For more than fifteen years theCentre Terre association hasbeen exploring the limestone

islands of Patagonian Chile.Over six expeditions we’ve madesome exceptional discoveries: marbleglaciers; rock ’comets’; the biggestcaves in southern South America; newspecies of animals; prehistoric whalebones in a gigantic cave.And also rock art and archaeologicalremains of the Kawesqar Indians, thefirst inhabitants of the islands.

These discoveries have allowed theregion to be classified as the Madre deDios Natural Reserve by the Chileangovernment.

So… we’ve explored everything?

Discovered everything?

At 51°25 south lies the southernmostof the limestone islands: Diego deAlmagro.

Fifteen years ago we just touched thisisland at the end of the earth—battered by constant violent windsand flushed by the highest rainfall on earth.This deserted island is defended fromthe sea by cliffs and steep terrain withthe less steep places covered inimpenetrable forests.In 1997 we explored nothing morethan a single cave during a very shortstop. Clearly, it still holds more secrets.

It is to this island that we’ll be returning to in 2014.

Objectives: explore,

understand, share…

From documentary films to popular articles inNational Geographic, Terre Sauvage or Grands

Reportages, a daily blog, and most recently in abeautiful book: “The Island of Marble Glaciers” Centre

Terre is committed to disseminating its findings to the public. It will be the same for

this expedition in 2014…

The limestone islands of Patagonia, amongthem Madre de Dios, form a truly uniquekarst environment that little by little our

expeditions have revealed…

The discovery of extraordinarylandscapes and fantastic caverns is the primary motivation for thisnew expedition into virgin territory.We are going to explore andinventory the limestone areas that are the most southerly on earth!

Their extreme climate, with theeight metres of rain they receiveannually has sculpted andperforated them to form uniqueland forms and untouched cavesystems.From the summit of ‘Pic de l’Avenir’that dominates the island, rightdown to sea level where theunderground rivers emerge there is an entire system to undergrounddrainage to understand.Pits, caves, springs, all just waiting to be explored!

ExploreDescend a 50 m wet pit in 1997

Dive the resurgencein 1997

Explore cavesin marble

Discovery is never enough. We will studythe island, carry out scientific research,map the caves, catalogue the flora and fauna—such are our objectives.We’ll measure the exceptionaldissolution rate of the limestonesurfaces, we’ll study the spectacularmarine notches left by past sea levels,we’ll study the indicators left by the last glaciers.We’ll be searching for elusive traces of the Kawesqar Indians there too, just aswe did with such success on Madre deDios. These forgotten people who oncetravelled the canals in fragile canoes and whose last traces may still bepreserved in shelter of the caves.As with Madre de Dios, our ultimateobjective is to contribute to the protectionof the fragile, exceptional environment.First as a nature reserve and ultimatelyto add these limestone islands to theWorld Heritage List.

Understand

Prospect the Diego de Almagrokarst during a storm in 1997

A smooth inclined slab:the influence of wind on

karst formation.

Will we find on Diego deAlmagro traces of the

Kawesqar Indians as wedid on Madre de Dios?

Our “cabin” on a deserted islandThe island is 150 km from the nearesthabitation at Puerto Natales.Once it leaves us on the island our boatthat will return to port for two months.We will have to build our own ‘life bubble’to protect us from the ravages of theespecially wild climate.At the same time making sure thateverything is completely removable so as to leave no trace on the ecology.From this central base we will spread out in small groups to explore the rest of the island.Our expertise at working in thisenvironment is based on sound, practisedlogistics using the latest technologies.

A proven teamThe strength of our team lies in the long-standing friendships that unite us, and ourwide range of complementary skills.These cover areas as diverse as geology,geomorphology, biology, cave diving,photography, cinema, and media…Supporting exploration and research, this assures us a global approach to caveexploration.Our group is familiar with the latestexplorations techniques and so is able tocarry out such demanding explorationswith optimal safety and to report qualityscientific observations in full partnershipwith scientific organisations such as theCNRS.

ShareIf we don’t tell the world about it, it doesn’t exist!

