SYNRANG NGAP (Krem)
25.351200,92.523600
Description
The Synrang Ngap is, as far as known, a relatively extensive cave on the eastern slope of the Shnongrim Ridge. ETYMOLOGY 1: The Synteng Khasi cave name Krem Synrang Ngap signifies a -krem- or cave which features at least one -synrang- or nest (note 1) of fluted rock reminiscent of -ngap- or a dewlap, jowl and wattle (note 2) -- apparently either karren / lapiaz / lapies or curtains / flags (note 3). ETYMOLOGY 2: The Khasi -ka ngap- is also the word for a bee (note 4) and Jarratt, A R (2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap 11/3/03; 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 19/2/03) suggested Bee Shelter Cave. Thinking along these lines, it also seems fitting to translate -Krem Synrang Ngap- as Apiary Cave. SITUATION 2003.1: A rough fair-weather road (4WD track) from Shnongrim leads approximately east and downhill to a forest path and fenced-in plantation (in Khasi: bri) of initially green but later red coloured chilli (Capsicum var.) without identified GPS position. Somewhere below this point, the cave entance (note 5) is hidden in a jungle-clad, elongated closed depression / doline (Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap 11/3/03; Jarratt 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log entry 19/2/03). SITUATION 2003.2: Uphill from Krem –>Bir but on a different spur (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003 entry 19/2/03). SITUATION 2008: Shnongrim … Durch das Dorf wanderten wir etwa eine 3/4h abwärts bis zu einer grossen, mit Bambus zugewachsenen Doline, in deren Tiefe der Eingang zur Krem Synrang Ngap liegt (Siegenthaler, R 2008 Mss entry 6.2.08, Mittwoch). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003.1: A relatively huge, long, cliff-walled doline with a low 0.7 m high, 3 m wide cave entrance to 100 m of cave passage (with cold air current blowing inwards) and a 30 m pot (Jarratt 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003 entry 19/2/03). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003.2 Two cave entrances and a relatively large pothole with no way on (Jarratt, A R 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap 11/3/03). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005.1: It takes five hours to reach te furthest point (HARRIES, D B 2005). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005.2: … the amazing Krem Synrang Ngap, left fallow last year due to the pressure of other discoveries. The traditional 100 m of entrance pitches were again superbly rigged by Mark and team and parties then set off through the downstream crawls and ducks and a couple of kms of scrambling over huge calcite bosses to reach a major junction. Downstream a huge boulder choke soon loomed up and a possible way through was left for a thin men team next year. This may be beneath the oppressive Krem Bir. Just back upstream from this a massive inlet tunnel became the focus of attention for those not minding a cold 5 m swim. With a rope and life jacket installed we were soon harvesting the metres beyond. Brian M, Gregory and I were continuing the survey on the 19th February when the impressive draught dropped as we entered a smaller section of passage ending in too tight rifts. On heading back Brian noticed a side passage with a severe lookig squeeze through hefty formations from whence the gale emerged. Being the skinniest I got the job and was soon sprinting up 100 m or so of very attractive potholed galleries with cave pearl-like sandstone pebbles in the floor that were identical to the local kids' catapult pellets. This became Thin Man's Inlet and another, larger passage back downstream Fat Man's Inlet. … On the 23rd, after three days of -easy- surface recce, a return was made to enlarge the squeeze and survey on upstream. Quentin, Greg and I were the most anorexically designed for this operation and were soon clocking up the metres again until a chest deep pool, twin 30 m avens and a complicated series of crawling passages temporarily held us up. Greg finally hit the jackpot after crawling down the -Gravel Grovel- into a magnificent stream passage stretching into the distance - the -Great Straight-. We were ecstatic but confused as we were now obviously heading downstream after having travelled upstream for seeral hundred metres. Scooping 30 m tape legs we marched enthusiastically onwards to intersect a fine phreatic bore tube containing impressive columns and curtains. This, in turn, broke into the side of an even larger passage which immediately sumped to the right but continued to the left as a large canyon with its higher level in the form of a wide fossil tunnel. We climbed up into