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BILL I received
a phone call in January of 1988.
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And they said, uh, there's
an amazing new discovery
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in the Sierra Juarez mountains
of Eastern Oaxaca, Mexico.
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BILL By the
end of that brief re-con,
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we realized that, that
we were on to something.
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The scale of which is
totally unprecedented.
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There's a massive entrance at
the top of the mountain
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and an exit at the bottom where
the river flows out
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over 9,000 feet vertically below.
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That makes Chevé the
deepest cave on Earth, in theory.
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Whether a human
can go through or not,
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that's what we're
here to, uh, determine.
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Oh God.
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Okay.
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BILL This is not
really a, uh, a race course.
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This is a fluency test
to make sure you know
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what the heck you're doing
before you go in the cave.
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Everything you see here. Every one
of these complicated little maneuvers,
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that exists in the cave.
This is not a fabrication here.
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Okay.
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Uh-oh. Careful.
Uh-oh.
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Think about
where it's gonna go.
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This course is here
because a guy died in this cave.
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Came in.
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00:02:02,664 --> 00:02:05,792
Had never trained for the type
of rope work that was happening.
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BILL And went
down and he landed on his head.
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Ever since then
we instituted this,
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what we call a
rebelay course,
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uh, to test everybody
who comes here.
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Most of these
people are world class.
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Some of them are newer,
younger people.
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That's good, switch to repel.
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We have a nominal 40 minute time to do the
whole course,
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00:02:28,857 --> 00:02:32,068
but, really, most people who
are fluent will be under 20.
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Descender's off.
Our descender off.
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That's off.
One, two.
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17 flat.
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Whoa! Very good.
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And that was
textbook except for one or two.
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Yeah.
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PABLO My name is Pablo
Durana and I am the cinematographer
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going in the cave.
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I've gone on expeditions
in Greenland, in Antarctica.
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Uh, so, environments
that are, are difficult.
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PABLO But I've never been
in a cave as deep as this or as,
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as technical or complicated.
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You know, this is
true exploration and,
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you know, Chevé is at
the top of this big mystery.
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Hopefully they'll discover
the passage that'll make this
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the deepest cave in the world.
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Uh, so, uh,
just confirming,
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we will be restarting
the restock, uh, supply train
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hopefully tomorrow, if not
then the very next day, uh,
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and people will be moving back into camp
one and camp two for a shuttle, over.
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The distance and
the depth involved, uh, in,
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in getting to
the bottom of Chevé
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is singular among
the caves in the world.
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So, it's massive effort that takes
thousands of pounds of equipment and
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months and months
of planning to even get us here.
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Camp one?
Basecamp here, over.
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You guys on the line?
We need to talk to you.
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BEV On the surface,
you got a team of people
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who are packing up all
the food, all the supplies,
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making sure that everything is getting
into that multi-day supply chain,
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so that it can
arrive down into the cave.
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Well, so purgatory borehole is
aligned with sump one.
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BILL
Over the past 30 years,
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we've established a chain
of underground camps
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leading deeper and deeper into the cave.
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All the way to our current
front line of exploration
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about five kilometers
from the entrance.
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For those who have an
idea to go to camp five,
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I'm gonna tell you right now,
the only people going to camp five
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are those whose skill sets are
specifically needed there.
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Okay?
It is not a pleasant place.
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I think we have, uh, ten, uh, nations
involved in this project this year.
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So what unfolds is gonna
be an orchestrated team of
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00:05:04,846 --> 00:05:08,266
highly trained individuals and
getting a little bit of luck.
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This is the last terrestrial frontier and
it is the real deal.
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We've laid
siege to this mountain.
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We've got 60 people.
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We've got the best technology and
some of the world's best cavers.
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00:05:20,153 --> 00:05:22,947
And our goal is to make this cave the
deepest cave in the world.
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Think we could get by
with one roll of flagging tape?
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00:05:30,621 --> 00:05:32,665
Yes.
I might have to.
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All right, survey kit.
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Right on top and that is it.
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Little on the heavy side.
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40.
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BILL Right now I'm headed
down to the front line to camp five
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to rally the lead team for a
big push deeper into the cave.
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It's like
we're going into battle.
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We are!
-
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Everybody ready to roll?
Let's go.
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BILL From the entrance
it's five hours of travel
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to reach the first supply camp.
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This is an entrance you could fly,
like, an airplane in to.
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Uh, so, the first impression
you get is that it's big
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and it keeps giving you that
impression all the way down.
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BILL The entrance chamber
itself goes for several hundred meters
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before you can drop
down through the floor
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to the first rope pitch.
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And when you hit the bottom
you can now begin to hear
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the Chevé River
for the first time.
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MAN Yeah, it'll
definitely be of use deeper.
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Okay, we'll put that in
the out pile and then
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somebody coming in next time, put that
on their list for camp two.
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BILL Camp one, it's there as
an acclimatization camp
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for people who are just
showing up on the mountain.
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You get acclimated
to the, the altitude,
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you get acclimated to
just the physical brutality of,
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of hauling heavy
loads up and down.
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I'm gonna say
three liters of breakfast.
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Uh, yeah,
this is camp one.
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Uh, we currently have, uh,
four souls, uh, down here
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with about 60 kilos of food,
headed for camp two.
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BILL Completing the journey
down to camp two requires
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a highly technical descent of a
500 foot underground waterfall.
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Do you want me to
wait for you down there?
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Any moment feels okay
for you to wait would be great,
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...but I don't
want you to get cold.
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You're gonna
have to step across,
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go up about two meters
and there's a traverse line.
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Just clip it with your two cow's tails,
don't screw around with a jumar.
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Okay.
Don't dally in there.
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And don't do
anything reckless either.
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Rock!
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BILL The worst thing that
you can possibly have happen,
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on an expedition, is
to have someone die.
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Okay? And I, I can tell you that
from hard personal experience.
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It's happened to me four times.
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BILL When
you look over the edge there,
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you know that that's, you know,
death staring you in the face.
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And so you pay
attention to everything you do.
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This would not be a
place to have a broken leg.
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BILL Camps three
and four were the furthest
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we've been able to go
for about 20 years,
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until we found a bypass
to a new route in 2017.
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Now, camp five is our current
front line of exploration.
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Four full days of
travel from the surface.
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A collapsed tunnel has halted
all forward progress from here.
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We gotta, we gotta think
out of the box here and,
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and you know, finding
a way on is number one,
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- and survey is the next thing.
Why waste time?
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Also, make sure
it's Bill-sized please.
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That's gonna be
a little hard to promise.
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-
Yeah.
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I think a non-Bill-sized route
forward is better than no route forward.
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00:09:50,047 --> 00:09:50,881
Well, I
agree with that but...
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00:09:50,965 --> 00:09:52,216
But, it can be
made Bill-sized, later.
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It can be engineered.
Yeah.
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BILL Sean Lewis
and Witek Hoffman are our specialists
155
00:10:00,725 --> 00:10:02,143
on the
front lines right now.
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00:10:03,894 --> 00:10:06,272
The idea is kind of
like in playing any, any game.
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You want to have your,
your superstars out front and
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00:10:09,150 --> 00:10:10,401
everybody else
is supporting them.
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00:10:12,903 --> 00:10:14,697
Okay. Got one.
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I got interested in Chevé
when I first came here in 2018.
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SEAN I
work very closely with Bill.
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We've been
working almost full-time.
163
00:10:24,290 --> 00:10:25,833
Coordinating logistics.
164
00:10:26,334 --> 00:10:30,588
Organizing the data and
I think all the people on this expedition
165
00:10:30,588 --> 00:10:32,465
are here
because we share his dream.
