16th Vulcanospeleology Symposium-Galápagos 2014

[harrym]

Updated October 20, 2013

The International Union of Speleology (IUS) Commission on Volcanic Caves is happy to announce the:

16th International Symposium
on Vulcanospeleology

Galápago Islands (Archipiélago de Colón)
República del Ecuador


March 16-22, 2014: The Vulcanospeleology Symposium
March 24-30, 2014: Post-Symposium Galápago Volcanic Snorkeling & Scuba Cruise (Option 1)
March 24-30, 2014: Post-Symposium Mainland Karst & Volcano Tour (Option 2)


Hosted by
ECUCAVE (Caving Organization of Ecuador)
&
Conference Co-Chairs:
Theofilos Toulkeridis, Ph.D. / Aaron Addison, MSGISc

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

PRE-SYMPOSIUM CAVING
CANCELLED

THE VULCANOSPELEOLOGY SYMPOSIUM
March 16, 2014 - Fly Baltra Island and transfer by ferry to Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápago Islands. Evening cocktails.
March 17, 2014 - Symposium, Conferences, Posters. Dinner.
March 18, 2014 - Bellavista caves. BBQ Dinner.
March 19, 2014 - Caves at Premicias and surrounding - Dinner at site.
March 20, 2014 - Royal Palm Cave. Transfer to Isabela Island. Dinner.
March 21, 2014 - Field trip visits to the caves of Southeast Sierra Negra, or vertical trip to Triple Volcan
March 22, 2014 - End of symposium. Early departure to Santa Cruz or optional guided tour to Sulfur mines, new volcanic fields & Volcan Chico on Isabela Island (no caving)
March 23, 2014 - Early departure to Santa Cruz. Charles Darwin Research Station.

Notes:
-You must arrange your own transportation to Baltra airport, Galápago Islands

-It is often cheaper to fly from LA or NY than Miami. See this website: http://www.lan.com/es_us/sitio_personas/promociones/vuelos-a-ecuador/pasajes-a-quito/index.html?otid=894673&s_cid=US_wm_ongoing_20130514_google_texto&null&null&gclid=CMq2jqu7nLgCFUkS7AoddzwABg

-Commerical flights to Baltra originate on the mainland Ecuador from either Quito or Guayaquil

-Transfer to Puerto Ayora (included in symposium fee) by ferry and taxi

-Flights cost about USD $200-$400 round-trip

-Commerical air carrier: http://www.lan.com/
-Commercial air carrier: https://www.tame.com.ec/
-Commercial air carrier: http://www.aerogal.com.ec/

-Galápago entrance fee and tax = USD $110

-Symposium fee USD $620 (includes 6 night's accomodation, cocktail, symposium, transport from/to Baltra, transfer to and from caves, dinners, lunchboxes and breakfasts, laundry, boat transport from Santa Cruz to Isabela Island and back)

-Optional tour = approx $50

-Do not fly into the San Cristobal airport, is located in the eastern part of the Galápagos


POST-SYMPOSIUM GALAPAGOS SNORKELING & SCUBA CRUISE (Option 1)
March 24 to 30, 2014

Notes:
-Cost $1535
-Includes: 5 night accommodation, 4 days of guided snorkeling or scuba diving excursions (boat, transport, two tanks, equipment rental & lunch)
-Departs from Puerto Ayora March 24

POST-SYMPOSIUM MAINLAND KARST & VOLCANO TOUR (Option 2)
March 24 to 30, 2014

Notes:
-Cost: USD $360
-Price includes transport, breakfasts, lunchboxes, dinners, accomodation, entrances, guides, start from Quito, five nights (24-30 March)
-The schedule may change to include trips to Tungurahua and Cotopaxi volcanoes to see pyroclastic flows, strombolian explosions, lahars and pyroclastic flows in action
-Departs from Quito March 24






Puerto Ayora


PREVIOUS VULCANOSPELEOLOGY SYMPOSIA
I - Washington, USA (1972)
II - Catania, Italy (1975)
III - Bend, Oregon, USA (1982)
IV - Catania, Italy (1983)
V - Japan (1986)
VI - Hilo, HI (1991)
VII - Canary Islands, Spain (1994)
VIII - Nairobi, Kenya (1998)
IX - Catania, Italy (1999)
X - Reykjavik, Iceland (2002)
XI - Azores, Portugal (2004)
XII - Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico (2006)
XIII - Jeju Island, Korea (2008)
XIV - Undara, Australia (2010)
XV - Jordan (2012)

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact me via PM, or look me up in the NSS member's manual and call/send e-mail
You may call me 24/7

[Aaron Addison]

HI Harry,

I will be co-chairing the symposium with Theo. There will be numerous opportunity for field trips on during the week, both above and below ground!

Please let me know if you have any questions,

Aaron
NSS 30495 RL FE

[ctcavr]

http://geo1.espe.edu.ec/16th-ivs-galapagos/

[harrym]

Looks like we're going to have about 50 participants from all over the world.

It's not too late!

[AndreRobles]

The vulcanology findings in the Galapagos Islands are not short from amazing.

The Galapagos Islands in the same way like Hawaii, have been generated by a hot spot and are therefore volcanic in origin. We have had various expeditions to the islands in recent years, most of them

with experiences US cavers leaded by Aaron Addison from Washington University in St. Louis Missouri, besides Theofilos Toulkeridis Ecuadorian teams. The recent findings are spectacular including not only easy accessible lava tubes but also inner parts of volcanoes, one with an inner depth of 101m,
besides others. The up to now not published, results are also nothing less than volcanic, entomological and paleontological (among other research) spectacular. All these beauties are expecting you!

The symposium was succesful, it is a pitty if you did not make it. You can still travel to the Galapagos Islands - Voyagers Travel Company: https://www.voyagers.travel/galapagos - offers comprehensive trip planning programs, paired with the above airline information, it is all you may need to organize an expedition style trip to this volcanic wonderland.

Here is a short excerpt from the last cave research in the Galapagos Isalnds:

Lava cave explorations in the Galapagos Islands have yielded some interesting finds in the past five years. Cave and cavern diving are completely
undeveloped underwater activities in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

Although there are several karstic caves in the subandean regions of Ecuador mainland, the cave systems start at relatively high elevations and the formation
of waterfalls and speed at which water runs inside prevents caves from flooding.

There are vast limestone areas with solution caves deeper in the jungle region (and therefore with potential for permanently or seasonal flooded
sections and sumps); however, most of these areas remain unexplored due to their remoteness and difficulty of access.

In the Galapagos Islands cave and cavern diving are not developed either.

Some underwater grottos and cavern like formations created by basaltic rock movement and layering of lava flows have been identified underwater by local
divers in the areas of Santa Cruz, Santiago, Floreana, Santa Fe and Hood Islands. Ocean level lava tubes with diameters sufficient to fit a diver are rare in Galapagos but some can be found in Isabela Island. Isabela and Fernandina also present flooded collapsed lava tubes in coastal areas that can be explored as 'volcanic sink holes' but acquiring access to deeper areas of the structure is impossible due to the tightness of the lava structures. Similar structures can also be found in young coastal lava
flows of Santa Cruz and Santiago Islands.Some smaller and softer volcanic tuff cones (generally islets like Daphne minor) and the Northern Islands of Wolf and Darwin present erosion caves at sea level. Several of these erosion caves have shallow areas of cavern environments below sea level. These areas are often a refuge for underwater fauna.

Hope this serves as inspiration to explore this beautiful archipelago in dept.