this for ease of surveying and Greg, leading with the tape, scrambled up a steep mud slope into a black void above. Cries of astonishment from this normally quiet Meghalayan caver spurred us on to ditch the survey and join him in the huge, mud and sand dune floored chamber that continued to the left and ahead as 8m wide phreatic tunnels. The sound of a large stream emanated from the distance so, with time running out, we rushed off for a look at the large phreatic river passage crossing under the chamber from right to left and heading for regions unknown. We assumed that we had reached the stream from Krem ynrang Labbit and had actually left Krem Synrang Ngap to enter a completely different drainage system. In recognition of Greg's discovery the huge void was named Meghalayan Adventurers' Chamber. With a total of 455 m surveyed we were more than happy to stagger back to the surface which we reached after a 9 1/2 hr trip - knackered but elated. … A large -shit or bust- team- entered Krem Synrang Ngap on the 27th February with Quentin, Greg and I being the thin men. Mark, Brian M, (less anorexically challenged), Shelley, Lesley and Jo headed for Fat Man's Inlet in an attempt to bypass the squeeze. We followed the huge M.A.Chamber to a conclusion at a mud choke above a steep, slippery and hazardous mud -mountain- with large boulder chokes below from which issued both the main stream and a healthy inlet stream with clearer water. This was particularly noticeable as we were all convinced that the larger flow had a distinct green tinge to it from the dye inserted in Krem Synrang Labbit he previous day. A couple of ways on here need to be checked next year in the hope of passing the upstream chokes. Downstream yet another huge boulder choke curtailed our progress but again there are possible routes through it. Time had run out for further pushing as it was now past 10pm. The sound of voices heralded the arrival of the more rotund team whom we assumed had bypassed the squeeze. We were suitably chastised when it was revealed that their inlet had soon fizzled out and they had followed us through the tight bit after an hour of hammer and chisel work [note 6] (JARRATT 2005). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005.3: 4172.08 / 132.76 (Brooks, S J 2005.10.05 Mss) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005.4: The system turned out to be absolutely huge with a lot of muddy stuff before [we identified?] nicely decorated, big passageways. But by then the three of us girls were tired … [and] had a snooze underground before being woken to meet up with everyone (YUEN, L 2005: 53, 56). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2008: In der Nga geht’s zuerst horizontal los, dann bricht aber ein absolut blank gewaschener Schrägschacht ab, an dessen Fuss man zuerst eine niedrige, nasse, kiesige Kriechpartie absolvieren muss, bevor man dann in einen Gang kommt, der mich etwas ans Trüebsaal des F1 erinnerte. Auch die nachfolgende, aktive Flusshöhle hat etwas vom F1. Wir mussten an einer Stelle etwas suchen, da Henry sich auch nicht besonders gut auskannte und ich und Guillaume noch nie da gewesen waren. Wir fanden aber unseren Ansatzpunkt, eine Meisselstelle mit starkem Luftzug oben in einem aktiven Gang. Henry meisselte noch etwas weiter und wir schafften es alle durch das Nadelöhr zu kommen. Oben standen wir mitten in einem fossilen Riesengang, der mit 20 m Breite auf beide Seiten ins Schwarze führte! Wow! … wir vermassen rückwärtig 160 m und auf die andere Seite, in einem Gang, der der Humpleu würdig wäre, nochmals 100 m (Siegenthaler, R 2008 Mss). CAVE CONTENTS: Very fine sectioned sediment, gravel banks in entrance series Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap 11/3/03). PROSPECTS 2003- 2005: Very promising (Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss) because Ngap has no remaining leads on the entrance side of the -this man- squeeze (Brooks 2005 Mss) while a connection to Krem –>Wah Shikar is expected (Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap 11/3/03; Jarratt 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 19/2/03). JARRATT (2005): A resurvey trip in another part of the cave later brought the total length of this sporting system up to 4.17 kms with plenty more to be found. A physical connection upstream to Krem Synrang Labbit may not be easy but downstream is more promising with the sound of the river emanating from beyond the choke. The probable resurgence for both this and the original main stream is Krem Iawe, situated several kms to the WNW. Pushing trips will require underground camping to be viable unless other ways in from the jungle covered slopes of Khloo Krang