GIBBON DOLINE CAVE 1 (aa -)

(Saipung - IN)
25.296200,92.501000
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about 5 m wide cave entrance, which gives access to a pothole with an about 70 m (Brooks 2009.03.06 Mss) or about 75 m deep shaft (note 1), represents the first of two entrances leading to … the 1,788 m long Krem Tngaw (1+2) (Ape Cave 1 + 2) that contained a 70 m deep pitch as part of its vertical entrance series leading to yet more typically delightful Meghalayan river passage (Brooks 2009.03.06 Mss: Overview 2009). SITUATION: At a first glance, the location of the cave entrance giving access to first Gibbon Doline Cave is inexplicable because Henry, Brian, Hugh, Karma, Pankaj and Roshan … managed to get a GPS marking of the cave [note 2] and of the drop-off point too (Brooks, S J et al. (2009 Mss: Meghalaya diary). Arbenz, T (2009.03.29 Mss), however, remembered that the cave entrance lies at the northern end of the –>Gibbon Doline and, to be precise, in an unidentified spatial relation to the other cave entrances in the –>Gibbon Doline. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.02 (in: Brooks, S J t al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc): Henry Rockcliff, Karma Choki Bhutia and Pankaj Rai descended a shaft, rigging it with a ceiling along with a caravana and three bolts. As soon as they reached the bottom, there were boulders, calcite formations, and a strongly draughting opening in boulders which led to an estimated 50 m deep shaft with clean washed walls but no water (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Saturday 7th February). Torben Redder, Henry Rockcliff et al. (2009.02.08): The shaft estimated at 50 m turned out to be 62 m deep. Both upstream and downstream the passage became very wet and it was unfeasible to continue surveying without wetsuits (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Sunday 8th February). Torben Redder, Robert Winkler et al. (2009.02.09): Following the water downstream, the passage is for 450 m in general about 3 m wide and 2 m high, sometimes only 1 m high. There seem to bundle several parallel passages but it is probable that they are allonly one single passage separated by sedimentary deposits covered in mud. There is a lot of water (wet suit is useful) but no swim up to now. The passage is going on and may lead to Krem Shynrong Shrieh (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Monday 9th February). Torben Redder & Louise Korsgaard, Robert Winkler & Damien Lindner (2009.02.10): Torben, Louise and Chung went downstream and surveyed about 100 m before the main passage ended at a pool, possibly a sump. There are many unexplored side passages and the draft in the main passage seems to disappear. The others went upstream in a nice passage with a lot of water. They surveyed about 200m, most of it swimming stuff. At Station 4.15 there is a passage with a very little stream coming in from the right. From time to time there are parallel ways. From the last station 4.24, the passage is going on (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Tuesday 10th February). Robert Winkler, Damien Lindner & Valerie Chopard (2009.2.11): The side passage at 4.15 ended after 110 m at a boulder choke. In the main passage, the water becomes lower and finally the little stream come from a little parallel side passage from the left. The way on in the tunnel ended again at a boulder choke (station 4.37). At station 4.32, it is possible to crawl into the stream passage. It's rather narrow and wet about 20 m with snot gobblers in the end. It could be interesting to have another look to it, if there is a possible connection to somewhere and when all the survey kit is waterproof. To complete the day we surveyed a part of the narrow side passage (in fact sometimes a side passage of the side passage) with the little stream in between the stations 4.30 and 4.27 (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Wednesday 11th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.03.06: … a 70 m deep pitch as part of its vertical entrance series leading to yet more typically delightful Meghalayan river passage (Brooks 2009.03.06 Mss: Overview 209) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.03.29: Tngaw 1 ist ein gut 75 m tiefer Schacht, Durchmessser um die 5 m (Arbenz, T 2009.03.29 Mss: Re Bakteria, Tngaw & Wah Sapoh). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: Ein anderes Projekt … ist die Krem Tngaw 1 (Affenhöhle) in der ich ingesamt fünf Tage verbringe. … Gut so, denn inzwischen hänge ich in einem eindrucksvollen 60 m-Schacht mit vielleicht 15 m Durchmesser. Die letzten 45 m sind schön frei. Um so erstaunlicher, dass 20 m über dem Boden nochmal eine Umsteigstelle kommt. Da hat wohl das Seil nicht ganz gereicht. … Auch die Erforschung dieser Höhle wird in den folgenden Tagen abgeschlossen (WINKLER, R 2010: 117-118).9) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.03.29: Tngaw 1 ist ein gut 75 m tiefer Schacht, Durchmessser um die 5 m (Arbenz, T 2009.03.29 Mss: Re Bakteria, Tngaw & Wah Sapoh). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: Ein anderes Projekt … ist die Krem Tngaw 1 (Affenhöhle) in der ich ingesamt fünf Tage verbringe. … Gut so, denn inzwischen hänge ich in einem eindrucksvollen 60 m-Schacht mit vielleicht 15 m Durchmesser. Die letzten 45 m sind schön frei. Um so erstaunlicher, dass 20 m über dem Boden nochmal eine Umsteigstelle kommt. Da hat wohl das Seil nicht ganz gereicht. … Auch die Erforschung dieser Höhle wird in den folgenden Tagen abgeschlossen (WINKLER, R 2010: 117-118).

