WAH RYNGO - KHONGRENG (Krem)

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 04/07/2016

An apparently south or south-west facing cave entrance without identified shape or dimensions (Anonymous, undated 2000 "Krem Wah Ryngo" nude silhouette) gives access to a dendritic exsurgence cave, aligned NNW–SSE and draining the area east of Umthe village and part of the western flank of the Shnongrim Ridge below the villages of Lelad (Lailad, Leilad) and Tangnub (Tangnoob). Several feeders (tributary inlets) unite to form a seasonal exssurgence cave, which is believed to carry a so-called »sizeable volume« of water (without identified delivery) in the wet season. The cave is formed mainly in what appears to be calcareous sandstone and sandy (arenaceous) limestone (Brooks, S. J. 2000.05.31 Mss). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi noun "rynga (rnga, r'nga)" and Synteng "ryngo" is »charcoal.« SITUATION: For true believers venerating digital gadgets, the cave is believed (Brooks, Simon J. 2000.05.31 Mss: Krem Wah Ryngo) to lie at a linear distance of 900 m on bearing of approximately 133° (south-east) from an unknown spot somewhere in the vicinity of Umthe village. APPROACH: To reach Krem Wah Ryngo (Entrance 1), take a track to S or SE of Umthe (note 1) in direction of the old, abandoned coal mining camp (note 2). Some 600 m from the village of Umthe and at the spot (without any GPS position) where track turns west to mining camp, take first path to S/SE. As track (not GPS recorded) descends into bamboo forest (note 3) it becomes more defined. Ascend slightly to enter open area. Path then crosses the large dry seasonal stream channel (not GPS recorded) of the Wah Ryngo. Follow channel / bed east (upstream) to meet cave entrance (note 4) after 100 m at the foot of a 4 m high cliff. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000a: A wide but low entrance (Brooks: 4 by 1.2 m; anonymous survey data: 6 by 1 m) to a steep slope (survey: -55°) of large cobbles (indicating a massive seasonal flow of water) descends to a cave passage (4 m wide, 1.8 m high) that runs to the north-east for 250 m whereupon it divides into two separate feeders (250 m Junction). A low crawl (6 m wide, 1 m high) east leads to a larger, cobble floored passage (up to 6 m wide and 3 m high) that terminates in a second entrance (Krem –>Khongreng, monkey shit entrance), a free climbable 20 m shaft emerging in a dry streambed at the base of a cliff. From this easterly passage, two major passages run south to unite and terminate in large chamber avens. From 250 m Junction, a seasonal stream cave (2.5 m wide, 1.8 m high) runs to NNW for approximately 400 m to Four Way Junction. Side passages north and south close after 100 m. Main passage continues NNW for further 100 m where passage divides near Blind White Cave Fish Pool (note 5). To the east, a stooping sandstone floored passage (4 m wide, 1.5 m high) runs for 250 m to a junction. To the west, a larger passage (4 m wide, 2.5 m high, containing speleothems) runs for 250 m to meet east passage. Beyond this point the passage increases in size (5 by 3 m) and runs north then east to meet a large boulder choke. To east, a walking size passage continues for 60 m to terminate in boulders. To north side of choke a climb up slabs gives access to walking size passage (2 m wide, 4 m high) that circumnavigates the north side of the choke to terminate again in boulders. Aven in roof (+6 m) to daylight and »JRO« (IRO?) entrance shaft (Brooks 2000.05.31 Mss: Krem Wah Ryngo). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000b: »Around 2.5 km of stream passage and very complex joint controlled side passages, often of large dimension« (DOWSWELL 2000a). CAVE CONTENTS: Most passages are floored with loosely cemented cobbles (3 to 10 cm in diameter). Large crests of silt and gravel are found in the large passages and chambers. Speleothems are found in avens and the large upstream passages. Flood debris (branches, bamboo sticks) adorns the cave. PROSPECTS: In spite of »small side passages remaining« the original explorers arrived at reporting this cave is »fully explored« (read: entered) and considered the »prospects are minimal« without listing unexplored leads. CAVE LIFE: According to Brooks (2000.05.31 Mss: Krem Wah Ryngo), there are "snot gobblers" (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), "white" (pale) woodlice (Isopoda), apparently »blind white« (eyeless and pale) cave fish in the north-eastern branch of the cave (5 to 7 cm long, similar to those caught in Synrang –>Pamiang in 1999), snail shells (empty, at most places in cave). Daniel B. Harries in: KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 42) says »Simon Brooks (pers. comm.) reports that fishes very similar in appearance to Schistura papulifera [Balituridae, loach] were seen in … Krem Wah Ryngo, in the Sutnga area [sic! for: Nongkhlieh elaka] 30 km NE of Synrang Pamiang. Their habitat was similar.«KOTTELAT et al. (2007: 43 table 2) list »Krem Wah Ryngo« among the caves in the »Sutnga area« (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid catfish (loach) Schistura prob. papulifera (Teleostei: Balituridae) has been recorded: »Date: Feb 2001 T. Chapman: White loaches seen in pools of standing water.«