south of the cave can be found. If Krem Krang Maw and/or Krem Krang Wah re the feeders to Krem Synrang Labbit then the whole system, if connections could be established, would be over 20 km long. Time will tell. PROSPECTS 2003: Robin F. Sheen (2003.02.22 Mss: Krem Wah Thylliang) opined thar the –>Wah Thylliang Swallet may provide access to the Synrang Labit - Synrang Ngap system. This he re-confiormed five years later (Sheen, R F 2008.11.07 Mss: Wah Thylliang Swallet.doc). PROSPECTS 2006: The Warkhla area looks like a good area if the so far mythical resurgence exists as it may just be the exit of the Krem Synrang Ngap southerly streamway (Jarratt 2006.03.04 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XIII: 11/2/06). PROSPECTS 2008: Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) encountered on 7th February 2008 somewhere behind an artificially enlarged constriction in Synrang Ngap not only a collapse without a way on (in spite of two hours of searching) but also recorded a going wet lead where … Jeff, unerschrockener, junger Brite, folgte noch dem Wasser abwärts. Obwohl er kein Ende erreichte, verzicheten wir auf das Vollbad. Für die Vermessung ist es doch angenehmer mit Wasserausrüstung. Sheen, R F (2008.11.07 Mss: Wah Thylliang Swallet.doc) reconfirmes to suspect that the Wah Thylliang Swallet may be worth revisiting as a possible way into Ngap and possibly did not intend to point out possible inroads into an unspecified -ngap- (jowl / dewlap / wattle or honey bee) but into the cave known as Krem –>Synrang Ngap. CULTURAL HISTORY - cave legends: An unidentified narrator told or composed a tale according to which am important, mythical bee is said to live in the cave that once was used as a honey collecting site (note 7). Swallows also live here and there's an abandoned leopard hunter's hut in the doline (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 19/2/03; Jarratt, A R 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). CAVE CLIMATE: Rolf Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed on Wednesday 6th February 2008 at an unspecified tight constriction an air current flowing in an unspecified direction. Siegenthaer (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch nch Heuschrecken, Würmer, Hundertfüssler, Fledermäuse, Skorpione und im Wasser Krabben, Shrimps, Fische und Blutegel. Alles faszinierend, ein wenig gruslig und in der Praxis überhaupt kein Problem.er (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch ner (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch ner (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch ner (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch ner (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch ner (2008 Mss) claims a general air temperature of 15°C to 16°C (Thursday 7th February 2008) in the caves of the area: Attained by guesswork? CAVE LIFE: Snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), relatively big spiders (Heteropoda?), and supposedly swallows (Columba?) and bees (Apis var.). A honey-comb was found (Jarratt, A R 2003.02.19 Mss: Cave Log 2003: 19/2/03; Jarratt 2003.03.11 Mss: Krem Synrang Ngap). KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Synrang Ngap (Krem Synrang Ngap) among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Pisces: Teleostei: Balituridae) possibly have been seen as Nigel Robertson had in February 2003 the impression fish was present. Siegenthaler (2008 Mss) noticed … die lustige Fauna der Region, vor allem die handtellergrossen Spinnen, die jeweils meist in den Eingangsbereichen der Höhlen überwintern und auf den nächsten Monsun warten. Daneben gibt’s auch nch Heuschrecken, Würmer, Hundertfüssler, Fledermäuse, Skorpione und im Wasser Krabben, Shrimps, Fische und Blutegel. Alles faszinierend, ein wenig gruslig und in der Praxis überhaupt kein Problem.
Documents
Bibliography 06/01/2018- Arbenz, Thomas, Bartholeyns, Jean-Pierre, Brooks, Simon J, Brown, Mark W & Hapka, Roman 2008; Brown, Mark W & Brooks, Simon J 2008; Harries, Daniel B 2005; Jantschke, Herbert 2006; Jarratt, Anthony 'Tony' R 2003, 2005, 2006; Jarratt, Anthony 'Tony' R & Dawson, Henry Boswell 2007; Kharpran Daly, B D 2006 s.a.; Kottelat, Maurice, Daniel R [B] Harries & Proudlove, Graham A 2007; Yuen, Lesley 2005.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 2003.02.19, trip 1: Raplang Shangpliang, Kai Shail Patwat and Heipormi Pajuh guided Bat Kupar 'Bat' Lyngwa (interpreter), Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (narcotics taker), Fraser E. Simpson (picture taker) and Nigel Robertson (GPS position taker) to the entrance of Krem Synrang Ngap. Raplang chopped down a 10m-tree and used it to descend into the entrance pot of Krem –>Synrang Ngap n°2. 