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Puerto Rico Eco-Tours |
RÃo Camuy
Caves Park :
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The first expedition to these caves was in 1958 that included National Geographic cave writers, Russell and Jeanne Gurnee along with Bob and Dorothy Rebille, and a Puerto Rican doctor, José Limeres, all avid spelunkers. Their short foray into the system convinced them that the caves should be preserved and protected. They managed to convince the Puerto Rican government to purchase the 300 acres surrounding the main cave entrance. Later, with the help of the Speleological Society of Puerto Rico, the group managed to explore and map this extensive subterranean system and was instrumental in the parks creation in 1986. During one of their forays the Gurnee's discovered a new, blind species of fish, which was named Alaweckelia gurneei in their honor. Today, over 10 miles of caverns, 220 caves and 17 entrances to the Camuy cave system have been mapped between the surrounding towns of Hatillo, Camuy and Lares. As well two other systems have been discovered: the Sistema del RÃo Encantada, a 10-mile system that runs between the towns of Ciales, Florida and ManatÃ, and the RÃo Tanamá system. This, however, is only a fraction of the entire system which many experts believe still holds another 800 caves. The 300-acre Camuy site contains 16 large caverns including Clara de Empalme Cave, a massive 180-foot-high cavern decorated with huge stalagmites and stalactites. The RÃo Camuy Caves Park is located 11 miles southwest of Arecibo on Hwy 129 and due to the ecological sensitivity of the area only a specific number of visitors are allowed into the park each day. Visitor numbers are regulated by limiting the seats on the trolleys and the number of daily tours. Before entering the cave system, visitors are shown a short audio/video presentation documenting how the caverns were formed and the park rules. Following the presentation visitors board waiting open-air trolleys for the descent into the caverns. |
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Tucked away in the lush northwest corner of Puerto
Rico, about 50 miles west of San Juan, is one of the island's best kept secrets; the Rio Camuy Caves. The cave system, which gets its name from the 13-mile-long Camuy River, forms the third-largest cave system in the Western Hemisphere. The process that created the caves started almost 160 million years ago when, after being thrust upwards from the Caribbean Sea to form the western half of the island. Rainwater and wind over time eroded the surface of the plateau forming large sinkholes and rounded hummocks called magotes, characteristic of what we now call a 'karst' landscape. The process of erosion continues today, helped along by the dense vegetation that blankets the region. Some of this vegetation produces carbon dioxide which, when absorbed by rainwater, forms a mild carbonic acid which further dissolves the porous limestone.
For the more adventurous and those in good
physical health, there are tour operators and outfitters that offer
offering real backcountry spelunking. One especially adventurous trip
called, the 'Angeles,' starts out with a 4x4 ride into the karst interior
around Lares followed by a zipline ride down into a dense forest. The
zipline ride consists of putting on a harness and sliding down a wire
cable. At the end of the zipline, wanna-be spelunkers are outfitted with
special harnesses and headgear and rappel 200 feet down into a sinkhole.
A short swim across an underground pool at the base of the sinkhole, is followed by a slide down a mudslide to the waiting waters of the RÃo Camuy River. After an hour or so of body rafting through dark underground channels and caves you exit into another sinkhole where you climb back out into the light. Similar, but longer and more strenuous trips are available on the RÃo Tanamá. Groups are small (6-8 people) and the trips attract people of all ages who are in good physical health.
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A Custom tour package can include: |
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Fajardo Tours Eco Adventures, Fajardo PR. Kayak trips to biodiversity area in Laguna Grande, discussion of the ecosystems, mangroves, location, the lighthouse, and of course about the dinoflagelades. Also providing 45 minute catamaran trip from the Fajardo Marina to Icacos. At Icacos Beach around 11:00 am we give beach instruction as where to go and snorkeling lessons. A buffet lunch is served at the catamaran. Here you will experience the diversity of coral reef and visually interact with all kind of marine life. |
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