LIAT PRAH (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

More or less -countless- cave entrances (note 1) give access to the enterable cave passages associated with the extensive and voluminous (note 2) Krem Liat Prah, which is basically a spacious stream cave system (the main drag is on average 20 m wide and high) that drains about one fourth of the Shnongrim Ridge (via Krem –>Umtler and Krem –>Rubong) to the west (orographically left) bank of the Litang river (note 3). The major part of the cave, with the exception of entrance shafts, is almost horizontal and structured by a dendritical pattern of rift-controlled tributaries to the main passage which once functioned as a master cave (note 4). Quite characteristic for the master cave are substantial deposits of soil piled up above the banks of the cave stream. Access to Krem Liat Prah is made by climbing down the slope of a roof collapse, which disconnects the cave from Krem –>Umtler 200 m further downstream. Krem Liat Prah is suspected to represent the lower reaches of a more or less ancint (?) system, now disjointed, that extends from the high level passages of Krem –>Labit (Lumdait Khung) and Krem –>Lumdait Khung to the northern tip of the Shnongrim Ridge. It is suggested that relic parts (abandonded by flowing water) of cave system were active before the base level of erosional was lowered . ETYMOLOGY. The standard Khasi and Synteng / Pnar Khasi noun -ka prah- signifies not only a winnowing basket (SINGH, N 1906: 163) made from bambo and in shape reminiscent of an oversized shovel without handle but also a truck (note 4b) in the sense of a railroad vehicle for carrying freight, esp. a small open one (Oxford Dictionary 2005); In German: die Lore (hdg 2014.09.29).u prah ka kali rel (Khasi; noun), truck (SINGH, N 1920: 542). . The standard Khasi word -liat- means to fall through and fallen, thrown (away), disgarded (SINGH, N 1906: 163). The shape of somewhat squarish entrance doline resembles a sunken -prah- winnower. Actually created, however, has been a broad variet of names for this cave, which currently include to be compiled / completed : Krem Liat Prah BROOKS, S J (2014: 52) Krem Liat Prah caverine system BROOKS, S J (2014: 52) Krem Liat Prah System BROOKS, S J (2014: 52) Krem Liat Prah / Um Im cave system BROOKS, S J (2014: 52). SITUATION: The cave entrance to Krem Liat Prah proper lies somewhere in the area downhill west or north-west from the fair-weather road along the SSW-NNE trending crest of the Shnongrim Ridge, and about halfway between the villages of Lumthymmai (N25°22'04”: E92°31'40”) and Lumthari (N25°22'12”: E092°32'59”). POSITION: The entrance to Krem Liat Prah lies in a deep and narrow valley covered in jungle (up till 2004, cleared in February 2005) where the performance of GPS receivers had been poor and resulted in three positions (Laumanns 2002.02.19; Boycott 2004.02.20 -BH- = Below Valley Head; Boycott 2004.02.20 -ET- = East of Tower Karst), which were hastily gatherd, unfortunately not averaged and remarkably diferent (note 5): The latter (Boycott's), for example, indicates a location 176.5 m in a direct line SSW (34 m east and 173 m south) from the first (Laumanns') position: 1) Laumanns 2002.02.19: N25°22'31.5-: E092°32'18.6- (±9 m, not averaged): 960 m asl (GPS Garmin12); 2) Boycott 2004.02.20 BH N25°22'25.9-: E092°32'17.4- (unidentified precision error, not averaged, Garmin 12XL); 3) Boycott 2004.02.20 ET N25°22'27.5-: E092°32'16.2- (unidentified precision error, not averaged, Garmin 12XL); 4) Boycott 2004.02.20 cET N25°22'27.5-: E092°32'19.1- (calculated 80 m east of Boycott 2004.02.20 ET). 