Clare Cave 1 (Sheen 2002) (aa -)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about 5 by 4 m wide rift pot drops 13 m to a boulder floor and continues horizontally (no direction mentioned) for estimated 150 m becoming too narrow (Sheen 2005.02.13 Mss -Krem Clare Cave [Brooks: N°2]- 13/02/05; Sheen 2005.08.20 personal correspondence). Otherwise it seems to consist of a more or less SW to NE running canyon with some vertical drops (6 m, 30 m), which is heading straight for the anonymous –>AA Cave -M- which was also recorded under the titles Krem Krang 2 (Ware & Bayley) and Krem Krang 4 (Sheen).In one way or the other, this Clare Cave invites being confused with Krem Clare Cave (Sheen 2005.02.13) close to Clare 2 cave which may correspond to a renamed version of the former or to the latest –>Clare Cave (Sheen 2008.02.23). ETYMOLOGY: The original cave names (letter) -i- and -Krem Clare- are a made-up field names, where the latter was conceived in commemoration of features familiar to locals dwelling in one of the islands of western Europe. Anthony 'Tony' R Jrratt (2005.07.27 Mss) reckons this … maybe the Irish county where Robin lives. SITUATION: At an unexplainable location somewhere on the eastern side of the Shnongrim ridge. According to recorded GPS positions, the Clare Cave (Sheen 2002.02.13) lies in the northern part of the Krang area and on the eastern side of the Shnongrim ridge, at linear distances of 65 m north-east (40.2 m north + 50.4 m east) of Clare Cave 1 (Sheen 2002.02.17) and 87 m east-north-east (86.6 m north + 11.2 m east) of Clare Cave 2 (Sheen 2002.02.23). APPROACH 1 (Sheen 2002.02.17 Mss: Krem Clare # 1): Before the Nongkhlieh road along the crest of the Shnongrim ridge skirts to the east and the opposite side to Shnongrim Labbit [Krem –>Shyien Khlieh? or the Krem –>Labit of Shnongrim?] head down the Shaktiman road and enter the gully on the left / north side. The dry streambed enters a north-south-orientated swallow hole. APPROACH 2 (Sheen 2002.02.13 Mss: Krem Clare Cave):: From the road at N 25 20 48.0 E 092 30 284 walk down the Shaktiman track S/E for 350 m. The cave is in a gully 60 m to the N/E and close to Clare2 cave (note 1). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1 (Sheen 2002.02.17 Mss: Krem Clare # 1), literally quoted but fairly Imagined 200 m long, 100 m deep. A large North/South oriented Swallow hole six metres deep. Continues as a 2metres x 3 metres high canyon for fifty metres to the head of a 30 m deep pitch. Continues on from base of pitch as a 2x2 metre high canyon but chokes after 20 metres. Before the choke a clean washed Streamway in the floor continues as a bedding plane crawl for 100 metres. continuing and draughting but low. Strongly joint controlles, gentle dip, immature development. The ubiquitous [sic!] ontying fossil [sic! more likely: relic, abandoned by flowing water] swallets my hold more promise. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2 (after cave survey data and Sheen 2002.02.17 Mss: Krem Clare # 1): A large north-south orientated swallow hole to a 6m-drop continues as a 2 m by 3 m canyon for 50 m to thehead of a 30 m deep pitch. From the base of the pitch it continues as a 2 by 2 m high canyon that chokes after 20 m. Before the choke a clean washed streamway in the floor continues unsurveyed as a bedding plane crawl for 100 m. CAVE DESCRIPTION 3 (Hodgson 2002.02.16 - 17 Mss Sutdiary), literally quoted (note 2): Recce south of ??Songrim?? (Shynrong?) Labbit, West side [sic! for: east] of Tongseng ridge, Robin, Ruben, Dan, Ronnie, Michael. Located and partially explored 3 seperate cave main entrances, all major 'going' caves, covered approx. 1 km of surface. 2002.02.17: Dan, Fiona, Robin … returned to cave reccied yesterday, Surveyed into pitch head, rigged and descened [note 3] pitch (25 m). Base of pitch with big boulders, did'nt seem to be any obvious way on, but gap through boulders led to a small rift passage above a low wet crawl. Surveyed rift passage to boulder blockage. Recced down wet crawl for 15 mins, it continues unrelentingly low, it was not followed to a conclusio.CAVE DESCRIPTION 4 (Sheen 2005.02.13 Mss: Krem Clare Cave Brooks: N°2): A large rift pot 5 m by 4 m drops 13 m to a boulder floor. Continues horizontal for 150 m becoming too narrow but draughting.CAVE DESCRIPTION 5 (Brooks, undated 2005 June Mss amendment to Sheen 2005.02.13 Mss: Krem Clare Cave Brooks: N°2): Length = 187.37 m, Dept (VR) = 44.05 m (Shnongrim Ridge Road Lelad - Shnongrim. I think this is Krem Clare -2000). CAVE DESCRIPTION 6 (Brown et al. 2008 Mss -Meghalaya 2008 diary- Saturday 23rd February): A 30 m shaft descends to predominantly crawling passage with a good draught. PROSPECTS: At a certain stage of surveying, re-surveying, and re-resurveying, Sheen, R.F. (2008.02.23 Mss: Clare Cave I) eventually arrived in believing that (literally quoted), the prospects remain good … However, the beding [sic!] plane continues crabwalking; some flat-out, some walking, with no change in sight. SPELEOMETRY: Sheen, Harries and Ware surveyed a length of 118.6 m at a depth of 41.21 m.Within a couple of years, re-surveying yielded the same or another 110 m of lengthwise measured distances and additional 12 m in depth or, according to Brown et al. (2008 Mss: Survey Summary): 2008 survey 228.36; total 228.36; vertical 52.52 (probably metres). Sheen (2008.02.23 Mss: Clare Cave I) explains to have re-surveyed from entrance to beyond previous limit of exploration. CAVE CLIMATE: Sheen (2002.02.13 Mss: Krem Clare Cave) observed on 13th February 2005 somewhere in one of his items called Krem Clare Cave an unspecified air current draughting at an unknown hour of the day in an unidentified direction. According to Brown et al. (2008 Mss -Meghalaya 2008 diary- Saturday 23rd February), Robin F. Sheen, Torben Redder, Ross Davidson, and Louise Koorsgard noticed at an unspecified hour of 23rd February 2008 a good draught (air current) without identified direction flowing in one predominantly crawling passage of a certain Krem Clare (sic!). Sheen, R.F. (2008.02.23 Mss: Clare Cave I confirms to have had the impression of strongly draughting without identified flow direction at an unspecified hour of the day. confirms to have had the impression of strongly draughting without identified flow direction at an unspecified hour of the day.