A team of Italian experts in diving and high altitude medicine are sharing their studies with the Bolivian Naval Force, in the Titicaca Lake. They have four missions: training and equipping the Navy; scientific research; cultural exploration and want to mark a record dive. The last of these points is the one that led to the arrival of the Diving Center Mont Blanc, Italy.

“This expedition was born as an initiative of some divers, lovers of a region of Italy, and like Bolivia, is Mediterranean. Divers are accustomed to do in mountain lakes “referred Luigi Chiara, Ambassador of that country.

The diplomat explained they thought about Bolivia since Titicaca Lake is the largest and highest in the world, so two years ago, the team began to make contact with their embassy in Bolivia, NGOs and with the Bolivian Navy.

“We are five Italian divers, a cinema operator, two specialists and a trainer. We are here two weeks already and we are making progress in achieving deeper dives deeper day by day. So far we have reached 50 meters. On Sunday or Monday, depending on our health, we’ll try a depth of 80 meters, “said Gaetano Aiello, head of the 2011 Titicaca Expedition.

To dive 80 meters deep in a lake at 3,812 meters above sea level (masl) would constitute a world record, according to Ambassador De Chiara, who noted that this team has already achieved a mark of 60 meters in a lake at 2,800 masl. He explained that while the expedition was conceived with this initiative in mind, now plans are underway to meet the three other missions while in the country.

It highlights the scientific research, including evidence through an outpatient team on high mountain medicine, high altitude medicine; findings are shared with the Bolivian Navy. Another objective is also to share equipment and training with Bolivian divers, and a “cultural research”, in the sense that doing these dives it also intended to see whether there are archaeological sites.

http://www.la-razon.com/version.php?ArticleId=141026&EditionId=2713

Some years back, our beautiful lake was also visited by Jacques Cousteau. If you haven’t visited yet, come!! I remember when I stood at the highest point in Sun Island, at 4,000 masl, looking at that special blue this lake offers… come!!