5) Arbenz et al. 2005 N25°22' 26.4”: E092°32'19.5- (unidentified precision errors, Arbenz T & Sheen R F 2005 February, undated): 934 m asl (Arbenz's GPS Magellan 100, Boycott's GPS Magellan, Sheen's GPS Garmin Etrex). APPROACH 2004: To reach the cave entrance (note 6) to Liat Prah, … leave the Shnongrim Ridge track halfway between the villages of Lumthymmai and Lumthari a waypoint N25°22'10.3-: E092°32'21.7- [WGS84, unidentified precision error, Boycott A 2004.02.20, GPS Garmin 12XL] and follow an obvious path North downslope across a meadow to pine forest for 430 m to edge of limestone blocks at waypoint N25°22'24.3-: E092°32'20.8-. Walk downslope 110 m on bearing 300° [ cuth turn? cuth twin? ] hollows (currently [20 Feb 2004] bamboo garden but disappearing fast) on right to point on path at head of blind valley surrounded by tower karst at N25°22'25.9-: E092°32'17.4- [Valley Head Position]. Krem Liat Prah, at the head of this valley, could be reached by about 20 m ladder pitch [note 7]. Alternatively, walk through tower karst on west side of valley, bearing 340° for 60 m to point N25°22'27.5-: E092°32'16.2- [Tower Karst Position], then unto depression through banana grove on bearing 096°. The entrance is reached after 80 m [note 8]. Machete advised. The cave can also be reached from the east side of the valley hacking through vegetaton. APPROACH 2006: Krem Liat Prah proper lies downhill and to the left (north-west) of the fair-weather road along the SSW-NNE trending crest of the Shnongrim Ridge, and about halfway between the villages of Lumthymme (N25°22'04”: E092°31'40”) and Lumthari (N25°22'12”: E092°32'59”) in a deep and narrow valley covered in jungle (up till 2004, cleared in February 2005, partly overgrown in 2008). Though several approaches are possible, the standard route to the main entrance (no tackle required) is from the fair-weather road along the Shnongrim Ridge from Lumthymme to Lumthari: Shortly after the Moolasngi Y-junction, the road goes through a distinct cut in the hill. After this, a downsloping S-bend follows. A footpath down to the Myrsiang Plain takes off about 50 m before the S-bend. Follow a footpath straight down, pass the edge of a pine grove on your right, and ignore any side paths. Reach a distinct, small pass on a narrow crest, characterised by several short pinnacles and arocky depression on your right. Follow the path through a few pinnacles and the big doline of Liat Prah lies on the left. After 20 or 30 m, look fort the beginning of a faint track (hacked with machetes) down into the doline, or hack your own way down. The entrance under a high cliff can not be missed (Arbenz, T 2008 Mss -Fieldbook- page 53). CAVE DESCRIPTION: None considered so far. SPELEOMETRY 2005: At 18.1 kms, it is currently India's 2nd longest cave. It has numerous entrances, both horizontal and vertical (KHARPRAN DALY s.a. 2005). SPELEOMETRY 2006a: A cave system over 22.20 km long, which surpasses the previous known record of 21.55 km of another system existing in the same district. -The linking of the Krem um im-Liat Prah cave system to Krem labbit (Khaidong) to create a single cave system of 22,202.65 m in length is the longest cave known to date in the Indian subcontinent (KHARPRAN DALY 2006.03.06 on hindustantimes.com/news, accessed 2006.03.06). SPELEOMETRY 2006b: The Stae boasts of housing the world's longest cave [note 9], the -Krem Lait Prah-Um-!m- [note 10], with more than 22 km of its length mapped, at Nongkhlieh II aka [note 11], Jaintia Hills District … (Arindam Som, then information and public relations commissioner & secretary, Meghalaya, in: KHARPRAN DALY 2006 s.a.: Introduction). SPELEOMETRY 2006c: European caving functionaries applied a 22.2 km length in the far west to created in February 2006 a so-called Krem um im Liat Prah (note 12) that was identified as a set of connected karstic things (ARBENZ, T 2006: 4). SPELEOMETRY 2007: The exploration and linking of several sinks to the Krem Liat Prah Cave System (Indias longest cave) extended it from 22.202 m to 25.225 m in length (Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview). Arbenz, T (2007.10.05 personal correspondence: Liat Prah has now …): Liat Prah has now a total length of 9967.54 m. Arbenz, T (2007.10.08 personal correspondence: Another LP extension): The total of Krem Liat Prah is ow 10'080.23 m.SPELEOMETRY 2008: The accumulated survey length of the Liat Prah Cave System (Arbenz, T 2008.08.30; Arbenz, T 2012: 17) is reported to range between 8'296.49 m mapped (Laumanns et al. 2003) 29'773.50 m survey length (final survey data 2008.03.01) 30'347.42 m Brown et al. (2008 Mss -Meghalaya 2008 diary- Sunday 10th February) 30'397 m ARBENZ, T (2012: 17); BROOKS, S J (2014: 52) 30'514.37 m Arbenz, T (2008.08.30 table) 30'618 m Arbenz, T (2008.08.30: 53), Arbenz, T (2008 Mss -Fieldbook- 52) 30'957 m Brooks, S.J. (undated 2008 Mss: Longest Table 2008.doc): Krem Liat Prah/Um Im/Labbit the Liat Prah Cave System (Brooks, S J & Brown, M W undated 2008.02.29 Mss: Overview.doc) 30'9 km BAROAH (2008): … the famed Krem Liat Prah-Um Lm-Labit cave system in Jaintia Hills, the longest in India … SPELEOMETRY 2009: Length 29'769.42 m, vertical range: ±266 m (+0 m / - 226.44 m). SPELEOMETRY 2012: The Nongkhlieh ridge (sic! qua: Shnongrim Ridge) covering an area of 3 square kilometers is riddled with caves of stunning beauty; already 145 kilometres of cave passage have been explored and mapped inclusive of India’s longest cave Krem Liat Prah – Um Im – Labit system (31 kms) [sic! qua: less than 30 km] (KHARPRAN DALY, B D 2012.05.22). SPELEOMETRY 2013: In 2008 the linking of the Liat Prah Cave System to Krem Labbit (Moolesngi) [sic! qua: Krem Labit, Mulesngi, 3rd] via a 3m sump free dive and the connection of two other potholes into the system along with the exploration and mapping of new side passages characterized a cave system of 30.397 km [sic! qua: 29.769 km] in length and the first cave in Indian Subcontinent to exceed 30kms in length (BROOKS, S J 2014: 52). CAVE CONTENTS: Substantial deposits of soil (reminiscent of those found in the likewise large dimensioned Krem ->Lashing) rest at the base of the cave walls and/or bury inconvenient boulders. Two stalagmitic discs (disques?) are perched high above the slope descending from the Liat Prah etrance down to the master cave passage. There are rich speleothems in the dry, southern extensions of Krem Liat Prah. The water in the main passages cave is conveniently shallow and allows to stay dry if wearing -wellies- (rubber boots). Obviously, no significant flooding of Krem Liat Prah occurs during the Monsoon any more: not even gravel and sand deposits in the main passage changed their location between 2002 and 2003. CAVE POTENTIAL: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2006.03.04 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XIII) noticed a couple of unreachable roof passages and pushes the future explorer's inspiration by refraining not only to record or catalogue where these identified continuations are but also by refraining to attempt noting which physical abilities or what technical aids are needed to reach the more or less unreachable roof passages that were visible in the ceiling PROSPECTS 2004 (March): H. D. Gebauer expects the only briefly investigated Krem –>Dngiem (Shnongrim - Nongthymmei) to allowaccess to parts of the much calcite decorated (relic) level or levels above the known muddy, bouldery and active part of Krem Liat Prah. PROSPECTS 2007: A difficult task appears to connect Krem –>Umtler with the bouldery entrance area of Krem Liat Prah. Phran Kupar -Teddy- Mawlong, however, dicovered while exiting the cave at around 18hrs on 2007.03.17, when the temperature in the open air had dropped, a warm and moist air current issuing from below one of the boulders (near the south-west wall) high up in the entrance doline and already within the vegetated zone. Due to lack of time and because their was no obvious way in, this lead was left to be opened later. PROSPECTS 2008: Boycott (2008.02.23 