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 04/07/2016

NOTE 1: Umthe village 25°16'05”"N: 92°28'38.5”E [WGS84, 900 m on 213° from Krem Wah Ryngo, Brooks, S J 2000.05.31 Mss). NOTE 2: Old (abandoned) miners's camp near (±13 m) Umthe 25°16'06”N: 92°28'48”E: 833 m (WGS84, Brooks, S J 2000.02.2012-channel GPS). NOTE 3: »Out of 136 species of bamboos found in India, 63 species in 22 genera are found in North-East India, spread over an area of 30,500 square kilometres. Distribution patterns of bamboos in the region reveal that the species of Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Dinochloa, Cephalostachyum and Neohouzeoua are mostly confined to the lower altitude ranging between sea level and 600 m asl. Species of Arundinaria, Chimonobambusa, Semiarundinaria, Sinobambusa, Thamnocalamus and Phyllostachys are found in altitudes between 800 and 3500 m. The largest contribution to the growing stock is from Dendrocalamus strictus (45%), followed by Melocanna baccifera (20%), Bambusa bambos (13%), D. hamiltonii (7%) and B. tulda (5%), with the rest sharing 6%. About 25 species of bamboo are considered rare in North-East India« (RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR 2003). NOTE 4: Not less than three painfully diverging GPS positions were recorded: N25°15'24.6": E092°29'25.6": 826 m (unspecified precision error, WGS84, Brooks, S J & 12-channel Garmin 2000.02.20); N25°15'28.2": E092°29'06.6": 782 m (unspecified precision error, unidentified geodetic datum, unreliable 4-channel Magellan, originally N25°15.47': E092°29.11' Kharpran Daly, B D 2000.02.20); N25°15' 17": E092°29'15" (cave survey off Krem –>Khongreng). NOTE 5: Please note the difference between caves coloured »blind white« and seeing white. Personally, I suspect a blind person's "white" is black.

Documents

Bibliography 04/07/2016

Brooks, Simon J 2000a, 2000b; Brown, Mark & Dowswell, Peter N F 2000; Dowswell, Peter N F 2000a, 2000b; Jarratt, Anthony 'Tony' R 2001b; Kharpran Daly, Brian D 2004, s a 2006; Kottelat, Maurice, Daniel "R" [B] Harries & Proudlove, Graham A 2007.