Reporting the fruits of our exploration bysatellite link and share our adventures andour discoveries beyond specialised circles toa wider audience is our goal.During our previous expeditions, ourInternet site and forum was assiduouslyfollowed by tens of thousands of Internet‘explorers’ who were able to follow ourexplorations in real time.As in 2010 we’ll partner an ambitiousproject with French National Education toencourage a sense of research andadventure amongst French schoolchildren.We expect to organise videoconferenceswith students, as we did on our previousexpedition, from this far away island.There will also be articles in the press, anda documentary film for television tocomplete the trilogy that chronicles theadventures of Centre Terre since 1997.

Total Engagement

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Ushuaia

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Cape Horn

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Diego de AlmagroIsland

Madre de Dios

PROVISIONAL PLANNING• 10 October 2013: container

of equipment leaves• 3 January 2014: team

leaves France• 10 January: sailing to

Diego de Almagro• 5/6 February: the January

team is relieved by the Februaryteam

• 5 March: press conference in Santiago

• 7 March: return to France.

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We have the rare, if not unique privilege, to walkthe last virgin lands of the earth, as majorgeographical expeditions once did in days goneby, but with the addition of the 21st centurytechnology.Our goal is to push the frontiers of knowledge byexploring still further, and to inform those whocan’t reach these extreme landscapes: thescientists, the general public, and to instil a senseof adventure in the next generation.

The marble glaciers of Diego de Almagro and thecaves of Patagonia: an exceptional place, where welive the dreams that inspire us.If these values are yours, if explore, understandand share are words that resonate with you, joinus on this great human adventure:

become a partnerwith Ultima

Patagonia 2014

A team of specialists

Join us…

Bernard Tourte

Expedition leader:France2000 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 |president Centre Terre, caver, France

Marcelo AgüeroFaridoni

Expedition leader:Chile2006 | 2008 | 2010, Centre Terre representative in Chile

Richard Maire

Scientific coordinator1995 | 1997 | 2000 | 2006 |2008 | 2010 | karstologist CNRS, caver, France

Sylvain Boutonnet2006 | 2010 | caver,France

Franck Bréhier2006 | 2008 | diver, caver,biologist, France

Serge Caillault2000 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010caver, photographer,France

Florian Chenu2010 | caver, France

Pierre de Coninck2000 | 2010 | caver,biologist, France

Luc-Henri Fage1997 | 2000 | 2006 | 2008caver, cinematographer,France

Olivier Guérard2008 | 2010 | caver,France

Jean-Marc Honiat2008 | caver, France

Stéphane Jaillet2000 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010karstologist, CNRS, caver,France

Vanessa Kysel2010 | caver, France

Stéphane Maiffret2006 | 2008 | caver,France

Sebastian Martini2006 | 2008 | geologist,Chile

Laurent Mestre2008 | diver, caver,France

Denis Morales2008 | 2010 | caver,France

Natalia Moratacaver, Chile, Catalonia

Laurent Morel2006 | 2008 |instrumentation: Univ.Lyon, caver, France

José Mulot2010 | caver, France

Michel Philips1997 | 2000 | diver, caver,France

Jean-PhilippeToustou2006 | 2008 | 2010 |caver, France

Alan Warild2000 | 2006 | 2008 |diver, caver, Australia

Benjamin Weber2008| caver, France

Centre Terre France: Bernard Tourte25 rue Louis-de-Broglie 31100 Toulouse - FranceE-mail: btourte@speleo.frPhone/Fax +335 34 60 95 63

Centre Terre Chile: Marcelo Agüero FaridoniAvenida Blanco Encalada 1823, depto. 405Santiago de ChilePhone: cell. +569 66173013E-mail : marcelo@unlimited-nature.cl

Centre Terre is an association under law 1901, created 23 June 1992,affiliated with the Fédération Françaisede Spéléologie whose philosophy canbest be summed up with the phrase: “explore and study tobetter protect”. Authorised to receive donations and givetax-deductible receipts.

www.centre-terre.fr