Mss: Liat Prah) reports to have noticed on 23rd February 2008 an … unentered open passage [with unidentified dimensions] up 6 m climb at W end of Spekul Bypass needs pole or good climber with aid & rope for descent. Passage trending north, [illegible: nonscble ?] oxbow seen coming back in athigh level. CULTURAL HISTORY - Human Use: Decaying relics of bamboo scaffolding (February 2002, 2007) in the entrance to Krem Liat Prah indicate that the cave has been used (in the 1990ies?) as a bat hunting ground. CAVE CONSERVATION: India’s longest cave system is but only history; already the cavernous entrance of the cave is under attack (KHARPRAN DALY, B D 2012.05.22). CAVE LIFE: Due to the rich soil accumulation in the main passage, soil fauna is comparatively abundant. There are worms (conf. Plathelminthes, flatworms? indicated by worm's heaps), crickets (Orthoptera), tiny flies in the air, Heteropodina spiders (Arachnida: Aranea: Sparassida) on the walls, a few bats (Chiroptera) around, and some fish in the water. Bat skulls collected by M. Laumanns and identified by Dr. D. Kock (Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main) indicate the presence of Hipposideros armiger armiger Hodgson 1835 and Hipposideros larvatus leptophyllus Dobson 1874. Harries, D B (2002.06.10 persnal correspondence) had seen the skull of a small carnivore (Marten sized?) … KOTTELAT, HARRIES & PROUDLOVE (2007: 43 table 2) list Krem Liat Prah among the caves in the Sutnga area (sic!) in which the cave dwelling, nemacheilid loach Schistura prob. papulifera (Teleostei: Balituridae) was honoured with an uncertain record because Nigel Williams claimed in February 2003 to have seen what he understood to represent fish in water. Thomas Arbenz, Peter Ludwig, Bridget Hall, Vikram Singh Kirola, and Sujan Shubba reported to have seen on 2009.02.14 near the entrance a seen a black [read: dark coloured], 2.5 m long snake (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Saturday 14th February) but the circumstances remain too unclear to decide if this was inside the cave or in front of the cave entrance. CULTURAL HISTORY - professional adventure caving: Brian D Kharpran Daly (General Secretary, Meghalaya Adventurer's Association) had organised in February 2008 the sales promotion event Disover Meghalaya, the Caving Experience that was not only attended by governmental officials but also by a large number of media people and adventure tourism providers. Jean-Pierre Bartholeyns, a functioneer in the pay of the European Community, interpreted this event as great success where a mass excursion to the entrance area of Krem Liat Prah allowed the participants to relish in exploiting the diversity of the subterranean environment at first hand (note 13). SECONDARY PRINTED SOURCES: KA MEGHALAYA KABA … (Dongmusa, 21 Tarik Haduh 27 Tarik Lber / 21 to 27 March 2002: 2): Hane ka snem la ioh ban rung ia ki krem Liatprah ha shnong Khaidong, hapoh ka Elaka Nongkhlieh kaba jrong haduh 6017 meter. LAP KREM PUBON … (U Nongsain Hima, 21 Tarik Lber 2002: 1, 4): Ka krem thymmai kaba la shem ka long ka Krem Liat Prah … kaba jrong kumba 6017 metres. MEGHALAYA RANKS… (The Shillong Times, Thursday 21st March 2002: 3): … Krem Laitprah [sic!] … at 6017 m is still going and could well prove to be aother master cave system: NEW CAVES EXPLORED… (The Sentinel, Thursday 21 March 2002: 1): Khrem [sic!] Liat Prah at village Kheidong [sic!], Nongkhlieh, which at 6017 meters is still going. TOTAL MAPPED CAVES … (Meghalaya Guardian, 21 March 2002: 1): The discovery of this year's expedition is Krem Lait Prah [sic!] cave … which is 6017-metre long, is an ever-increasing one in terms of its length and may well prove to be another master cave system. WAN NYNGKONG… (Mawphor, 21 Tarik Lber 2002: 5): Napdeng ki jingshem ba thymmai da kane ka kynhun, la iatduh ba ki la lap sa ia ka jingdon jong kawei ka krem ia kaba la