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00:10:34,842 --> 00:10:37,762
BILL If the lead team can
find a way through the collapsed tunnel,
167
00:10:38,137 --> 00:10:40,848
we believe it will
connect into a new passage
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00:10:40,848 --> 00:10:42,767
that leads all the way to the bottom.
169
00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:47,772
Let's do a mental check to make sure
I have everything ready,
170
00:10:47,772 --> 00:10:49,982
I got a hammer drill,
I got a bit...
171
00:10:50,066 --> 00:10:51,776
Distorted sense of hope.
172
00:10:51,776 --> 00:10:53,569
I got a
distorted sense of hope.
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00:10:54,779 --> 00:10:56,113
BILL Sean
is an interesting character.
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00:10:56,614 --> 00:10:58,574
He was a grad student
working in physics.
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It's a kinda thing where,
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00:11:00,826 --> 00:11:02,662
he just used it as a
mathematical puzzle.
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00:11:05,915 --> 00:11:08,376
SEAN You know, there's
clues every step of the way.
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00:11:08,376 --> 00:11:11,504
You can follow the wind,
you can follow the water.
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00:11:12,254 --> 00:11:15,257
But truly, you know, the cave
environment is it's own animal.
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00:11:17,510 --> 00:11:19,845
Rock.
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00:11:19,929 --> 00:11:22,014
Whew!
Hello.
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00:11:23,140 --> 00:11:25,643
So we are, now
try with some smoke
183
00:11:26,394 --> 00:11:27,853
and see where the
smoke actually going.
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00:11:30,815 --> 00:11:32,400
WITEK The stronger the smoke,
185
00:11:32,858 --> 00:11:35,945
hopefully the bigger the spots
between the rock are.
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00:11:37,071 --> 00:11:39,740
That stream,
definitely wants to head up.
187
00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:42,535
SEAN Some of
the wind seemed to be going up,
188
00:11:42,535 --> 00:11:44,537
which is a sign, very clear,
189
00:11:44,537 --> 00:11:48,374
that there's an easier way to travel,
for the air, up higher.
190
00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:51,419
Here you can
see it moving this way.
191
00:11:51,919 --> 00:11:54,171
Oh yeah.
Wow, it's strong here.
192
00:11:56,841 --> 00:11:58,843
SEAN The wind
can go places that we can't.
193
00:11:58,968 --> 00:12:01,178
So, the question is,
can we follow the wind?
194
00:12:01,846 --> 00:12:04,890
That's coming up.
And this is where we're gonna go.
195
00:12:04,974 --> 00:12:07,476
Lots of loose rocks,
so stay, stay back a little bit.
196
00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:08,686
Mm-hmm.
197
00:12:10,187 --> 00:12:13,149
Virgin territory is
always filled with loose rocks.
198
00:12:21,490 --> 00:12:23,200
Can you just grab my helmet,
I don't wanna lose it.
199
00:12:23,284 --> 00:12:24,660
Yeah.
200
00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:29,498
Awesome.
201
00:12:30,708 --> 00:12:33,043
I have no
clue where, where I am.
202
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:40,092
I, I don't get how you do this.
I really don't.
203
00:12:41,677 --> 00:12:43,220
SEAN
A lot of the people here
204
00:12:43,304 --> 00:12:45,681
are very accustomed
to being underground
205
00:12:45,765 --> 00:12:49,143
in situations that would cause
a lot of other people to...
206
00:12:49,268 --> 00:12:51,687
feel claustrophobia or panic.
207
00:12:53,481 --> 00:12:57,109
I wanna say it's scary
but I never get scared.
208
00:12:58,027 --> 00:12:59,820
This is starting
to look really good again.
209
00:13:00,738 --> 00:13:03,616
I can see a larger space above
us so we're still, we're still
210
00:13:03,616 --> 00:13:05,868
in the right track, we have
to go up through the boulders
211
00:13:05,868 --> 00:13:07,244
to find a big space above.
212
00:13:08,746 --> 00:13:10,581
SEAN That
puzzle aspect of caving,
213
00:13:10,581 --> 00:13:12,917
to me, that's my happy place.
214
00:13:13,501 --> 00:13:17,338
I'll never be happier than when
I am pushing into something unknown.
215
00:13:18,798 --> 00:13:21,342
Ah! Too tight.
216
00:13:22,384 --> 00:13:25,221
That doesn't go, that
doesn't go, this doesn't go.
217
00:13:25,888 --> 00:13:29,934
Also I don't, it to make many moves and
forget about how we got here.
218
00:13:30,601 --> 00:13:32,770
That does happen,
and it's very scary.
219
00:13:32,770 --> 00:13:34,980
I would not
want that to happen.
220
00:13:38,859 --> 00:13:41,362
Ah, wow.
221
00:13:44,573 --> 00:13:46,659
How the hell
did you fit through that?
222
00:13:48,619 --> 00:13:52,414
The big hope is that they'll break into
a big, big tunnel with no boulders
223
00:13:52,790 --> 00:13:55,709
and if that happens we could
have multiple kilometers
224
00:13:55,793 --> 00:13:58,629
of giant tunnels going down
the mountain, no problem at all.
225
00:13:59,213 --> 00:14:01,590
You know there's something above us,
it's just driving me crazy.
226
00:14:01,674 --> 00:14:03,467
We've checked five
different holes at this point.
227
00:14:03,551 --> 00:14:05,261
None of them have
gone in to it but there's,
228
00:14:05,261 --> 00:14:07,137
every-time I check
there's a small space
229
00:14:07,221 --> 00:14:10,307
and I can see
something bigger above,
230
00:14:11,517 --> 00:14:13,018
there's one more hole to check.
231
00:14:17,398 --> 00:14:19,441
So they're in a spot
where they can hear an echo,
232
00:14:19,525 --> 00:14:21,861
which is really promising
that there's a big chamber.
233
00:14:22,653 --> 00:14:24,655
I'm so impressed
with their determination.
234
00:14:26,699 --> 00:14:28,242
They just don't stop.
235
00:14:29,535 --> 00:14:30,703
What do you see right now?
236
00:14:31,287 --> 00:14:33,205
There's a big
of room just ahead.
237
00:14:34,957 --> 00:14:37,084
Whoa!
238
00:14:56,729 --> 00:14:58,063
Big room.
239
00:14:58,272 --> 00:15:00,900
Borehole!
240
00:15:01,609 --> 00:15:05,112
Oh my gosh, oh.
Welcome!
241
00:15:13,913 --> 00:15:15,247
That's all I gotta say.
242
00:15:19,168 --> 00:15:22,046
This is huge.
It's a nice feeling, huh?
243
00:15:28,594 --> 00:15:29,762
Boom.
244
00:15:32,306 --> 00:15:34,558
I think it might be
one of the most beautiful rooms
245
00:15:34,642 --> 00:15:36,769
in the whole cave actually.
246
00:15:38,062 --> 00:15:39,480
Now, we go up.
247
00:15:40,481 --> 00:15:44,276
SEAN Being the first person
to set foot in a brand new place,
248
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,487
that no one's ever
been before, uh...
249
00:15:46,487 --> 00:15:47,947
It's really quite something.
250
00:15:48,864 --> 00:15:51,033
SEAN
Especially when you know that
251
00:15:51,158 --> 00:15:53,285
there's a whole expedition behind you and
252
00:15:53,369 --> 00:15:56,163
everyone's hoping that there's
gonna be a big discovery.
253
00:15:58,415 --> 00:16:01,126
We are on-line waiting for
whatever you're gonna tell us.