2003.02.20, trip 2: N. Robertson, Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt, Peter Ludwig, Fraser E. Simpson, Brian Cotter (Cooper or Cowper), a certain 'DM' (?) and Roger Galloway measured 361.35 m. 2003.02.25, trip 3: Nigel Robertson, Rhys Williams, Shelley Alexandra Diengdoh, R. Galloway and Fraser E. Simpson measured 419.77 m. 2003.02. 25, trip 4: N. Robertson, R. Williams and R. Galloway measured 338.69 m, R. Williams, S.A. Diengdoh and Fraser E. Simpson 337.07 m. 2003.02.26, trip 5: N. Robertson and R. Galloway measured 265.96 m, Thomas Matthalm, R. Williams and S.A. Diengdoh 254.03m. (2003 total: 1976.87 m) 2005.02.08, trip 6: Mark W. Brown, Quentin 'Cooper' Cowper and Shelley A. Diengdoh relocated the entrance to Krem Synrang Ngap with the aid of local children and GPS. Rigged the entrance pitches and went downstream to rig the 5 m ladder climb (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Diary). 2005.02.12, trip 7: M.W. Brown, Georg Bäumler, Rainer Hoss and Christine Jantschke mapped about 400 m in einem nach Süden verlaufenden Seitengang [der] später scherzhaft als 'Never Go Again Passage' ausgeschrieben wird (Jantschke 2005.02.11 Mss: Fahrtenbericht Meghalaya 2005; JANTSCHKE 2006: 147). According to HARRIES (2005), Synrang Ngap was extended and is still ongoing. It now takes around 5 hours to reach the furthest point. SHEEN, R F (2005.08.20), Exploration of the difficult Synrang Ngap system started to go after Brian Cotter and and company swam through the ongoing extensions. 2005.02.12, trip 8: Mark W. Brown, Georg Bäumler, Christian 'Grischde' . Fischer and Rainer Hoss surveyed 436.68 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary) or surveyed 433 m in a large side passage ending [sic! for: giving access to] a swim (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary). 2005.02.15, trip 9: M.W. Brown, Fraser E. Simpson, Brian McCoitir, Graham Marshall go to Krem Synrang Ngap where they resurvey 124 m (extending the previous survey by 13 m) into the downstream section of the cave to reach a bolder blockage. Mark swam the pool that marked the limit of the side passage (surveyed with George and Co.) to discover that it led to an ongoing passage (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary). According to Brooks, S J (2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary), 13.00 m (or so). 2005.02.17, trip 10: Mark, Jo, Lesley, Shelley, Brian Mac, Jrat, Quentin and Gregory set out for an epic trip in Synrang Ngap. Peter and Fraser accompanied them to the entrance with supplies for a bivi on exit. All proceeded to the area beyond the sim in the 'downstream upstream' passage … The team exited the cave around 1.30 and 3am (13.5-15 hour trips) and, after drinking and eating nooddles around a fire, got some sleep in the entrance chamber (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary). 2005.02.18, trip 11: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt, Brian McCoitir, Fraser E. Simpson 125.69 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary). Brain Mac, Jrat and Fraser … surveyed [sic?] 125 m beyond the swim. Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt (2005.03.06 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XII, 18/2/05): My first visit to the lower levels of Syngrang Ngap turned out to be an excellent trip afte a somewhat scrappy start missing the path. The 100 m or so of pitches were well rigged and lead to the gravelly streamway where I donned Quentin's new wet suit. Beyond the wet, flat out crawls there is a considerable length of scrambling passage where huge calcite bosses and gours have to be climbed over. Eventully we reached the 'Downstream Upstream$z inlet –a good sized bore passage with deep mud and pools ending in a 5 m swimming section where we started the survey. It was now late in the day but we mapped 125 m of excellent galleries leaving three fine tunnels and several inlets ongoing. There are some fine formations in places and the general trend is SW towards Krem Um Suba -- an undescended 10 m pot -- and the downstream of Krem Synrang Labbit. 2005.02.19, trip 12: Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Brian McCoitir, Gregory D. Diengdoh 219.71 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary.xls): Jrat, Brian Mac [McCoitir], and Gregory [Diengdoh] … continue surveying beyond the swim.They surveyd 219 m andfound two main ongoing passages. One was through a tight calcite squeeze —referred to as the thin man option, whereas the other passage was termed the fatman option. Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt (2005.03.06 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XII, 19/2/05): Three small boys showed us the way the best route to the cave and were rewarded wth Kendal Mint Cake. We plotted sturdily through the system to the swim where Gregory and I shared the life jacket. Surveying commenced at the last upstream point and we mapped some very fine and roomy phreatic tunnels with curtains, helictites, etc. until everything closed down into tiny, too narrow tubes with the echo of larger passage below where the strong daught emanated. I tried digging down using stones as tools but gave up after a while. We returned to the previous junction where I managed to get through a severe squeeze between formations to enter at least 120 m of superb gothic-arched and clean-washed passage boring off into the distance and probably heading for Krem Synrang Labbit. Many marble sized and shaped sandstone pebbles littered the potholed floor. Being alone I returned to the others after bashing a hole in a large curtain [violent caving and vandalism (note 8) only] to ease my exit. After checking a couple of inlets we surveyed a couple of legs down to a calcite coke in the 'Downstream' fossil bore passage before mapping part of the other large inlet leading off from yesterday's loop passage. This turns into a maze, draughts and is very much ongoing. Time had now run out and we headed home after getting 225 m in the bag. We also dumped some fluorescein in the main downstream passage at the junction. We now have to return with hammer and chisel or small cavers (nong psiah krem) to push on upstream (note 9). 2005.02.23, trip 13: Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Brian 'Cowper' Cooper, Gregory D. Diengdoh measured 454.36 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary.xls): Jrat, Quentin and Gregory went to the 'downstream upstream' passage beyond the swim, then past the 'thin man' squeeze and surveyed 454 m (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary.doc). 2005.02.23, trip 14: Fraser E. Simpson, Brian McCoitir and JW 82.66 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary.xls) or Brian, Fraser and Jo went up Sparkl street and found the existing survey made no sense and surveyed 82 m of side passages (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary.doc) which thus cannot make sense again. Jarratt, A R (2005.03.06 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XII: 17, 23/2/05) agrees: Jo, Brian and Fraser [Joanne Whistler, Brian McCoitir and Fraser E. Simpson] went off to push and survey 'upstream' in Sparkle Street but had an unrewarding day as the Roger Galloway / Nigel Robertson base survey was apparently almost useless. 2005.02.23, trip 15: Jarratt, A R (2005.03.06 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XII: 17, 23/2/05), Gregory D. Diengdoh and Quentin 'Cowper' Cooper carried on downstream and I went to enlarge the squeeze while Greg and Quentin surveyed a few legs in '126 Series' —Gregs earlier climb up to a choke. I attacked the squeeze from both sides with hammer, chisel and iron rod but was only able to remove a small amount of calcite due to it's hardness. Eventually the others arrived and easily got through. We hen setoff surveying up the fine inlet past the dry pothole containing many small round stones providing the name 'Catapult Corner'. Fine passage led on but suddenly degenerated [sic! for: developed] into a chest deep pool leading up a slope to a complicated and muddy area with formations [speleothems]. Here we found two 30 m avens and lots of decorated [illegible, probably not: gurch] named 'Curtains for the Curtains' as Greg had to smash a couple to push a lead. He also pushed the descending 'Gravel Grorch' which regained superb, roomy passage —the 'Great Straight'. We were now confused as the water appeared to be flowing away from us unlike that in the major inlet that we had followed for some hundred metres! With healthy [read: outsized, inadequate] survey legs we marched onwards to intersect a fine phreatic boretube with superb pillars and curtains and within a few metres this itself intersected a larger passage which sumped to the right but continued to the left as a lage canyon with a bigger fossil tube above. We climbed up into this for ease of surveying [and increased lack of details] and Gregory, leading with the tape, scrambled up a steep mud slope to regale us with cries of astonishment. He had entered a huge fossil chamber (or rather tunnel) some 20 m wide with a cracked sandy mud floor and the sound of a healthy stream emanating from the depths on the LH side. We had now hit the jackpot and run out of time all at once but rewarded ourselves by scrambling down to admire the huge phreatic [sic! for: vadose] river passage coming from right to left and heading off to regions unknown. This has a fair sized, active stream which may be that of Krem Synrang Labbit system. There was no sign of fluorescein [visible with the naked eye]. Quentin went downstream for a look and was quite gobsmacked by its size and potential and convinced, like the rest of us, that we had left Ngap and were in a completely different system. There are also many upper level assages to survey and lots of work to do if we can find an easier way in for the fat bastards. Only the priviledged skinny can reach this Nirvana at present. I named the huge chamber / boretube 'Meghalaya Adventurers' Chamber' in recognition of Gregory's first entry. … 454.36 m surveyed. 2005.02.27-28, trip 16: Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt (2005.03.06 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XII: 23, 27/2/05), Mark W. Brown, Quentin 'Cooper' Cowper, Gregory 'Greg' Diengdoh, Shelley A. Diengdoh, Brian 'Mac' McCoitir, Peter Ludwig, Joanne 'Jo' Whistler and Lesley Yuen undertook the big push. Loaded down with caving gear, sleeping kit, noodles, water, coke, beer and rum, we staggered down to the entrance at mid-day. Fraser, unfortunately, was suffering from a painfull shoulder so had to dip out and hand out the videoing to Mark. Quentin, Greg and I [Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt] headed for M.A. Chamber, reached after following the (unsurveyed) streamway below into the 'Labbit' Sreamway, we first surveyed off to the left up a huge, flat roofed tunnel with an ascending mud dune floor. This reached the edge of a massive boulder choke with a superb glistening flowstone cascade dropping steeply down to the 'Labbit' streamway. After surveying most of this we had a food break then returned to M.A. Chamber to survey it in the upstream direction. The LH side seemed to suddenly become a clear inlet which ended in yet another boulder choke. The middle section became a very steep, slippery and hazardous mud 'mountain' where real fears of slipping off or even being avalanched meant that great caution was necessary. Gregory –a superb pusher– reached the top to report that it became completely mud choked. I looked at a floor level passage on the RH side and found some 70 m of gothic arched and well waterworn passage which remains unpushed. A very definite hint of green to this water convinced us that the fluorescein put into Krem Labbit had got through though very iluted. The closeness of the two systems tends to confirm this anyway. After another break we commenced the 'Labbit' downstream survey and had not got far when the sound of voices heralded the arrival of the 'Fat Man's Team' [Mark W. Brown, Lesley Yuen, Shelley A. Diengdoh] who had all got through the infamous squeeze after an hour of hammer and chisel work. We were suitably impressed. While they videoed, picnicked and [faffed? fafled?] about in M.A. Chamber, we carried on through assorted wet passages to finally reach a massive calcited boulder choke –another part of the same choke seen in the LH branch of M.A. Chamber and possibly having similar sized big stuff beyond. With tiredness setting in –it was now past 10pm– a cursory examination was made by Quentin and Greg who reported that it was probably a 'goer' and that the 'Labbit' stream could be heard beyond. This had earlier disappeared into a ridiculously tiny rift. Wet, cold and knackered we called it a night ad headed for the surface –passing the 'Fat Man' holding yet another picnic in the M.A. Chamber. After some 13 1/2 hours we regained the entrance where, to our dismay, we found that half of our beer and all of our coke had been pinched … We were awaken arounf 10 am by Fraser, Brian K.D. and Graham who had very kindly arrived to help sherpa the kit. A thoroughly exhausting but satisfying trip which has tidied up the cave netted 620.70 m for us … Brooks (Brooks 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary.doc) confirms: Jrat, Gregory and Quentin surveyed 620 m around the M.A. chamber area. 2005.02.27, trip 17: Mark W. Brown, Shelley A. Diengdoh and Lesley Yuen believed to have spotted 76.43 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary.xls): Mark, Lesley and Shelley surveyed 76 m in the fatman option side passages (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary.doc). 2005.02.27, trip 18: Brian 'Mac' McCoitir and Joanne 'Jo / Joe' Whistler spotted 100.87 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaa 2005 Survey Summary.xls): Jo and Brian surveyed 100 m in this [Fatman's Option] area. They then caught up with Jrat, Quentin and Gregory and investigated a lead in the vast and confusing Meghalaya Adventurers Chamber with stops for noodles and brews at regular intervals (Brooks 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary.doc). 