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1999.04.02: Milan Lamare (Ladmyrsiang) reported the cave name to B. D. Kharpran Daly.2000.02.20: Simon J. Brooks, Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt, Spindro Dkhar, Peter N. F. Dowswell, Amanda Edgeworth, Katharina "Kate" Janossy, Kirsten McCullough, George Nongklaw, Fraser Simpson and Neil Sootinck surveyed 762 m, guided by Larsing Sukhlain and assisted by Jai Bajoh, Inituddin Chaudry, Midlong Murong, Renon Nomwar, Dahun Nongtdu, Cherab Pajok, Nevarlic Suja and Jasper Sutong: »Kirsten, Mandy, Fraser, six local kids and I commenced surveying, videoing and learning to cave (the kids) from the entrance while the others pressed on ahead to the first junction, where they started their survey. We followed the 10 m wide by 3 to 4 m high main tunnel for 270 m to Simon's first survey station. The floor was composed of pebbles, silt and flood debris and there were many stalactites, stalagmites and columns. Very little obvious wildlife though white "woodlice", fish and crayfish were later seen. The kids happily accompanied us without lights and one assisted with the survey. At Simon's station a large but flat out passage carried on ahead for at least 50 m. Due to lack of time we stopped our survey here and Kirsten and I went on to catch up with Simon's team some 500 m ahead. They then stopped while I had a quick look ahead at probably another 50 m of reasonably sized, formation filled passage to a junction… (Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Mss Cave Log 2000: 20/2/00).« 2000.02.21: Simon J. Brooks, Peter N. F. Dowswell, Katharina "Kate" Janossy and Brian D. Kharpran Daly surveyed 518 m of NNE Passage. A. Edgeworth, Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, K. McCullough and F. W. Simpson surveyed 494 m in E Passage and SSE Passage: »[Camp was established at a deserted coal miners' encampment in a valley below Krem Wah Ryngo]Simon and team continued with their passage to eventually end up at the bottom of a possible surface shaft after 535 m of tedious passage. We [Tony, Kirsten, Mandy, Fraser] followed the low passage looked at yesterday to several junctions and eventually a huge, well-decorated chamber probably 30 m high in all. A possible way on between boulders or through a pool was left for tomorrow as was a fine gallery ending at a tricky 4 m climb up. Two other ways on were left unexplored. A total of some 526 m was surveyed –over a kilometre in total today– much of it either crawling, stooping or "monkey walking" stuff. Good though! Quite a few interesting formations in places and fish, bats, a 1 inch long black millipede, crickets and snot gobblers were noted (Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Mss Cave Log 2000: 21/2/00).« 2000.02.22: M. Brown, Simon J. Brooks, Katharina "Kate" Janossy and Brian D. Kharpran Daly survey 668 m in NNW section. T. Chapman, Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt and R. Galloway surveyed 565 m in SSE area: »Simon and team surveyed c. 640 m in the LH series of Ryngo to a huge boulder choke and finished this section. We carried on from the 2nd junction and surveyed through low and then good sized phreatic tunnels to arrive below a large, dry river sink entrance in the jungle. Tom climbed out of this and with the aid of a rope we joined him… Back down the cave to survey a couple of side passages near this entrance. With good length survey legs we stomped along superb phreatic tunnels to emerge above the climb at the end of Abbey Road –reached yesterday. We scrambled down to complete the survey loop and round trip. Over 500 m bagged today and an excellent time was had by all. The system is now well over 3 km long and a great place… (Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Mss Cave Log 2000: 22/2/00).« 2000.02.23: Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, T. Chapman, R. Galloway and George Nongklaw entered the cave via Krem Khongreng entrance and added 322 m to the survey: »… we nipped in to station 6 to survey a short, high level inlet. Back out and on up the footpath to the rice plantation (only 1/2 an hours walk) … Down to Wah Ryngo 2 where we concentrated on surveying all the side passages in this part of the cave –about 300 m in all, with a couple of closed loops and some fine passages, including a large chamber offset from the entrance chamber –The Magical Mystery Tour. By the time we reached "Lucy in the Sky …" we were running out of time so after doing a few legs we had a look at the way on. Tom volunteered to brave the water and pushed through to find some 50 m of ongoing, well decorated but small passage. This was left unsurveyed and we left the cave …« (Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Mss Cave Log 2000: 23/2/00). 2000 "survey" total: 3328.1 m / -53.5 m. 2001.02.05: Tom Chapman, Mandie or Mandy [Amanda] Edgeworth and Yvo Weidmann added 106 m to the passage length (total: 3415.9 m / -53.5 m). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 04/07/2016

Caves nearby

Distance (km)	Name	Length (m)	Depth (m)
0.2	TONGSKO (Krem)
0.3	KHONGRENG, Umthe (Krem)
0.5	Kermit Cave (Aa)
1.0	BRISANG, Wah Ryngo, 4th (Krem)
1.1	BRISANG, Wah Ryngo, 3rd (Krem)
1.2	BRISANG, Wah Ryngo, 2nd (Krem)
1.2	BRISANG, Wah Ryngo, 1st (Krem)
1.2	CHAIE (Krem)
1.2	RYNGIANG, Moopat (Krem)