Our tanks have made the 1,500km journey from Guangzhou to Yunnan. That was the easy part: the last couple of kilometers were a bit more challenging.

Tanks and other scuba equipment were loaded on small boats.

Scuba equipment being loaded on small boats.

While the tanks and other scuba equipment got a ride on boats, for divers and climbers, it was a half an hour hike. The path was occasionally a bit narrow and slippery, and with 30m drop on one side, not exactly relaxing.

The height difference from Fuxian lake to the cave entrance is only 24m (about an 8-storey building), but with ropes and tanks to carry, it wasn't an easy climb.

Gallup and Victor hauling equipment. One tank at the time...

We had help for the heavy stuff...

Gallup takes a rest while Club 1722 members start setting up abseiling lines. A local mountain climbing and cave explorers' club assited us to get down to the water.

For this trip, we needed not just scuba equipment, but some climbing equipment as well.

It looks like a long way down...

Kwok gearing up for the descent.

Kwok making his way to the cave dive site.

Johnny's turn to get a crash course on abseiling. We did manage without any crashes, though.

Anssi descending with ropes.

Finally down.

Gallup, Steve and Anssi already down watching the abseiling action.

And still a bit of tank carrying was required...

The slope was much steeper in real life than what it looks like in photos.

Tanks are almost there.

The gang in a pre-dive photo-op.

Victor and Anssi entering the rock.

For some reason there are no good photos taken underwater in this cave.

Diving can be dirty business...

...really dirty.

Those clothes were a write-off.

After dive group photo. Dirty and tired, but back up in the rain.

Lake Fuxian at dusk.

There could be worse settings.

Is there a cave there?

Cave entrances are different. Johnny and Kwok entering a cave literally under tree roots.

Johnny and Kwok congratulate each other after a successful dive.