STRAIT ISLAND CAVE, Diligent Strait

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 31/05/2016

An irregularly shaped cave entrance, about 1.8 m wide and high, gives access to an estimated 9 m or 12 m long single chamber cave in which edible-nest swiftlets roost: »Here it is rather dark, and very warm, and the top and sides of the cave are covered with nests; an astonishing number of birds, twittering and on the wing, are whisking past the ears and eyes. This contrasting with the melancholy noise of the waves resounding through the gloomy cavern, formed a very uncommon and interesting scene« (PHALEY, H 1995: 75). SITUATION: PHALEY, H (1995: 75) locates Archibald Blair's cave not simply somewhere on Strait Island, »which is rocky but not exceeding 40 feet [12 m] in height« but expressively »at the south point of Strait Island« (N12°13': E092°57') and on the northern shores of »Diligent Straight« (N12°11': E092°57'). The »south point of Strait Island« (PHALEY, H 1995: 75) is indicated as »Cross Point« on the Survey of India (1996) District Planning Map "Andaman" quadrangle G 12 at linear distances of about 70 km east by north from Port Blair (N11°40': E092°45') and about 20 to 25 km approximately NNE from the cave –>Hava Beel. CAVE DESCRIPTION: »Lieutenant Archibald Blair, who surveyed the [Andaman and Nicobar] isles, has described one of the birds - nest caves which he saw. He described: The principal cave is situated at the south point of Strait Island (Diligent Straight), which is rocky but not exceeding 40 feet [12 m] in height. The entrance, which is washed by the tide, is an irregular aperture of about 6 feet wide [1.8 m], and the same height. On advancing 30 or 40 feet [9 or 12 m], the height diminishes to 4 feet [1.2 m], and the breadth increases to 20 [6 m]. Here it is rather dark, and very warm, and the top and sides of the cave are covered with nests …« (PHALEY, H 1995: 75). CAVE LIFE: »… the top and sides of the cave are covered with nests« of edible-nest swiftlets and »an astonishing number of birds, twittering and on the wing, are whisking past the ears and eyes …« (PHALEY, H 1995: 75).