Brian Kakuk

Diving history:

1980 - Certified Open Water Diver (PADI).
1983 - Certified US Navy Second Class Diver / Hyperbaric Chamber Operator.
1986 - Certified Dive Master (PADI).
1988 - Certified by US Navy as Hyperbaric Chamber Operator for Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC), Andros Island, Bahamas.
1992 - Certified by US Navy as Hyperbaric Chamber Supervisor (AUTEC).
1992 - Certified by US Navy as Diver / Helicopter Operations Supervisor (AUTEC).
1993 - Certified Full Cave Diver by NACD and NSS-CDS.
1994 - Certified Mixed Gas / Deep Air Diver by Sheck Exley (DEEP INC.) and IANTD.
1996 - Certified Open Water Diving Instructor, Medic-First Aid Instructor - NITROX Instructor (PADI) and DAN Oxygen Instructor.

Cave diving experience:

Although not officially certified as a cave diver until 1993, I have been conducting deep air exploration dives in caves and blue holes on Andros Island, Bahamas since 1990. On Andros I was employed as a contract diver, as well as a hyperbaric chamber operator and supervisor for the US Navy from 1988 to 1995. Currently I have "logged" over 500 cave dives. Of these dives, 175 are to depths of over 200 ft., 25 are to depths of over 300 ft., and 6 are to depths of over 400 ft. I have been conducting mixed gas exploration dives on Andros Island and the Exuma Cays since 1994.

The majority of the dives I have conducted have been solo exploration and survey dives, usually using side-mount or no-mount diving configurations. I have conducted exploration dives in the Bahamas, United States, Belize, and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

Since 1995 I have been employed by the Caribbean Marine Research Center located on Lee Stocking Island, Exuma Cays, Bahamas, where I hold the position of Diving Safety Officer. At the research center I have conducted many science related cave dives for numerous marine biologists and geologists, which include the collection of various new cave species and speleothem samples for identification and analysis from depths to 280 ft. I have also conducted many exploration dives in the area, including preliminary exploration of 31 separate cave systems as well as extending the known boundaries of four others, exceeding 40,000 feet of new surveyed passages.

Articles pertaining to explorations:

Cave Trekking The Inner Bahamas by Paul J. Hearty, Ph.D. The 1996 Bahamas Handbook and Businessmen's Annual, Etienne Dupuch, Jr. Publications Ltd. Nassau, Bahamas. A story of my explorations in caves on Andros Island, Bahamas.

Diving the Faultlines of Andros by Brian J. Kakuk. Bahamas Journal of Science Media Enterprises Nassau, Bahamas, and Underwater Speleology. A scientific article on faultline caves on Andros Island, Bahamas.

Solving the Mysteries of Mystery Cave by Brian J. Kakuk. Underwater Speleology. An article on the exploration of Mystery Cave, Stocking Island, Exuma, Bahamas.

The end of the line in Conch Sound Blue Hole by Brian J. Kakuk The Nassau Gaurdian An article on the exploration of Conch Sound Blue Hole, Andros Island, Bahamas.

Most significant dives:

August 1992 - Deepest personal air cave dive: Depth 354 ft. 1,200 ft. swim from entrance. Guardian Blue Hole, Andros.

January 1993 - Longest personal deep air cave dive: Depth 251 ft. Bottom time 66 min. Total dive time 6 hrs. 57 min. Guardian Blue Hole, Andros.

June 1994 - Third deepest cave dive in the Bahamas: Depth 416 ft. Little Frenchman Blue Hole, Andros. (Mixed gas).

October 1994 - Second deepest cave dive in the Bahamas: Depth 436 ft. Guardian Blue Hole, Andros. This dive represents one of the deepest traverses ever conducted between two cave entrances. The dive was started by side-mounting through a major restriction entrance 1,438 ft. from the exit. 110 ft. of line was laid at depths between 410 ft. and 436 ft. Decompression was started 1,200 ft. from the exit at a depth of 270 ft. and continued during the traverse toward the exit. (Mixed gas). Deepest cave in the Bahamas is Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island at a depth of 663 ft. (J. King).

April 1996 - Longest personal marine cave penetration: Distance 4,472 ft. Depth 113 ft. This is the second longest marine cave penetration in the world. Conch Sound Blue Hole, Andros. Longest marine cave is Tunel de la Atlantida, Canary Islands at 4,637 ft. (O. Isler).

June 1996 - Team member of Systema Ejido Jacinto Pat Exploration Project. During this two week project the team laid over 40,000 feet of line in the shallow Yucatan system. My position on the team was one of trying to connect other systems to the main cave, usually by extreme side-mount or no-mount situations. My most significant dive of the project came when I was able to connect Marravilla Cenote cave system to the Systema Ejido Jacinto Pat cave system by no mounting through a tiny passage now known as the Mouse Hole. The connection allowed over 40,000 feet of passage to be added to the

Systema Ejido Jacinto Pat cave system. This project established the Systema Ejido Jacinto Pat cave as the world's longest underwater cave system at a total of 186,772 feet of surveyed passage. Personal maximum penetration during this project was 6,300 ft.

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