254
00:16:03,253 --> 00:16:04,421
SEAN
We got it, Bill, this is...
255
00:16:04,505 --> 00:16:05,881
Borehole, over.
256
00:16:06,966 --> 00:16:10,010
Ah, go ahead and, uh,
elaborate on that please?
257
00:16:11,345 --> 00:16:16,767
We popped near the top of the slope
in a borehole that was probably...
258
00:16:17,351 --> 00:16:19,186
SEAN
15 meters high and...
259
00:16:19,853 --> 00:16:21,146
About the same width.
260
00:16:21,230 --> 00:16:22,856
Nicely done, guys.
261
00:16:23,399 --> 00:16:24,858
BILL
A new card on the table.
262
00:16:29,613 --> 00:16:31,240
BILL
This is the breakthrough
263
00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:32,282
we've been waiting for.
264
00:16:33,075 --> 00:16:37,329
We're now at a point
where we are beyond this, uh,
265
00:16:37,413 --> 00:16:41,834
large breakdown zone that had stopped
exploration for 30 years.
266
00:16:45,796 --> 00:16:49,133
So unusual
and so beautiful.
267
00:16:53,137 --> 00:16:54,638
BILL
Camp 5.5
268
00:16:54,722 --> 00:16:56,306
will be our new
beach head for exploring
269
00:16:56,390 --> 00:16:58,726
deeper into the cave
than anybody has ever been.
270
00:17:00,227 --> 00:17:03,063
Big enough for
two people lying down.
271
00:17:07,151 --> 00:17:10,571
Everything around
here is just like, sharp, jagged boulders.
272
00:17:11,530 --> 00:17:14,575
It's not meant for human habitation.
We had to build everything.
273
00:17:14,575 --> 00:17:16,910
So, building this bed...
274
00:17:17,661 --> 00:17:20,164
Make it all nice and flat.
275
00:17:21,373 --> 00:17:23,000
Protecting
ourselves from the drips.
276
00:17:25,419 --> 00:17:29,131
It's really important that we make the
best use of every single day at this camp
277
00:17:29,131 --> 00:17:31,550
because the expedition
does have limited time
278
00:17:31,550 --> 00:17:33,719
and limited resources and
we want to make sure that
279
00:17:33,719 --> 00:17:36,096
the frontier is
being explored every day.
280
00:17:36,221 --> 00:17:39,975
Wow, the republic of 5.5.
281
00:17:41,018 --> 00:17:42,811
Things don't
dry out much do they here?
282
00:17:43,103 --> 00:17:44,855
No it's...
283
00:17:44,855 --> 00:17:47,149
Mm, smells just terribly.
284
00:17:47,983 --> 00:17:52,613
It's all wet and I can
already feel it and smell it.
285
00:17:55,157 --> 00:17:56,700
You know, I don't
have any clean clothes,
286
00:17:56,784 --> 00:18:00,037
I've been wearing the same
socks to bed for three weeks.
287
00:18:00,370 --> 00:18:03,624
I've got like three pairs
of dirty shirts and that's it.
288
00:18:03,624 --> 00:18:04,792
Right, and so it's like...
289
00:18:06,210 --> 00:18:09,463
You know, after a while you just have
to stop caring about that stuff but.
290
00:18:09,797 --> 00:18:14,134
♪ Down, down, down you go ♪
291
00:18:14,218 --> 00:18:15,844
♪ Down the hole, down you go ♪
292
00:18:15,928 --> 00:18:21,350
♪ Jack you never see the skies
and your working in a dungeon ♪
293
00:18:21,350 --> 00:18:22,851
Being out,
days from the surface,
294
00:18:22,935 --> 00:18:25,562
is a, is a really,
uh, wild feeling.
295
00:18:26,313 --> 00:18:31,026
You know, that there's 5,000, 6,000 feet
of rock straight above you.
296
00:18:31,485 --> 00:18:33,153
Definitely think
about that a lot.
297
00:18:34,780 --> 00:18:36,657
I've been here, uh, six weeks.
298
00:18:37,324 --> 00:18:41,995
It's actually my longest stay
on an expedition. Um, ever.
299
00:18:42,913 --> 00:18:45,415
COREY And, and I admit too,
you know, I get a bit homesick, uh,
300
00:18:45,499 --> 00:18:47,376
when I'm, when
I'm gone this long.
301
00:18:48,585 --> 00:18:51,463
There is so little that's
familiar down there, you know,
302
00:18:51,547 --> 00:18:52,840
compared to the surface.
303
00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,467
Everything around you
is kinda, just kinda alien.
304
00:18:57,469 --> 00:18:59,805
In your normal life,
when you turn off the lights,
305
00:19:00,013 --> 00:19:02,349
eventually there's a little
light coming from somewhere else
306
00:19:02,349 --> 00:19:03,934
and your eyes adjust.
307
00:19:05,060 --> 00:19:07,354
BEV When
it's truly, completely dark,
308
00:19:07,729 --> 00:19:12,317
your eyes never adjust.
You can't see anything.
309
00:19:14,444 --> 00:19:19,241
And, for me, that's a
really kind of comfortable, cozy feeling.
310
00:19:19,241 --> 00:19:23,912
To have left behind all the
chaos and static of the surface
311
00:19:23,996 --> 00:19:25,998
of our everyday, hectic lives,
312
00:19:25,998 --> 00:19:28,917
and to be able to
focus on one single task.
313
00:19:33,714 --> 00:19:36,550
-
Good night.
314
00:19:39,803 --> 00:19:41,138
Safe to come up?
Yeah.
315
00:19:44,808 --> 00:19:48,562
The current world depth record is
7,257 feet
316
00:19:49,062 --> 00:19:51,899
in a cave called Veryovkina
in Eastern Europe.
317
00:19:55,152 --> 00:19:56,695
If we make it to
the bottom of Chevé,
318
00:19:57,196 --> 00:19:59,990
we'll break that
record by over 1,500 feet.
319
00:20:02,367 --> 00:20:04,119
If this turns out
to be the main route,
320
00:20:04,203 --> 00:20:06,496
we'll have to de-rig
the rope and push it over.
321
00:20:08,415 --> 00:20:11,168
As the front of
exploration get deeper and deeper
322
00:20:11,668 --> 00:20:15,130
into the cave, there's
a whole supply infrastructure
323
00:20:15,214 --> 00:20:19,259
behind them consisting of a
multiplying number of people
324
00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:21,720
as you get farther and farther
back toward the entrance.
325
00:20:26,975 --> 00:20:29,728
Uh, so we've
brought down, uh, something like
326
00:20:29,728 --> 00:20:31,897
seven 55 liter sacks of gear
327
00:20:31,897 --> 00:20:35,567
here and, uh, we've got about
four sacks of climbing gear.
328
00:20:36,526 --> 00:20:38,987
SEAN I know we're gonna need
to resupply camp three and
329
00:20:39,071 --> 00:20:42,824
just keep stuff moving forward
and deeper into the cave.
330
00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:45,953
PABLO I mean,
this is what sets caving apart.
331
00:20:46,495 --> 00:20:48,163
It's such a collective effort.
332
00:20:48,747 --> 00:20:53,126
They're working like an army of ants
and they're shuttling supplies in and out,
333
00:20:53,210 --> 00:20:58,006
in and out for the people at the forefront
to be able to push.
334
00:20:59,675 --> 00:21:00,884
BILL
It's harder to go deeper,
335
00:21:00,968 --> 00:21:03,720
because every
meter you go forward
336
00:21:04,304 --> 00:21:06,515
puts you one more
meter from the entrance.