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 2009.02.07, trip 1: Brian D. Kharpran Daly, Henry Rockcliff, Hugh Penney, Karma Choki Bhutia, Pankaj Rai, and Roshan Yengkhom … went to Krem Wah Sapoh. First of all it was tough spotting the cave since it was not covered by any of our team previous to us, due to which we didn't have any sort of landmarks to be marked and also didn't have an exact GPS position. After reaching the spot they split around looking for Krem 1,2,3 & 4. After a long search all over the area Pankaj managed to find a cave, which they assumed was Krem Wah Sapoh 4, but when Henry, Karma and Pankaj descended the shaft they realised the information and the description didn't fit [note 3]. They went down the cave, rigging it with a ceiling along with a caravana and 3 bolts. When they reached the surface below, there were boulders and certain calcite formation. After doing a bit of recce inside the cave, they found a strongly drafting opening in the boulders. This led to a deep shaft (undesended and estimated at 50 m). The shaft has clean washed walls but no water on this visit. (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Saturday 7th). According to HughPenney (2009.02.09 Mss 'Tngaw 2' exploration history), 7/2/09: Brian K-D, Hugh Penney + Roshan Yengkhom entered … Tngaw 2 … cave and went as far as top of 2nd pitch. 2009.02.08, trip 2: Henry Rockcliff, Torben Redder, Karma Choki Bhutia, and Pankaj Rai … continued to rig to the bottom. The shaft estimated at 50 m turned out to be 62 m deep. They surveyed down the pitches as well as upstream and downstream but the passage became very wet in both directions and was unfeasible to explore without wetsuits. Surveyed 522 m (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Sunday 8th). According to HughPenney (2009.02.09 Mss 'Tngaw 2' exploration history), 8/2/09: Roshan Yengkhom, Hugh Penney + Arnab Das surveyed to chamber at top of 3rd pitch. 2009.02.09, trip 3: Hugh Penney, Cdr. Arnab Das (Commander, Indin Navy, Biranchi Narayan Bhola (Leading Store Assistant, Indian Navy), and Neil Pacey … went to Tngaw 2 to continue rigging pitches. They connected into Tngaw 1, surveyed and derigged. Surveyed 87.3 m (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Monday 9th). Penney (2009.02.09 Mss 'Tngaw 2' exploration history) confirms: 9/2/09: Neil Pacey, Hugh Penney, Bhola Biranchi, Arnab Das pushed and surveyed rest of cave to connection with TNGAW 1 streamway. 2009.02.09, trip 4: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Pankaj Rai (Seaman 1st Class, Indian Navy) … went to Tngaw 1. Following the water downstream, they surveyed about 450 or 467 m. The passage is in general about 3 m wide and 2 m high, sometimes only 1 m high. There are several parallel passages (it is probably all one passage only separated from the mud on the floor. There is a lot of water (wet suit is useful) but no swim up to now. The passage is going on … could lead to [Krem] Shynrong Shrieh (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss'Diary 2009.doc' Monday 9th). 2009.02.10, trip 5: Torben Redder, Louise Korsgaard, and Polchung 'Chung' Kipgen (Indian Navy) … surveyed about 100 m before the main downstream passage ended at a pool, possibly a sump. There are many unexplored side passages and the draft [sic! qua: draught, air current] in the main passage seems to disappear (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Tuesday 10th). 2009.02.10, trip 6: Robert Winkler, Damien Lindner, and Biranchi Narayan Bhola … surveyed in the upstream section about 200 m, most of it swimming stuff, in a nice passage with a lot of water. At station 4/15 there is a passage with a very little stream coming in from the right. From time to time, there are parallel ways. The last surveyed station is 4/24 but the passage is going on (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Monday 9th). Today (2009.02.10), the accumulated length of fully added survey leg lengths yield a … total surveyed 349.55 m (Brooks, S J et a. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Monday 9th). 2009.02.11, trip 7: Robert Winkler, Damien Lindner, and Valerie Chopard followed up leads upstream and surveyed 315.73 m (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Wednesday 11th). 2009.02.16, trip 8: Robert Winkler, Peter Ludwig, and Torben Redder … made some pictures and video … went downstream … and surveyed (about 100 m) a parallel side passage off survey station 1/39 (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Monday 16th). 2009.02.17, trip 9: Robert Winkler, Peter Ludwig, Torben Redder and Bishnoi Prakash finished surveying the upstream passage and surveyed in the downstream section another side passage which reached the main passage at station 1/55. Up to this station now there is no more potential (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss 'Diary 2009.doc' Tuesday 17th Feb 09). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
0.0GIBBON DOLINE ARCH (aa -)
0.0GOLDEN CAVE, Wah Sapoh (aa -)
0.0GIBBON DOLINE (aa -)
0.0GIBBON DOLINE CAVE 2 (aa -)
0.0GIBBON DOLINE CAVE 3 (aa -)
0.1WAH SAPOH 1 (Kyrshan Dhar 1999) (Krem)
0.1WAH SAPOH 2 (Kyrshan Dhar 1999) (Krem)
0.1WAH SAPOH 3 (Kyrshan Dhar 1999) (Krem)
0.1WAH SAPOH 4 (Jantschke 2005) (Krem)