Morca cave is situated within the same geological formation of the two deepest caves in Turkey, Taseli Plato with an entrance of 200-meter higher elevation compared to the two of them. Theoretically it can reach to -1600 meters depth. It has the potential to be the deepest cave in Turkey and among the first 10 deepest caves in the world. Since 2012, we have been exploring on and off due to other cave explorations and focused our attention during summer time solely on Morca from 2017 onwards.
With 28 cavers from Turkey, Bulgaria, Lebanon and USA, we spent 30 days to further explore Morca Cave from its current depth of -919 meters. In August 2019, totally 6 days of raining also tampered the exploration but we managed to reach a depth of -1240 meters. The last team left the exploration where there was a 15 meter pit, with no rope at hand. Due to karstic character of Taseli Plateau, it was our dream to reach an underground river underneath it and we have managed to do that. From the entrance to -1240 meters, 8 side galleries are joining to Morca and only one of them is fossil, the rest carry water in variations of volume. Thus this shows that Morca is a system cave yet fully waiting to be explored. The total surveyed length is over 4 kms. The numbers yet to be officially scrutinized but it is safe to mention them.
Aside from the sportive exploration, we had scientific studies conducted. Our caver geologists took samples of stones, mud and debris to determine the characteristics of Morca geologically and its morphology. The reseach is ongoing and still not completed. We also made a dye test at the end of the cave and also put active carbons to possible surgences. We also took biological samples which are to be examined.
We also documented the exploration by video shooting. Hopefully we will have a good documentary at hand to watch and share with people.
Apart from Morca Cave, we also explored other potential caves that might connect to the side galleries in Morca.
With -1240 meters of depth, Morca became the 3rd deepest cave in Turkey and also rank at 43th deepest cave in the world, for now.
We thank the official sponsors from 2018 and 2019 below for their support to the explorations:
- 2018 NSS USA
- 2019 European Speleological Federation
- 2019 Speleo Club Du Liban (Technical Equipment)
- 2019 Aventure Verticale for caving bags and chest harnesses
- 2019 Korda’s
- 2019 The Robertson Association for funding of the dye test
Presenter: Teodor Kisimov
Оrganization: Caving club “Prista” – Ruse
Section: Cave explorations and expeditions
Type: oral presentation
Short bio of the presenter:
Teodor Kisimov has more than 25 years of speleological experience in Caving club “Prista” – Ruse. He participated in a number of significant caving expeditions, some of which are: Turkey – Caves: EGMA (-1429 m), Kuzgun (-1400 m), Morca (-1240 m), Pinargozu (+720 m), etc.; Abkhazia – Caves: Kruber-Voronia (-2080 m in 2005 and -2145 in 2013), Snejnaya-Mejonaya-Iluzia (-1756 m); Slovenia (Chehi 2), Albania/Maja Arapit, Serbia (Lazareva pecina) and many others.
Teodor Kisimov
