SALANG SINK CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A boulder filled cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation), which is said to be up to 12.5 m wide and 2.1 m high, is said to give access to to an active sink which looks like taking a significant flow in wet weather (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). An awkward access entrance or non-obvious cave entrance without specified shape or size except relatively small faces an unspecified direction and is suspected to represent a seasonal sink (Brooks, S J undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave). A mix of large dry horizontal passage or river passage that required some significant swims to explore (Brooks, S J 2009.03.10 Mss: Overview 2009). Active sink, takes significant flow in wet weather (Arbenz, T 2009.12.30 Mss Simon Brooks 2009.06.07 Krem Salang Sink 07.06.2009). ETYMOLOGY 2008: The Synteng Khasi (Pnar) cave name -Krem Salang- (Boycott, 2008.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang) appears to refer either a short form of -Krem sa Blang- meaning Goat ave or a short form of -Krem sa Phlang- meaning Grass Cave or Tussock Cave (note 1). ETYMOLOGY 2009: Though the English noun -sink- is definitely neither a Khasi nor Synteng (Pnar) word, Simon J Brooks (2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink) wanted to make believe that Krem Salang Sink is the local name given to recci party or, perhaps, to the cave entrance (?) by an unidentified Umkyrpong Headman without known name. The other cave name -Krem –>Umshua“ (Boycott 2008.02.16 Mss: Krem Umshua), which had been recorded a day earlier, is a mis-interpretation (note 2). ETYMOLOGY 2010: Arbenz, T (2010.06.29 personal corresppondence) told me that the –>Salang Sink Cave is the same as Salang Snake Cave a.k.a. Krem Salang Snah (anonymous Brooks, Simon J undated 2009.06.07 Mss amendments to Rockcliff, H J 2009.02.17 Meghalaya Cave Record: Krem Salang 2 (Snake Cave); Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss: Diary 2009.doc Saturday 21st). HYDROGRAPHY: Arbenz, T (2010.03.23 Mss: Re Labit Kseh) suggests … that it s the same creek [sic! qua: stream of water] that comes down from Samasi, flows through Tyngeng [Krem –>Tyngheng] and Diengjem [Krem –>Dieng Jem], crosses the plain of Umkyrpong where it gets more water from different feeders, goes into salang sink and vanishes in a sump only about 150 m short of the sump in Labit Kseh or Krem Labit (Kseh). SITUATION 2002: Brian D. Kharpran Daly (2002.03.07 Mss: Wahlong / Pala, item -Pala #1 Salong) was told (unidentified communicator) about a cave called Krem Salong (sic!) which was said to lie somewhere in the vicinity of Pala (N25°24'35”: E92°34'17”). SITUATION 2004: Jayne Stead (2004.02.17 Mss) recorded to have been told by Bikin Paslein (Samasi Village Headman, 2004.02.17 personal communication with Brian D Kharpran Daly) about a cave called Krem Salang somewhere in a so-called Sem Masi Area (Samasi I.B. N25°24'01.6”: E92°32'57.4” WGS84). SITUATION 2008: Boycott (2008.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang): Without identified spatial relation close and t an estimated walking distance of 400 m without orientation (no direction mentioned) from an unspecified spot somewhere at the village of Umkyrpong (note 3). POSITION 1: WGS84 N25°25'46.1”: E092°35'11.6” (±26 m): circa 760 m asl (H. Rockcliff 2009.02.17 GPS Garmin Geko 310). POSITION 2: WGS84 N25°25'46”: E092°35'11” (unspecified horizontal precision error): 760 m asl (Arbenz, T 2009.06.01 Mss: total 2009.xls). APPROACH (Brooks 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink): From Umkyrpong village approach as for Krem Wah Mytngam [sic! qua: Krem Wah –>Myntngam] as far as the seasonal streambed (note 4) without identified name. Cross this and follow path [without orientation] via / through small limestone pinnacles for another 300 or 350 m to reach Krem Salang Resurgence (N25°25'45.3”: E092°35'08.6”). Descend to seasonal streambed [without identified name] and follow this downstream [without orientation] for approximately 150 m to the obvious sink entrance of Krem Salang. CAVE DESCRIPTIN 2008: Big cave, small entrance, water & bats inside (Boycott 2008.02.17 Mss -Krem Salang- after Wes Manar, Umkyrpong village headman). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009 (Brooks 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink): The boulder filled but somehow 12.5 m by 2.1 m large cave entrance has some small side passages and leads to an entrance chamber where, on SE side, a canyon (1.6 m wide, 9 m high) exits and continues for over 100 m in a more or less straight line before it turns and drops (bamboo blockage dam) 1.5 m to reach a canal passage (12.5 m by 2.1 m) where swimming is possible. The canal passage zigzags for some 100 m to reach a lake chamber. A low, and therefore draughting duck on the far side of this leads to a second chamber dissected by a silt bank in February 2009. Beyond this, there is more swimming & canal passage and a climb up through boulders leads to a lofty chamber or passage (8 by 7 m) that descends to a 4.5 by 1.5 m large cave passage leading to a -Terrantula“ or, perhaps, to a Tarntula Choke (choked with boulders), an extensive but tightly packed boulder choke with no obvious way on despite showing signs of absorbing a large volume of water in wet season. Brooks, S J et al. (2009 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Friday 20th, Saturday 21st) mention lateral cave passages associated with 314 m of fine canyon passage and swims which lead not only to … a duck and a boulder choke but also, another 100 m further on, to circumstances where the visible and visitable part of the cave can be