337
00:21:07,015 --> 00:21:10,227
And we're now at a point where
338
00:21:10,227 --> 00:21:12,271
you might as well be on
the far side of the moon.
339
00:21:12,271 --> 00:21:17,567
MAN Three, two, one, zero.
All engines running.
340
00:21:18,151 --> 00:21:21,905
Lift off, we have a lift off.
32 minutes past the hour...
341
00:21:21,989 --> 00:21:23,699
BILL
When I was a kid, you know,
342
00:21:23,699 --> 00:21:26,034
I wanted to
be a, an astronaut.
343
00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,413
MAN Okay, Neil we see you
coming down the ladder now.
344
00:21:29,413 --> 00:21:31,957
NEIL The view
is beautiful, just beautiful.
345
00:21:32,874 --> 00:21:36,044
BILL Watching Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon
346
00:21:36,545 --> 00:21:37,963
That was, that was, that
was something that just,
347
00:21:37,963 --> 00:21:40,132
you know, burned
it's way into my, my psyche.
348
00:21:40,716 --> 00:21:43,176
MAN This is Houston reading
you loud and clear, over.
349
00:21:43,260 --> 00:21:45,345
BILL By the
time I was in sixth grade,
350
00:21:45,679 --> 00:21:49,641
I was interested in science and
my Dad came home one Christmas
351
00:21:49,725 --> 00:21:53,103
and got me one of these
Gilbert chemistry sets.
352
00:21:53,603 --> 00:21:55,439
And I was running
experiments that were,
353
00:21:55,439 --> 00:21:59,401
you know, graduate student level,
organic chemistry, in my basement.
354
00:22:00,235 --> 00:22:03,196
I was the classic nerd.
I really never even got into dating until
355
00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:04,990
I was almost at
the end of college.
356
00:22:06,241 --> 00:22:07,451
It was the goal
of getting out and,
357
00:22:07,451 --> 00:22:09,244
you know, getting
into the astronaut corps.
358
00:22:09,870 --> 00:22:13,040
And for nine years, I
submitted applications.
359
00:22:13,623 --> 00:22:15,625
You know, they had
psychological tests,
360
00:22:15,709 --> 00:22:16,960
they had physical tests.
361
00:22:17,502 --> 00:22:18,628
I got a nice
thin letter that said
362
00:22:18,712 --> 00:22:21,173
I was too independent
for the astronaut corps.
363
00:22:21,173 --> 00:22:24,301
Which I cherish to this day.
364
00:22:26,011 --> 00:22:29,598
BILL I went off to form my
own company and ever since then
365
00:22:29,598 --> 00:22:32,142
I have structured my
life around exploration.
366
00:22:34,061 --> 00:22:34,936
I'm 68.
367
00:22:35,562 --> 00:22:38,148
I've sunk a lot of my
life into this project here.
368
00:22:40,776 --> 00:22:46,031
I wanna do the most exploration
that I can during my lifetime.
369
00:22:47,657 --> 00:22:53,205
And, uh, Chevé is the challenge
in exploration right now, on Earth.
370
00:22:56,666 --> 00:22:59,711
I think Bill's known that
this is the deepest cave system
371
00:22:59,795 --> 00:23:03,215
in the world for a long time and
372
00:23:03,215 --> 00:23:08,261
coming back year after year after year
and not getting there,
373
00:23:08,345 --> 00:23:10,180
you get more and more attached.
374
00:23:12,432 --> 00:23:16,645
Chevé will give you
piece of spectacular tunnel
375
00:23:16,645 --> 00:23:20,690
and then right when you think
you've got it all, it'll stop.
376
00:23:22,275 --> 00:23:24,194
If it was easy
everyone would do it Bill.
377
00:23:24,194 --> 00:23:26,696
You know, if it was easy it'd have
been done 30 years ago.
378
00:23:26,780 --> 00:23:28,782
Exactly, what would you
be doing with your life now?
379
00:23:28,782 --> 00:23:31,827
Hm, well I'm pretty
happy where I am right here.
380
00:23:31,827 --> 00:23:32,953
Mm-hmm, I know.
381
00:23:35,038 --> 00:23:37,290
COREY I think it would be
one of Bill's, you know,
382
00:23:37,374 --> 00:23:40,502
great life accomplishments and,
and the fulfillment of a dream
383
00:23:40,502 --> 00:23:43,797
if he could see us, uh,
break the world depth record.
384
00:23:43,797 --> 00:23:46,258
And go to the
bottom of the world.
385
00:24:01,106 --> 00:24:04,651
BILL Right now,
the entire expedition is focused
386
00:24:04,943 --> 00:24:07,737
on the mission of those
people out at Camp 5.5.
387
00:24:09,781 --> 00:24:12,159
Those people, uh,
who are pretty much
388
00:24:12,159 --> 00:24:15,203
some of our best in
terms of, uh, route finding.
389
00:24:19,541 --> 00:24:21,460
What I do,
do on the other side,
390
00:24:21,460 --> 00:24:25,589
I know how to plan in advance,
you know, food and logistics
391
00:24:25,589 --> 00:24:28,258
and all the equipment
here in base camp.
392
00:24:28,425 --> 00:24:32,429
Oh I, I
could cry right now.
393
00:24:33,138 --> 00:24:34,306
It's so good to see ya.
394
00:24:36,850 --> 00:24:42,022
All right,
man no more harness.
395
00:24:46,318 --> 00:24:49,529
BILL We have an
A team of breakdown pushers out there
396
00:24:49,863 --> 00:24:54,159
who, hopefully, in the next couple of days
could be out beyond the world depth record
397
00:24:55,243 --> 00:24:59,748
Here it is folks, you know, this
is the wide open frontier.
398
00:24:59,748 --> 00:25:02,375
It's unexplored,
figure out how to do it.
399
00:25:04,836 --> 00:25:07,506
BILL Camp 5.5
established our new front line
400
00:25:07,714 --> 00:25:11,551
in an unexplored passage
nine kilometers from the surface.
401
00:25:12,177 --> 00:25:15,764
Now, the lead team needs to
find a way out of that passage
402
00:25:15,764 --> 00:25:17,891
that leads deeper into the cave.
403
00:25:19,017 --> 00:25:21,770
I think we go this way?
404
00:25:21,770 --> 00:25:23,647
Ho!
405
00:25:24,231 --> 00:25:25,440
A big echo
up there, somewhere.
406
00:25:25,524 --> 00:25:27,651
I don't know if it's
from the passage
407
00:25:27,651 --> 00:25:31,112
that we just came out of because
it's really tall and narrow.
408
00:25:32,864 --> 00:25:36,910
BILL Corey is a proven, uh,
super star when it comes to
409
00:25:36,910 --> 00:25:39,955
finding a passage where
you wouldn't expect it.
410
00:25:40,330 --> 00:25:43,375
Sniffing out, you know, however,
with sixth sense.
411
00:25:43,500 --> 00:25:47,337
Uh, you know, where the cave goes and,
and where the way into it is.
412
00:25:49,256 --> 00:25:52,342
All of the wind, uh, that
we expect to feel going
413
00:25:52,676 --> 00:25:54,970
deeper into the cave is
moving through this passage.
414
00:25:55,971 --> 00:25:59,558
Wow, that's what
we've been chasing for a week.
415
00:25:59,933 --> 00:26:03,311
Well, 30 years, yeah.
For pretty long, yeah.
416
00:26:04,479 --> 00:26:08,400
COREY I first
came to Sistema Chevé in 2013.
417
00:26:09,401 --> 00:26:12,070
To me, uh, Chevé is heaven.