2005.03.01, trip 19: Mark W. Brown, Joanne 'Jo / Joe' Whistler and Fraser E. Simpson videoed and spotted a meterage of 65.11 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary.xls): Mark, Jo and Fraser went down Krem Synrang Ngap to resurvey the area around sparkle street and make some video. They climbed the lead up boulders off the end chamber to find no way on. 65 m of new side passage were surveyed and they derigged the cave. Ngap has no remaining leads on the entrance side of the 'this man' squeeze. They exited the cave and returned to the jeep to find their extra porters had get lost (Brooks, S J et al. 2005 Mss: Meghalaya Diary.doc). 2005 total: 3439.06 m Arbenz, T 2005.05.24 survey data) but 4172.08 m (Brooks 2005.10.05 Mss: Meghalaya 2005 Survey Summary.xls). 2006.02.11-15: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt, Neil Pacey and Terence 'Terry' M. Whitaker continued their fruitless quest for an easy way down into the fabled Krem Synrang Ngap extensions somewhere below, finding a couple of promising pots and sending Jayne [Stead] down Krem Warkhla 3 … (JARRATT 2006: 8). 2006.02.15, trip 20: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2006.03.04 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XIII: 15/2/06) and Neil Pacey abandoned exploration of Krem Warkhla 2 and marched back up to Krem Bir 2 where the rest of the kit was gathered up. Well laden down we decided to rig Krem Synrang Ngap and set off along the path to the overview from the Shaktiman track at the bend. Here we asked directions from a local woodcutter (Moonlight Patlong) who pointed out a banana tree covered pot just a few meters away! This was not Ngap but a new one to us (Krem –>Tyrtong Ryngkoo). 2006.02.17, trip 21: nthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2006.03.04 Mss 'Cave Log' vol. XIII: 17/2/06), Neil Pacey and Desmond 'Des' McNally walked some way down the valley looking for Krem Synrang Ngap but failed and walked back to camp. 2007.02.18, trip 22: Peter Ludwig and Mark W. Brown rigged the entrance pitches of Krem Synrang Ngap in the afternoon (Brooks, S J et al. 2007.03.01 Mss: Diary2007.doc). According to JARRATT & DAWSON (2007), Mark B. and Peter L. rigged the old favourite, Krem Synrang Ngap, in preparation for a big push. 2007.02.27, trip 23: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt tended an attack of intentional cave destruction when he took Heidrun Andre and Henry Rockcliff to the down stream boulder choke to bang a rock with home made explosives which didn’t work so they hit it with a hammer until it gave way [the hammer or the rock, not the explosives]. They found new big well decorated fossil passage, which headed in two directions and explored about 150 m to a choke before leaving (Brooks, S Jet al. 2007.03.01 Mss: Diary2007.doc). 2007.02.27, trip 24: Mark W. Brown, Henry Duxbury, Mark E. Tringham and Brian Cullen pushed the Kit Kat Trail at the Mud Mountain end of Krem Synrang Ngap. After four more legs from the week before, it got extra muddy, small, wet. A few other things were tried but nothing more would give (Death march tune playing). They surveyed the side passage opposite in the big passage to an aven. The Labit stream inlet was found to be too tight. Then the Wet Bypass was surveyed and all side passages back to the squeeze checked. Most becoming too tight. They derigged the cave after an efficient 12 hour trip (Brooks, S J et al. 2007.03.01 Mss: Diary2007.doc). … Krem Synrang Ngap saw the Marks, Henry D. and Brian C. pushing several grotty side passages in the far reaches and failing to find the major connection to Krem Synrang Labbit while Henry R, Heidi and the writer went for the soft option at the much closer downstream choke – two boulders were blocking theway to black space beyond. They were lucky to get there as Heidi sustained a badly twisted ankle en route but insisted on continuing. Here Henry produced his not very secret weapon – three 'snappers” made from shotgun cartridge black powder scrounged from __, inserted in drilled holes, tamped with cornflour and water paste and electrically fired one at a time. The first failed and the others produced smoke and noise but little else. It was a good effort though. A calcite rib on the wall was then chiselled off just enough to allow the skinnier Mendip member of the team to squeeze through and enlarge the place from the far side so that Henry could join him. They explored some [estimated] 160 m of huge and splendidly decorated high-level passage ending in a proper boulder choke with several ways on down in the floor. It was named 'Adventurous Hobby Explorers' Hall” following a derisory comment from one of our Germanic colleagues [note 10]. Lack of time [sic! beer, rum, whisky, etc. prevented surveying … (JARRATT & DAWSON 2007). SPELEOMETRY 2007: Survey length: 4512.12 m, vertical range: 218.87 m (+0.00 m / -218.87 m). 