurgence for another
Pierce resurgence for another
Pierce resurgence for another exploration dive in 2012
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