418
00:26:13,488 --> 00:26:17,200
But there's times when
what you have to do is hellish.
419
00:26:18,243 --> 00:26:22,831
Some cave passages get so large, uh,
that the ceilings collapse.
420
00:26:23,415 --> 00:26:26,209
The passages can actually, eventually,
totally fill themselves,
421
00:26:26,293 --> 00:26:29,129
sometimes to the ceiling,
with breakdown.
422
00:26:41,891 --> 00:26:45,020
Oh God. Okay.
423
00:26:47,022 --> 00:26:48,607
Ow.
424
00:26:49,816 --> 00:26:50,942
Well.
425
00:26:52,485 --> 00:26:56,239
I think the
way on is that way.
426
00:27:03,830 --> 00:27:05,624
COREY Going
through breakdown is like, uh,
427
00:27:05,624 --> 00:27:08,752
it's like a body puzzle and
you're surrounded by rocks.
428
00:27:09,252 --> 00:27:13,006
If you go in one hole, suddenly
you're presented with five more.
429
00:27:15,508 --> 00:27:17,719
Then if you go in
any of those five,
430
00:27:17,719 --> 00:27:21,056
you might have three to
six options to keep going.
431
00:27:24,309 --> 00:27:27,771
PABLO When you're climbing,
you know if an accident happens,
432
00:27:28,605 --> 00:27:31,149
there's usually a
heli-rescue or something.
433
00:27:34,486 --> 00:27:37,072
The rescue potential here is...
434
00:27:40,033 --> 00:27:41,451
Nonexistent.
435
00:27:44,329 --> 00:27:45,747
I think it was down here.
436
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:51,419
Cavers go back to breakdown
areas over and over and over again
437
00:27:51,503 --> 00:27:56,007
and don't get through
and then one day after 20 pushes
438
00:27:56,091 --> 00:27:59,219
into this breakdown pile
there's a magic route that,
439
00:27:59,219 --> 00:28:01,304
that gets you to the
other side of the pile.
440
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:06,685
And then boom.
441
00:28:08,103 --> 00:28:09,187
Oh, my goodness.
442
00:28:16,361 --> 00:28:19,906
BILL The team at Camp 5.5
have reported that they had finally, uh,
443
00:28:20,490 --> 00:28:22,575
gotten into solid rock tunnel.
444
00:28:23,660 --> 00:28:24,577
We did it.
445
00:28:25,620 --> 00:28:28,039
-
446
00:28:29,249 --> 00:28:32,085
We're gonna start, uh,
surveying it from here, uh.
447
00:28:32,085 --> 00:28:34,671
From this point forward
it's completely unexplored.
448
00:28:36,715 --> 00:28:41,052
That experience of popping through into
a space that's never been seen before.
449
00:28:41,136 --> 00:28:45,014
It's like the closest you can get on
Earth to, to going to a different planet.
450
00:28:48,101 --> 00:28:50,645
It's something you know
is new to human eyes.
451
00:28:53,022 --> 00:28:54,399
Unbelievable.
452
00:28:55,650 --> 00:28:57,235
What a day.
453
00:28:59,821 --> 00:29:03,158
We surveyed approximately
another kilometer and half.
454
00:29:08,371 --> 00:29:09,247
Nice work!
455
00:29:09,998 --> 00:29:13,126
We're past, uh,
we climbed up 40 meters.
456
00:29:13,126 --> 00:29:15,628
I told you it was steep.
457
00:29:15,712 --> 00:29:17,464
And, boom!
Almost 50.
458
00:29:19,758 --> 00:29:22,677
Nice flat areas,
hard packed clay,
459
00:29:22,761 --> 00:29:24,846
not a lot of
drips it looks like,
460
00:29:25,847 --> 00:29:28,516
so this is a
potential Camp six site.
461
00:29:31,352 --> 00:29:36,024
Feels like this might actually be the
best lead in any cave on Earth right now.
462
00:29:42,739 --> 00:29:44,699
COREY
Good morning Bill, this is Camp 5.5.
463
00:29:44,783 --> 00:29:47,535
Uh, we have some interesting
developments to share.
464
00:29:47,827 --> 00:29:48,995
Uh, go ahead.
465
00:29:49,454 --> 00:29:51,498
COREY
We, uh, absolutely have...
466
00:29:51,498 --> 00:29:53,458
A beautiful Camp six site.
467
00:29:53,458 --> 00:29:55,585
Uh, it's currently, uh, about...
468
00:29:55,585 --> 00:29:59,172
COREY
Two hours from Camp 5.5.
469
00:30:01,591 --> 00:30:03,551
BILL
Nicely done guys.
470
00:30:03,635 --> 00:30:06,805
Think about what you need, uh, from
us to, uh, keep this going.
471
00:30:06,930 --> 00:30:08,723
BILL
We'll see you there in a year.
472
00:30:11,935 --> 00:30:14,062
We've got the
bull by the horns right now.
473
00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:20,026
BILL Camp six is, uh, deeper
than anybody has ever been
474
00:30:20,026 --> 00:30:21,444
in Cueva Chevé.
475
00:30:22,278 --> 00:30:27,992
It is the most remote bivouac anybody has
ever put inside any cave on earth.
476
00:30:29,410 --> 00:30:32,914
The hope is that it's a straight shot
from here all the way to the bottom.
477
00:30:36,668 --> 00:30:38,002
BILL I've
been out for some time so
478
00:30:38,086 --> 00:30:41,256
I'm ready to go
in for the big push.
479
00:30:42,006 --> 00:30:42,966
See you down there.
480
00:30:42,966 --> 00:30:44,676
Bye.
Bye, have fun.
481
00:30:46,177 --> 00:30:47,887
BILL But
it's five full days of travel
482
00:30:47,971 --> 00:30:50,890
from the entrance for me to
get down there and join them
483
00:30:51,516 --> 00:30:55,144
and I wanna be there if this new tunnel is
finally the one that goes.
484
00:30:56,145 --> 00:30:57,230
See you on the bottom.
485
00:30:59,482 --> 00:31:01,317
BILL
While I'm working my way down
486
00:31:01,401 --> 00:31:02,652
the lead team is out there
487
00:31:02,652 --> 00:31:05,697
exploring deeper into the cave
than humans have ever been.
488
00:31:11,995 --> 00:31:13,955
Look at this bedrock.
489
00:31:15,665 --> 00:31:18,334
Yeah.
We got a, a lead up there.
490
00:31:19,878 --> 00:31:22,964
For once the cave is branching
out into a lot of directions.
491
00:31:22,964 --> 00:31:25,925
Uh, it's a watershed moment in the history
of Chevé potentially.
492
00:31:26,426 --> 00:31:27,427
This is really cool.
493
00:31:27,427 --> 00:31:30,346
Like, we could have really good
going passage most of the way
494
00:31:30,430 --> 00:31:31,472
and this is Colin, he's...
495
00:31:31,556 --> 00:31:32,807
You ready to go?
He's the real man.
496
00:31:32,891 --> 00:31:34,225
You got it, we got...
We go caving together.
497
00:31:43,484 --> 00:31:45,153
How's it looking
up there, my friend?
498
00:31:48,156 --> 00:31:49,282
That's nice borehole.
499
00:31:49,407 --> 00:31:51,159
I, I think we need
to go investigate that.
500
00:31:51,159 --> 00:31:53,119
I'm gonna look in
this pocket over here.
501
00:32:00,293 --> 00:32:01,669
Holy
502
00:32:09,385 --> 00:32:11,054
The passage gets bigger!