2008.02.05, trip 25: Mark W. Brown, Geoffrey 'Jeff' Wade, Alys Mendus and Anne Vanderplank … rigged Cross Rift Pot in Krem Synrang Ngap and dug out the low crawl/duck in the streamway. Jeff and Mark began rigging the undescended pot beyond Cross Rift Pot (Brown et al. 2008 Mss 'Meghalaya 2008 diary' Tuesday 5th February). 2008.02.05, trip 26: Jrat, Anne and Jeff went to Krem Synrang Ngap to continue rigging the new pitches to a depth of c90m and were stopped by two too tight rifts. They surveyed the pitches and de-rigged. Jrat climbed into a tall aven above the pitches which needs surveying. A nearby aven needs to be bolt-climbed (1 or 2 bolts) (Brown et al. 2008 Mss 'Meghalaya 2008 diary' Wednesday 6th February). 2008.02.05, trip 27: Rolf Siegenthaler and Guillaume Pelletier, guided by Henry Rockcliff, … went to enlarge the squeeze atthe downstream end of Krem Synrang Ngap. They surveyed some new large passages (20 m wide, 15 m high) c260 m mapped. They stopped at a large boulder choke which has promising leads and a strong draught (Brown et al. 2008 Mss 'Meghalaya 2008 diary' Wednesday 6th February). Siegenthaler (2008 Mss): 6.2.08, Mittwoch … Zum Morgenessen gab’s die ballonartigen, delikaten Poori (frittiertes Brot) – ich werde noch zunehmen in diesem Camp – und dann gab ich noch rasch die wenigen Daten von gestern in den Computer ein, bevor wir losgingen. Mit Henry und Guillaume fuhr ich dann ins nächste Dorf rüber, Shnongrim, welches etwa einen halben km vom Camp weg auf dem Bergrücken liegt. Durch das Dorf wanderten wir etwa eine 3/4h abwärts bis zu einer grossen, mit Bambus zugewachsenen Doline, in deren Tiefe der Eingang zur Krem Synrang Ngap liegt. … Wir mussten an einer Stelle etwas suchen, da Henry sich auch nicht besonders gut auskannte und ich und Guillaume noch nie da gewesen waren. Wir fanden abr unseren Ansatzpunkt, eine Meisselstelle mit starkem Luftzug oben in einem aktiven Gang. Henry meisselte noch etwas weiter und wir schafften es alle durch das Nadelöhr zu kommen. Oben standen wir mitten in einem fossilen Riesengang, der mit 20 m Breite auf beide Seiten ins Schwarze führte! Wow! Ich konzentrierte mich, nicht zu viele Details zu zeichnen im Massstab 1:1000 und wir vermassen rückwärtig 160 m und auf die andere Seite, in einem Gang, der der Humpleu würdig wäre, nochmals 100 m. Dann war leider die Zeit um. Wir machten auf dem Rückweg noch einige Bilder und in etwa 1h waren wir unten am Schacht. Genau zur pickup-time waren wir im Dorf. Vor dem Nachtessen (Wollschwein = viiiel Fett!) gaben wir die Daten ein. 2008.02.07, trip 28: Rolf Siegenthaler, Guillaume Pelletier and Geoffrey 'Jeff' Wade went to Krem Synrang Ngap and finished surveying the boulder choke room. They searched for other passages but found nothing so derigged back to the T-junction (Brown et al. 2008 Mss'Meghalaya 2008 diary' Thursday 7th February). Siegenthaler (2008 Mss): 7.2.08, Donnerstag … Wir kehrten zurück, wo wir gestern aufgehört haben. Diesmal mit Jeff und Guillaume. Wir waren schon etwas schneller hinten als gestern aber leider kamen wir nach drei Messzügen bereits in einen Versturz, der sich auch mit zwei Stunden absuchen nicht knacken liess. Verschwitzt (die Temperatur in den dortigen Höhlen ist 15-16°C) brachen wir die Übung ab. Jeff, unerschrockener, junger Brite, folgte noch dem Wasser abwärts. Obwohl er kein Ende erreichte, verzichteten wir auf das Vollbad. Für die Vermessung ist es doch angenehmer mit Wasserausrüstung. Wir gingen zu Fuss zum Camp zurück, da wir etwas zu früh waren. Wieder musste ich aufpassen, nicht zu viel zu Essen ... Dann gaben wir Daten ein und es wurden für den nächsten Tag neue Pläne geschmiedet. Die im Camp verfügbaren Telefone funktionierten komischerweise nicht für die Schweiz, so klappte es nicht mit der Kommunikation mit der Heimat. 208.02.13, trip 29: Katharina 'Kate' Janossy and Robin Sheen … went to Krem Synrang Ngap to bold climb into a high level passage, which was mud-choked after 14 metres. The cave was derigged (Brown et al. 2008 Mss 'Meghalaya 2008 diary' Wednesday 13th February). SPELEOMETRY 2008: Survey length: 4716.76 m, vertical range: 218.87 m (+0.00 m / -218.87 m). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss 'Overview' undated), however, pledged for believing that Krem Synrang Ngap was extended from 4.51 km to 4.92 km in length.