Middle Atlas Morocco

mrodoc

Well-known member
I am researching the exploration done in the Taza area of the Middle Atlas and currently having problems finding a publication on the 1965 trip to Friouato and Chiker caves. Some major finds were made by cave divers Mike Wooding and Mike Jeanmaire but so far the British Caving Library hasn't located anything. Anybody know anybody who went on that trip?!
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Isn't there something in the 1965 HWCPC Journal? Or maybe in Dave Stewart's personal cave diving log? Both are available on Mick Melvin's excellent website: http://www.happywanderers.org.uk/

 

Leclused

Active member
mrodoc said:
I have now without success!

I found this French report where the dive in 1965 is mentioned

http://www.gsbm.fr/publications/gsbm/1984_gsbm11/1984_GSBM11_14_Friouato.pdf

Perhaps you have it already
 

Leclused

Active member
Another write up in french states that the S2 is still waiting to be dived

https://www.tazekka.com/friouato.html
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
Thank for that Leclused. That web page is very helpful.  You might be interested to know that in 1976 I found with a couple of others the probable downstream continuation of Chiker but have not persuaded anybody to revisit or check to see whether it is still accessible.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
HWPC page no help unfortunately.  Wish I knew who else had been on the 1965 Morocco trip. It was pretty ground breaking. Some members of SWCC went there in 65 but really didn't do any caving apart from a brief peek at the entrance chamber of Friouato.  Must share a story with you - hoping not to upset our American cousins:
When we visited Friouato cave in 1976 some American tourists came by (surprisingly on their own).  Now Friouato is a bit like a hyped up GG without a stream.  The surface opening must be over 50 metres across and it bells out dropping to 100+m.  You can get down via steps along the side of the shaft. So, one of the Yanks asks"Was this dug out by primitive man?" "Well, no it's natural" one team member explains. He then goes on to tell them a bit about caves eventually stating the longest cave in the world is in fact in the USA ie Mammoth Cave on Flint Ridge. "Wow", they said, "We come from Flint Ridge!". They had never heard of Mammoth Cave!  It took me another 35 years but I eventually ended up crawling under Flint Ridge on a Mammoth Cave through trip.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
I am drawing blanks in my researches. Does anybody out there know anybody who was on the British Speleological Expedition to Morocco in 1965 exploring Friouato and Chiker caves. They found a lot of passage but we cannot find an expedition report in the BC library. Mike Wooding and Mike Jeanmaire now both sadly deceased were definitely on the trip as there is an extension in Chiker named after them!
 

Leclused

Active member
French report with history and name of  Bob Campbell as leader

https://docplayer.fr/208359575-1-expedition-friouato-chiker.html

Part of the text

par Bob CAMPBELL et comprenant des plongeurs vide, avec une pompe fonc-tionnant ? l'essence, le 1er siphon (ce qui leur posera d'?normes problemes du fait de l'absence d'?vacuation des gaz d'?chappement) ?


I wil search tomorrow a bit more
 

Leclused

Active member
some extra info

I used the following french search : chiker speleo exp?dition maroc

Report of french expedition in 1982 - chiker
https://rapports-expeditions.ffspeleo.fr/1982-999.pdf

1984
https://www.gsbm.fr/publications/gsbm/1984_gsbm11/1984_GSBM_11.pdf

Perhaps you can contact Le Club Alpin Fran?ais de Casablanca. They also do caving in the area, they might have some info

their site : https://cafmaroc.ffcam.fr/speleo.html
mentioned in the following report : http://wittamdoun.free.fr/documents/CAF_casa_1987.pdf

 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Dave's around - I occasionally bump into him in the Dales.

If you ask around folk from his generation, there's a good chance someone will know how to contact him. (I have a vague memory that he told me he looks at this forum from time to time. You might put a request on here for him to contact you?
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
Good idea will do!  Leclused's post helped me in one way - confirming a suspicion that one Cerberus 'find' in the 80's had been visited be before (I was able to compare surveys!).
 

anehili

New member
last week i was in Chiker Cave, i'm also looking for this 1965 publication but seems it not found anywhere, i read that French caver emptied the sump but the report doesn't provide a lot of data.
if you any one have data about the touristic installation history I'll take it
 
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