SAHIONG 1 (Krem)

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 2012.02.15, trip 1: Ledeimon Pakem [Iedeimon Pakem, Iadei Mon Pakem], Lius Dkhar and Landus Paslein from the village of Moo Knor (25°23'27”N: 92°36'16”E) guided Brian Dermot Kharpran Daly and Rudolf 'Rudi' Weissmair on 15th February 2012 (Wednesday) to the entrances of five caves (Krem Sahiong 1 and 2, Synrang U Long 1, 2 & 3) above streams recorded as the Wah Sahiong and Wah Lympriang (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Diary 2012.doc Wednesday, 15th February). 2013.02.11, trip 2: Simon, Brian, Oana, Adi, Peter L and Rob travelled out to Sahiong area with Marissa. Turning off from the main track they followed a smaller track down through the village and onto the crest of a ridge overlooking the valley. A certain Phrimus Manar (Lius? or Louis?) guided Brian D Kharpran Daly, Oana Chachula and Adrian 'Adi' Costica to the cave entrances of Krem Sahiong 1 & 2 … At entrance of Sahiong 1 they discovered that they had no instruments; so they were content t explore the cave beyond the water dripping from the roof where Brian had been last year (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: Monday, 11th February).Very close and on the other side of Sahiong 1 is Sahiong 2 which was not looked into (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: Monday, 11th February). 2013.02.12, trip 3: Brian D Kharpran Daly, Bushan Poshe and Peter Glanvill started [when] Peter was on book, Brian manned the DistoX and Bhushan was spotter. Unfortunately the DistoX refused to measure continuously and after more than a dozen legs during which the team had had to resort to LRUD estimations (pretty accurate because of the passage dimensions) they gave up and went exploring (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 12th February, Tuesday). 2013.02.13, trip 4, Wednesday: Simon J. Brooks and Peter 'Pete' Glenvill found themselves armed with a more reliable DistoX and continued surveyingwhilst Oana Chachula and Adrian 'Adi' Kostica [sic! qua: Costica] did biological work. Rapid progress was made [note 4] to the terminal bedding chamber and surveying back allowed a loop to be made. Some dry draughty tubes near some gours further back towards the entrance were then examined and a route forced into a six metre aven, Simon then squeezed through a slot in the wall into a larger passage and was joined by Adi. Pete did not fancy the squeeze so retreated to an earlier tube parallel to the slot and after a short but uncomfortable crawl over jagged. rocks emerged into a large passage and the sound of chattering bats (this turned out later to be a colony of about 80 bats). A large well watered passage cum aven led past some massive boulders and the slot in the left wall that Simon and Adi had entered by. The survey was continued past another constriction into another large chamber at the far end of which was opposing draughting tubes at its lowest point. A few metres back o the right wall a potential climb of five metres could be seen into possible continuing passage. It was suggested that the large passage be called ‘Should have gone to SpecSavers” After some steamy photographs the team rapidly left the cave picking up Oana en route to make the truck back by 5 pm (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 13th February, Wednesday). 2013.02.14, trip 5, Thursday: Simon J. Brooks, Peter 'Pete' Glanvill, Angela 'Angi' or 'Angie' Glanvill, Khlur Mukhim and Oana Chachula, or Peter G. Angie, Simon.Khlur and Oana visited Sahiong 1 initially with the fullest intent of completing the survey and starting on Krem Sahiong 2. A survey leg was corrected just inside the entrance on the way in. However after introducing Oana and Khlur to ”Should have gone to SpecSavers' where they collected a number of specimens include one of the 50 or so bats roosting there. A short leg was surveyed past the bat colony but the passage then cloed down in muddy boulders. Oana and Khlur then went [sic! qua: intended to proceed] to Sahiong 2 when Oana completed [the survey of] another loop passage near the entrance. Angie then inspected the crawl near the entrance that Bhushan had said got very low. After a crawl over soft gravel she emerged into an ongoing rift passage and surveying began. The rift was narrow but well decorated and the team dropped down to floor level as the roof rose. There was a noticeable inward draught. The cave [passage] remained a rift, gradually widening, with the odd oxbow and inlet and after 25 legs the team, mindful of the time, marked the final point and left the cave with the passage still open and on going. A total of 214 m was surveyed (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 14th February, Thursday). 2013.02.15, trip 6, Friday: Simon, Angie and Pete survey … passage found after the crowling [sic!] passage (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 201 Diary: 15th February, Friday). Oana and Khlur joing them for biological work. Khlur did some PH, T, UR measurements for his Phd (Oana Chachula in: anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: Friday, 15th February). 2013.02.17, trip 7, Sunday: Peter 'Pete' Glanvill, Angela 'Angi' or 'Angie' Glanvill, and Simon J Brooks report having made nothing less than rapid progress to the last survey point and work commenced. Surveying continued smoothly along roomy passage of constant volume if varying shape. Pools contained crayfish and at one point the aroma of rotting fish was revealed to be from a dozen dead fish lying along the passage ‘Something Fishy’. Various oxbows and inlets were noted en route but [simply ignored whilst single passage] surveying continued along the main passage carrying a weak but constant draught. Some legs were over 30 m despite passage dimensions usually being no more than 3 m by 2 m. An echo denoted a prominent junction at walkng sized passage. The team took the left branch and continued along passage similar to that encountered before but slightly larger until a point where a prominent band of shale was noticed in the roof. Beyond the passage enlarged with an impressive echo and a lake was reached ‘The Lake of Terminal Gloom’. Just back from the drop into the lake a side passage on the left led down a clean washed rift to emerge just above the lake. White fish could be seen swimming in it. The team then returned to the main junction and commenced surveying the right branch in nicely scalloped watery rift passage until time ran out and 640 metres had been logged. A number of photographs were taken at various locations (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 17th February, Sunday) and out of the cave to take them abroad in view of showing them off back home. 2013.02.19, trip 8, Tuesday: Brian D Kharpran Daly, Peter 'Pete' Glanvill and Angela 'Angi' or 'Angie' Glanvil reduced exploration to an act of rapid progress to the last survey point slowed as Angie hunted for recognizable features. The ongoing passage was low wet and muddy and it was something of a relief when a low duck appeared to develop into a final sump. Some photos were taken on the way out to welcome warm sunshine. 71.85 m of passage surveyed and the total surveyed length of the cave is now just over 1.8 km (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 18th February, Tuesday). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018