seen … ending abruptly at another boulder choke. Brooks, S J (2009.03.10 Mss: Overview 2009) narrates how Krem Salang Sink 462 m … proved to be a mix of large dry horizontal passage or river passage that required some significant swims to explore. CAVE CONTENTS: This sink contains not only unclassified sediments but also identified driftwood (mostly rotting bamboo) but unspecified speleothems [are] only present in entrance chamber (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). TACKLE: Good buoyncy aids are a must (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). CAVE POTENTIAL: An unidentified Headman of Umkyrpong beleived (sic!) or, perhaps, was understood to have explained that this to connect to Krem Labbit [sic!] Kseh [note 5] but a boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, relatively large & densly packed(Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). According to some, the unidentified The headman of Um Khyrpong [sic!] believes this to connect to Krem Labit Kseh whilst the boulder choke is large and densely packed, there is no obvious way on despite of the cave showing signs of absorbing large volumes of water in the wet season (Arbenz, T 2009.12.30 Mss -Simon Brooks 2009.06.07- Krem Salang Sink 07.06.2009). On the other hand, the boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, both comparatively large & densly packed without comparison for scale. SPELEOMETRY: Arbenz, T (2009.06.01 Mss: total 2009.xls) lists Salag Sink with a survey length (20.02.2009) of 462.21 m at a vertical range of ±12.45 m (+12.45 m (sic!) / -0.00 m) instead of -12.45 m. CAVE LIFE: Brooks, S J (2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink) came on 20th and 21st February 2009 across shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda), pigmented crabs (Brachyura), tadpoles (immature Anura spp. in the entrance area), relatively small white / orange coloured spiders of unidentified size and unspecified taste (Arachnida: cf. Aranea), dark coloured flies, and a Terrantula style spider in terminal choke which, the spider, is probably represented by a potentially Tarantula looking jumpy.ncy aids are a must (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). CAVE POTENTIAL: An unidentified Headman of Umkyrpong beleived (sic!) or, perhaps, was understood to have explained that this to connect to Krem Labbit [sic!] Kseh [note 5] but a boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, relatively large & densly packed(Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). According to some, the unidentified The headman of Um Khyrpong [sic!] believes this to connect to Krem Labit Kseh whilst the boulder choke is large and densely packed, there is no obvious way on despite of the cave showing signs of absorbing large volumes of water in the wet season (Arbenz, T 2009.12.30 Mss -Simon Brooks 2009.06.07- Krem Salang Sink 07.06.2009). On the other hand, the boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, both comparatively large & densly packed without comparison for scale. SPELEOMETRY: Arbenz, T (2009.06.01 Mss: total 2009.xls) lists Salancy aids are a must (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). CAVE POTENTIAL: An unidentified Headman of Umkyrpong beleived (sic!) or, perhaps, was understood to have explained that this to connect to Krem Labbit [sic!] Kseh [note 5] but a boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, relatively large & densly packed(Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). According to some, the unidentified The headman of Um Khyrpong [sic!] believes this to connect to Krem Labit Kseh whilst the boulder choke is large and densely packed, there is no obvious way on despite of the cave showing signs of absorbing large volumes of water in the wet season (Arbenz, T 2009.12.30 Mss -Simon Brooks 2009.06.07- Krem Salang Sink 07.06.2009). On the other hand, the boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, both comparatively large & densly packed without comparison for scale. SPELEOMETRY: Arbenz, T (2009.06.01 Mss: total 2009.xls) lists Salancy aids are a must (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). CAVE POTENTIAL: An unidentified Headman of Umkyrpong beleived (sic!) or, perhaps, was understood to have explained that this to connect to Krem Labbit [sic!] Kseh [note 5] but a boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, relatively large & densly packed(Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink). According to some, the unidentified The headman of Um Khyrpong [sic!] believes this to connect to Krem Labit Kseh whilst the boulder choke is large and densely packed, there is no obvious way on despite of the cave showing signs of absorbing large volumes of water in the wet season (Arbenz, T 2009.12.30 Mss -Simon Brooks 2009.06.07- Krem Salang Sink 07.06.2009). On the other hand, the boulder choke at the downstream end of the cave is, as far as accessible, both comparatively large & densly packed without comparison for scale. SPELEOMETRY: Arbenz, T (2009.06.01 Mss: total 2009.xls) lists Salag Sink with a survey length (20.02.2009) of 462.21 m at a vertical range of ±12.45 m (+12.45 m (sic!) / -0.00 m) instead of -12.45 m. CAVE LIFE: Brooks, S J (2009.06.07 Mss: Krem Salang Sink) came on 20th and 21st February 2009 across shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda), pigmented crabs (Brachyura), tadpoles (immature Anura spp. in the entrance area), relatively small white / orange coloured spiders of unidentified size and unspecified taste (Arachnida: cf. Aranea), dark coloured flies, and a Terrantula style spider in terminal choke which, the spider, is probably represented by a potentially Tarantula looking jumpy.