503
00:32:14,182 --> 00:32:15,600
Keeps going, huh?
504
00:32:17,518 --> 00:32:19,896
Five kilometers
of borehole, this is what it sounds like.
505
00:32:25,234 --> 00:32:26,194
Not bad.
Fast.
506
00:32:26,778 --> 00:32:30,073
The chambers were
finding now are insanely big.
507
00:32:30,323 --> 00:32:33,451
100 foot high room right here.
508
00:32:34,327 --> 00:32:37,246
And then this room that
Adrian's going up into,
509
00:32:37,580 --> 00:32:39,916
is double the height of that.
510
00:32:40,708 --> 00:32:42,085
Light her up Adrian.
511
00:32:42,710 --> 00:32:44,462
Wow.
512
00:32:46,756 --> 00:32:47,966
Holy
513
00:32:49,092 --> 00:32:51,552
- That's a giant mountain.
Yes.
514
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:54,847
What do you think?
515
00:32:55,139 --> 00:32:58,768
It's amazing,
Chevé is unstoppable.
516
00:32:59,018 --> 00:33:01,688
Unstoppable!
-
517
00:33:04,273 --> 00:33:10,571
The borehole is
60 meters tall, 50 meters wide.
518
00:33:12,031 --> 00:33:15,284
I think this is likely
one of the better days of caving
519
00:33:15,368 --> 00:33:17,078
I will ever have
in my entire life.
520
00:33:18,204 --> 00:33:19,455
We broke the Chevé depth record.
521
00:33:19,539 --> 00:33:22,542
We, yes, we
made a cave deeper today.
522
00:33:24,836 --> 00:33:26,421
Wo-oh!
523
00:33:29,465 --> 00:33:34,470
♪ The way is wide and open ♪
524
00:33:35,930 --> 00:33:37,098
SEAN You know,
when you sing,
525
00:33:37,098 --> 00:33:39,392
it's like there's a chorus in the cave.
526
00:33:40,601 --> 00:33:42,228
So we named it Harmony Hall.
527
00:33:43,062 --> 00:33:48,693
♪ The way is wide and open ♪
528
00:33:55,241 --> 00:33:57,160
Another day
in the dirt, huh?
529
00:33:58,703 --> 00:34:03,124
Yeah, it was a good night's sleep, just
a lot of pains that weren't there before.
530
00:34:03,124 --> 00:34:05,918
Some point here, we keep going
at this pace we’re all gonna
531
00:34:06,002 --> 00:34:09,005
get up and just say,
"My muscles don't work."
532
00:34:13,843 --> 00:34:16,721
But, I guess until we run out of cocoa we
can still get up, huh?
533
00:34:16,721 --> 00:34:17,847
Yeah.
534
00:34:19,682 --> 00:34:21,893
Come on Camp six,
tell us you got something.
535
00:34:24,812 --> 00:34:26,105
KATIE
Camp six to Base camp.
536
00:34:26,189 --> 00:34:27,273
Ah, here we go.
537
00:34:28,024 --> 00:34:30,276
SEAN Hey Bill,
so we made the cave deeper
538
00:34:30,276 --> 00:34:33,446
and we mapped
2.1 kilometers yesterday, over.
539
00:34:35,114 --> 00:34:38,826
Very nice. Uh, is it linear or
is it, uh, labyrinthine?
540
00:34:40,078 --> 00:34:41,621
SEAN
Uh, sort of both.
541
00:34:42,830 --> 00:34:44,582
SEAN We had been
in this giant, giant room and
542
00:34:44,582 --> 00:34:46,834
now all of a sudden it
came to this little tunnel.
543
00:34:48,044 --> 00:34:50,171
And at the bottom
was a pool of water
544
00:34:50,171 --> 00:34:52,298
and that was the
end of the cave.
545
00:34:53,174 --> 00:34:56,344
It was a sump. A place where the water
fills up to the ceiling.
546
00:34:57,261 --> 00:34:58,262
But there was hope.
547
00:35:00,431 --> 00:35:05,603
There's a huge dome here with a possible
passage coming in up there as well.
548
00:35:06,104 --> 00:35:07,563
SEAN
So there's a lead up there.
549
00:35:09,816 --> 00:35:12,026
SEAN Up
on the walls were tunnels.
550
00:35:13,027 --> 00:35:17,073
The challenge was that these tunnels were
really high up the wall.
551
00:35:17,949 --> 00:35:23,538
Our plan was to just attack that,
uh, climb with, with guns blazing...
552
00:35:23,538 --> 00:35:27,542
COREY Because it does seem
to be, uh, the best option.
553
00:35:27,542 --> 00:35:31,879
BILL:How far total up the wall, vertical,
uh, are you at your highest point?
554
00:35:32,380 --> 00:35:35,883
It goes up about
40 vertical meters, over.
555
00:35:37,301 --> 00:35:39,095
BILL
That is a long way up.
556
00:35:42,765 --> 00:35:44,642
It seems right now
that we gotta go climbing.
557
00:35:50,231 --> 00:35:51,607
We'll see ya on the flip side.
558
00:35:53,693 --> 00:35:56,154
Nobody has been able to
figure out a way onward.
559
00:35:56,988 --> 00:36:01,617
The only thing that we can
think of is that we have to try
560
00:36:01,701 --> 00:36:04,745
an extremely
tall overhung climb.
561
00:36:05,621 --> 00:36:07,248
If we're gonna make this
the world's deepest cave,
562
00:36:07,248 --> 00:36:09,125
that's the way we have to go.
563
00:36:17,925 --> 00:36:19,427
What do you
think of Camp six, Bill?
564
00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:22,638
Well, based on all the
stories that I heard
565
00:36:22,722 --> 00:36:24,599
somebody did some serious engineering.
566
00:36:24,599 --> 00:36:26,017
Oh yes.
567
00:36:27,310 --> 00:36:29,645
Yeah, it's,
it's got some charm.
568
00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:38,362
So is this thing
right here, the, the climb?
569
00:36:38,988 --> 00:36:40,239
Yeah, the top part of it.
570
00:36:40,781 --> 00:36:45,745
I agree with Corey. The, of all the
indicators are that that chamber is it.
571
00:36:45,745 --> 00:36:47,246
It's where it's gotta go.
572
00:36:47,330 --> 00:36:50,333
Yeah, days are ticking.
We gotta get out there now.
573
00:36:50,333 --> 00:36:53,127
I mean normally, you know, it's
my position to kinda hang back
574
00:36:53,211 --> 00:36:56,589
and let everybody, uh, do
their thing, uh, but right now,
575
00:36:56,589 --> 00:36:57,757
we're kinda down
to the point where
576
00:36:58,257 --> 00:37:01,844
if we lose a day, we lose
the opportunity to get deeper.
577
00:37:03,763 --> 00:37:05,389
SEAN What
we're doing in here in Chevé
578
00:37:05,598 --> 00:37:09,769
requires a massive siege effort.
A huge expedition
579
00:37:10,228 --> 00:37:14,357
and I've been sort of in a secondary
leadership role in a lot of things.
580
00:37:16,442 --> 00:37:19,695
For Bill to be underground someone
has to be responsible
581
00:37:19,779 --> 00:37:22,907
and be on the surface and he's asked me
and Bev to take care of it so.
582
00:37:24,867 --> 00:37:26,744
Yeah I have to
go to the surface.
583
00:37:28,746 --> 00:37:32,375
Which of course, I'm not happy about.
But that's how it goes.
