Avenc de la Sivinota

A circular entrance just over 1 metre in diameter gives access to a magnificent shaft, fusiform in shape and 106 metres in vertical drop. At one end of its base a narrow shaft 12 metres deep opens, reaching the level of -118.

At 33 metres above the base of the shaft a wide window opens, giving access to a lateral shaft 54.5 metres deep. Its base is about 4 metres wide and extends for 20 metres until at its end a small 3-metre shaft is found, at the bottom of which the point of maximum depth is reached.

The third exploration was also epic; in September 1953 members of the GES decided to descend and ascend the shaft using a new technique that allowed them not to have to transport more than 100 metres of ladders: The explorers were lowered and raised by means of a rope that passed through a pulley “solidly” secured over the entrance of the pit. A second rope acted as a safety rope thanks to a Prusik knot that joined it by a sling to the explorer's waist. In this way, whoever descended or ascended had to try to keep the Prusik knot loose so that it would slide along the safety rope. In case of rupture of the hauling rope, the Prusik knot would become constricted on the safety rope and would hold the explorer. All went well until it was Lluís Muntan's turn to ascend. When he was halfway down the pit, with more than 50 metres below his feet, the pulley of the hauling rope tore off. Fortunately, the safety system worked as planned and, when the Prusik knot became constricted, Muntan was left hanging from the safety rope. (Account taken from “Avencs i coves”, Francesc Vicens, 1958).

Our friend Lluís Muntan gives us the account of his experience in more detail: All went well until it was Lluís Muntan's turn to ascend. When he was halfway down the pit, with more than 50 metres below his feet, the rigging tore off, large stones falling down. Muntan heard them pass brushing against his body. Fortunately they did not touch him and the safety system worked as planned; when the Prusik knot became constricted, Muntan was left hanging from the safety rope until, at the top, they fixed the rigging. He began the ascent again and after a few metres it tore off again and stones fell down once more. And again he heard the whirring very close to his body. Quite an experience, which he still remembers as if it were today. The luck was that 20 metres from the entrance there is a ledge that diverted the stones. Otherwise, they would surely have hit him and crushed him, since the shaft, as you well know, is completely bell-shaped.

Again members of the GES, in May 1961, during a new exploration and performing a spectacular pendulum more than 30 metres above the base of the shaft, manage to reach a window that leads them to a lateral shaft (Via Pèndol) where they were able to reach the maximum depth of the cavity.

Toponymy: For more than 80 years, since Font i Sagué, the name of the pit had been wrongly written Sibinota, when Sivinota seems more correct, coming from sivina, a dialectal form of savina (Juniperus phoenicea).