584
00:37:33,209 --> 00:37:36,295
SEAN This is a team effort
and I think everyone on the expedition
585
00:37:36,379 --> 00:37:38,422
has that mentality even
if some of us might have
586
00:37:38,506 --> 00:37:41,550
different opinions about
how things should be done.
587
00:37:42,426 --> 00:37:46,597
The worst is having to leave a discovery
when it's being explored and
588
00:37:47,056 --> 00:37:50,643
the excitement is not
just the first moment,
589
00:37:50,643 --> 00:37:55,147
the excitement is the, um,
experience of mapping as you go and,
590
00:37:55,231 --> 00:37:56,857
you know, what's
around the next bend.
591
00:37:56,941 --> 00:37:58,985
No, this, this
is definitely going.
592
00:38:00,653 --> 00:38:03,281
SEAN Its really something
to be a part of this project and,
593
00:38:03,281 --> 00:38:06,575
and to be able to have the privilege of,
of pushing that frontier.
594
00:38:20,798 --> 00:38:24,969
BILL It's a six hour commute
just to get to where the action is.
595
00:38:28,180 --> 00:38:29,807
Don’t do anything that’s
gonna bring a rock down on us.
596
00:38:29,807 --> 00:38:31,600
Yeah, I'm gonna
try really hard not to.
597
00:38:32,101 --> 00:38:34,937
I hear anything move,
I want you to get the heck out of there.
598
00:38:36,439 --> 00:38:38,607
We're going into
virgin territory.
599
00:38:39,317 --> 00:38:42,194
You can step on a rock the size
of a house and have it
600
00:38:42,820 --> 00:38:44,864
roll over on you and I've
actually had that happen.
601
00:38:46,157 --> 00:38:49,368
BILL But I have an agenda
and that is to prove that this is
602
00:38:49,452 --> 00:38:51,120
officially the world's deepest cave
603
00:38:51,620 --> 00:38:53,581
because it's out there to be
had and you know what?
604
00:38:53,581 --> 00:38:55,583
We're in a position
where we can take it.
605
00:39:03,924 --> 00:39:05,176
Let’s scout around.
606
00:39:08,137 --> 00:39:09,889
We are, I would expect,
607
00:39:10,681 --> 00:39:12,767
officially at the
site of Camp seven.
608
00:39:16,187 --> 00:39:20,649
BILL You could vaguely make
out a whitish appearance on the roof,
609
00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:24,445
white crystals that suggested
that there was a tunnel up there
610
00:39:24,445 --> 00:39:26,072
with air flow going through it.
611
00:39:28,157 --> 00:39:31,452
We set Camp seven at that site
so that we could wake up in
612
00:39:31,452 --> 00:39:34,205
the morning and climb up
the wall of that chamber.
613
00:39:34,205 --> 00:39:36,207
Get into that tunnel
and then keep going.
614
00:39:37,958 --> 00:39:39,377
So we
have one day of food.
615
00:39:39,377 --> 00:39:41,962
We're short on
all rigging supplies.
616
00:39:42,963 --> 00:39:46,717
BILL Nobody has ever camped
that far inside a cave before.
617
00:39:48,260 --> 00:39:51,555
We have a gigantic logistics
problem where it might take
618
00:39:51,639 --> 00:39:54,600
seven to ten days or more to get
the supplies that we need
619
00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:58,437
down to the bottom of the cave
and by that time it's too late.
620
00:39:59,855 --> 00:40:05,486
And so, the weight of remoteness is on
your mind when you're down there.
621
00:40:06,904 --> 00:40:12,660
But, uh, you have to realize that
these are precious opportunities.
622
00:40:14,954 --> 00:40:20,668
We are privileged to be
here right now quite frankly.
623
00:40:20,668 --> 00:40:27,091
This is the furthest north anybody has
been in this cave system and, uh,
624
00:40:28,134 --> 00:40:31,095
with a little bit of luck we’ll
find a way on right up there.
625
00:40:38,436 --> 00:40:40,563
I reckon
we'll climb up there.
626
00:40:41,397 --> 00:40:43,983
BILL This climb is
our last chance to find an exit
627
00:40:43,983 --> 00:40:46,694
out of this room and
deeper into the cave.
628
00:40:47,570 --> 00:40:51,574
What we're looking for is a way
how to get up into that hole,
629
00:40:51,824 --> 00:40:53,617
60 or 70 meters up in the roof,
630
00:40:53,701 --> 00:40:55,911
that looks like it's the
main continuation of the cave.
631
00:40:57,413 --> 00:40:59,039
All right, here we go.
632
00:41:06,255 --> 00:41:10,259
Now that we're here, uh, we see that
there are two waterfalls coming in
633
00:41:10,843 --> 00:41:14,763
that, uh, might actually be a shorter
route up the wall, less bolts.
634
00:41:16,140 --> 00:41:18,017
Can't predict
anything at this point.
635
00:41:18,017 --> 00:41:20,561
We're just gonna try ‘em all
and one of ‘em
636
00:41:21,145 --> 00:41:22,771
might be the one
that makes the connections.
637
00:41:29,028 --> 00:41:30,112
All right-y.
638
00:41:30,196 --> 00:41:31,655
How much rope is up
there and how much do you need?
639
00:41:31,739 --> 00:41:33,908
About 40 meters is up there.
We got 40, plus 30.
640
00:41:33,908 --> 00:41:36,994
We are running
low on, uh, on resources.
641
00:41:37,745 --> 00:41:40,206
GILLY Food,
rigging bolts, rope.
642
00:41:40,456 --> 00:41:43,501
How many you got there?
Couple of extra carabiners.
643
00:41:43,501 --> 00:41:45,127
Six.
That's it, yeah?
644
00:41:45,628 --> 00:41:47,505
Yep.
We are...
645
00:41:47,505 --> 00:41:48,756
Are we ready?
646
00:41:51,300 --> 00:41:54,011
The entire team
is counting on us,
647
00:41:54,512 --> 00:41:57,515
so we're gonna burn
whatever resources we have.
648
00:41:59,725 --> 00:42:01,936
Bill's definitely, uh,
built for this.
649
00:42:01,936 --> 00:42:05,272
I mean he's, he has the optimism,
he has the determination
650
00:42:05,856 --> 00:42:07,566
to make stuff like this happen.
651
00:42:10,653 --> 00:42:16,659
It takes a certain personality and
Bill has a determination like no other.
652
00:42:22,289 --> 00:42:25,167
BILL There has to be
a way out of this room. It's too big.
653
00:42:25,417 --> 00:42:27,169
There's too much
air going into it,
654
00:42:27,253 --> 00:42:30,756
that there has to be some
sneak hole in the ceiling
655
00:42:31,340 --> 00:42:32,508
that is the way on.
656
00:42:32,508 --> 00:42:35,594
And so we gotta get up there
and get the team an answer.
657
00:42:50,067 --> 00:42:51,527
Woo-hoo!
658
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:55,531
You're out
there beyond support.
659
00:42:56,031 --> 00:42:57,866
So if you have a
time sensitive injury,
660
00:42:58,659 --> 00:43:02,454
say a compound
fractured leg, forget it.
661
00:43:03,831 --> 00:43:06,500
We're beyond a point
where rescue is possible.
662
00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,467
BILL I was scared to the
point where I had to tell myself
663
00:43:15,551 --> 00:43:19,430
to focus on what the hell I was doing
because there was nothing but
664
00:43:19,763 --> 00:43:23,142
crappy rock and
mud all over everything.
665
00:43:23,142 --> 00:43:26,353
Very few places to put bolts
or anything else to hang on.
666
00:43:33,986 --> 00:43:35,988
GILLY Meanwhile,
I'm kind of looking at the lead
667
00:43:35,988 --> 00:43:38,866
from the bottom and shining my light up
and kinda getting a sense
668
00:43:38,866 --> 00:43:41,577
for where we're going because
it's so dark in this room,
669
00:43:41,827 --> 00:43:43,954
that we can't even see where
we're trying to climb to and that's
670
00:43:44,663 --> 00:43:48,250
one of the huge challenges of doing
a dome climb in a place like this.
671
00:43:48,334 --> 00:43:49,793
You can't see
where you're going.
672
00:43:50,669 --> 00:43:53,380
We have not...
673
00:43:53,464 --> 00:43:55,674
Five meters!
674
00:43:55,841 --> 00:43:58,761
Five meters!
Okay, thank you.
675
00:44:00,763 --> 00:44:01,847
BILL We
didn't have enough rope.
676
00:44:02,306 --> 00:44:04,516
It was like half the length
of what we really wanted.
677
00:44:04,892 --> 00:44:07,978
And you're getting tired and your legs
are getting constricted.
678
00:44:08,062 --> 00:44:10,189
And the blood is not
flowing through your legs
679
00:44:10,189 --> 00:44:14,109
and you can only hang in a harness for
so long in a free-fall position like that.
680
00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:18,447
And it was like, looking up,
I realized there was like,
681
00:44:18,447 --> 00:44:21,992
six or eight bolt placements
to go and Gilly's telling me
682
00:44:22,076 --> 00:44:24,995
you got three meters
of dynamic rope left.
683
00:44:30,918 --> 00:44:33,087
BILL And
there's no easy way to bail out from that
684
00:44:33,420 --> 00:44:37,091
other than hanging on a single rock bolt
55 meters off the deck.
685
00:44:37,466 --> 00:44:39,593
And trusting whether that crappy
rock is gonna hold that bolt
686
00:44:39,677 --> 00:44:41,261
while you try to
get out of there.
687
00:44:41,345 --> 00:44:44,723
So there was a lot of
complicating thoughts going on
688
00:44:44,807 --> 00:44:46,975
in my mind while I was doing it.
689
00:44:56,276 --> 00:44:59,738
We reached it with just a very
short bit of, of rope to spare.
690
00:44:59,822 --> 00:45:01,699
- Okay!
Whoa!
691
00:45:01,699 --> 00:45:03,742
BILL Finally
finished that last piece
692
00:45:03,909 --> 00:45:07,955
to get the answer and, unfortunately,
it went up and walled out.
693
00:45:11,417 --> 00:45:12,918
Grab the rope.
694
00:45:20,884 --> 00:45:23,178
Oh my God.
So?
695
00:45:24,430 --> 00:45:25,973
(bleep)!
696
00:45:35,315 --> 00:45:37,526
Well this is it.
We're out of bolts, we're out of rope,
697
00:45:37,526 --> 00:45:42,614
and that down there is a
drop we can't free-climb down.
698
00:45:44,158 --> 00:45:45,659
BILL This
is the end of the line.
699
00:45:46,201 --> 00:45:48,537
We're out of
supplies and out of options.
700
00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:51,498
We spent the
entire month of April
701
00:45:51,582 --> 00:45:53,459
with some of the
best cavers in the world,
702
00:45:53,459 --> 00:45:56,628
by far, uh, down
there and we struck out.
703
00:46:00,090 --> 00:46:02,009
That climb was supposed to go.
704
00:46:05,429 --> 00:46:07,431
Shot a lot of resources on that.
705
00:46:10,601 --> 00:46:13,145
What I really
wish I had is like,
706
00:46:13,896 --> 00:46:16,148
through rock 3-D vision.
707
00:46:17,274 --> 00:46:19,693
Just see that it's
right over there.
708
00:46:23,322 --> 00:46:25,240
BILL You never
conquer anything down here.
709
00:46:25,324 --> 00:46:27,075
If anything the cave conquers you
710
00:46:27,576 --> 00:46:29,077
and so you go back and say, "All right,
711
00:46:30,287 --> 00:46:32,372
- we couldn't get through this time.
- What do we do to get through next time?"
712
00:46:33,290 --> 00:46:34,541
We're out of here.
713
00:46:35,584 --> 00:46:37,419
Was
a good, good last day.
714
00:46:40,881 --> 00:46:44,843
COREY I remain convinced
that it is 100% possible, uh,
715
00:46:44,927 --> 00:46:46,887
to get that world
depth record here.
716
00:46:47,554 --> 00:46:49,223
If you believe
something's there, if,
717
00:46:49,223 --> 00:46:52,684
if you believe it's worth doing,
then you're gonna keep trying
718
00:46:52,768 --> 00:46:56,355
to do it until, until
you either do it or die.
719
00:46:57,898 --> 00:46:59,441
BILL You know, the
thing that happened this year
720
00:46:59,525 --> 00:47:02,611
that was an epic, in my mind,
721
00:47:02,736 --> 00:47:06,782
was that we discovered 20 kilometers
of gigantic new tunnels,
722
00:47:06,782 --> 00:47:10,160
the scale of which are
unprecedented even in this cave.
723
00:47:23,549 --> 00:47:26,760
There's no question
about this project continuing.
724
00:47:26,844 --> 00:47:29,888
It is a multi-decadal,
multi-generational project
725
00:47:30,389 --> 00:47:36,353
that has the allure because it
is the hardest damn thing
726
00:47:36,353 --> 00:47:38,814
going in exploration.
727
00:47:45,445 --> 00:47:46,488
Hola!
728
00:47:46,572 --> 00:47:48,115
Hola, my friend.
Hola, my friend.
729
00:47:51,159 --> 00:47:53,161
Good to be
back in base camp.
730
00:47:53,829 --> 00:47:54,997
Oh yeah.
731
00:47:55,497 --> 00:47:58,542
Hi. How are you?
Good.
732
00:48:09,303 --> 00:48:10,971
I think it'll be good to,
733
00:48:10,971 --> 00:48:15,183
to not put, put myself
in this outfit every day.
734
00:48:17,227 --> 00:48:19,688
Oh.
Phew.
735
00:48:19,938 --> 00:48:23,901
My back is probably the, is probably
hurting the most right now.
736
00:48:36,538 --> 00:48:39,416
PABLO Chevé's the
first cave I've ever been to
737
00:48:39,416 --> 00:48:42,294
and it was pretty
awesome to experience it.
738
00:48:43,462 --> 00:48:46,423
I love filming
true expeditions
739
00:48:46,423 --> 00:48:48,634
where you don't know what
the outcome is gonna be.
740
00:48:48,634 --> 00:48:52,804
We're not fabricating a story.
This is, this is real exploration.
741
00:48:52,888 --> 00:48:58,477
I mean I, I feel
pretty damn lucky, you know?
742
00:49:02,230 --> 00:49:05,525
Mmm. Oh jeez.
743
00:49:08,028 --> 00:49:11,323
If we could have this at underground camp
we'd still be down there.
744
00:49:14,910 --> 00:49:20,666
BILL What I wanna do is be
here for that special moment
745
00:49:20,999 --> 00:49:26,171
when we realize the entire exploration
from the entrance to the resurgence.
746
00:49:26,171 --> 00:49:28,966
That, that will be special and that would
be worth being here for.
747
00:49:31,009 --> 00:49:32,344
And that will happen.
748
00:49:32,344 --> 00:49:34,513
You know, whether it
happens in one year,
749
00:49:34,513 --> 00:49:36,682
two years or ten years
it's gonna happen.
750
00:49:36,682 --> 00:49:39,017
This will be the
world's deepest cave.