tip kum ka krem Liat Prah kaba don hapoh jong ka shnong Khaidong, kaba hap haph Nongkhlieh Elaka, bad kane ka krem ka don ka jingjrong kaba hatduh 6017 m. MANUSCRIPT SOURCES: Hodgson (2002.02.19 Mss: Sutdiary.wri): Krem Liat Prah, entrance doline 500 m [more likely: 200 m] south of entrance to Krem Umtler. Brian, Dan, Paul, Michael acquired guide, who led them to the entrane wich is used as a bat hunting site -- local delicacy). Steep slope of large boulders led into massive 20 by 20 m passage. Surveyed for approx. one hour, 172 m in nine stations the term -aircraft hanger like- was mentioned. The guide also pointed out other caves below Lumshaw village. Watch this space. Hodgson (2002.02.20 Mss: Sutdiary.wri): Survey of main dry passage continued from yesterday for approx. 1500 m to a boulder choke covered in calcite (no way on). Several promissing side passages, including the streamway passage (wet suit job? bouyancy aids?) remained unexplored. Paul saw that one of the chamber roofs of the main dry passage was heart shaped, no one else was so convinced … hm good imagination. The first side passage to the left surveyed, an oxbow, was, contained a wet hands and knees crawl surveyed for 120 m (ongoing). Christophe and Fiona are very happy about this, I think!?! They questioned being in Microlaya rather than Meghalaya. Hodgson (2002.02.21 Mss: Sutdiary.wri):Michael, Dave and Lindsey chose -Wet Lead- on the right roughly three quarters of the way from the entrance to the calcited boulder choke. Entered sizable draughting passage to encounter short 'lake', swam this and went left leaving stream passage to enter large dry passage surveying it for 570 m ongoing. Halfway to this point a small inlet came in on the right on top of a set of nice gour pools, photos had to be taken. Just before the gours a stream way went off to the right, this was followed and found to link back to the original stream passage from the 'Lake'. They were enamoured to be wearing a full set of neoprene and life jackets and ended up in hot dry passage most of the way! Christophe, Annie, Dale [Babha Kupar Mawlong] & Philban [Phiban Kharumlong] sorted -Dry Leads-, starting at the furthest side passage to the calcited boulder choke and worked back. First passage was wide and high, sandy with rock arches. It turned out to be an oxbow approximately 130 m long. Secod passage was a shallow wet crawl approximately 200 m long with fresh air at the end, continuing too tight. Third passage had sand, gravel & some water, it was becoming a crawl at end, 110 m surveyed, still going, no noticeable draught. Fiona and Tony J. continued survey of 1st inlet on left in the main passage [Bad Choice Inlet]: 70 m of small attractive passage led to a junction. One way was mud choked the other (draughting) way was too tight to continue. A boulder choked aven was investigated near the start of the inlet but no way on was found. An approximately 10 m pot was noted in the adjacent pinnacle karst. Fiona had a nice little carbide 'moment' when her spare carbide container burst open in the water … Jarratt (2002.02.22 Mss: Cave Log 22/2/2): BAD CHOICE INLET, etc.: … low, wet inlet passage leading off a side passage of the -aircraft hangar- main bore tube … After c. 70 m of small but attractive scalloped tubes our inlet reached a passage junction with a couple of waysmud choked and the main, draughting route too tight. […] On the way back to the entrance I investigated a boulder choked aven near the start of the inlet but could find no way on in this much warmer area of the cave. The downstream sink below the entrance slope was also briefly looked at but without enthusiasm. Hodgson (2002.02.22 Mss: Sutdiary.wri): Andy, Nicky, Michael: Yesterday's -Wet lead- is now the main ongoing dry passage [SNOW MAN'S LAND]. Passage continued very muddy, the stream disappeared to the right, then the passage changed to fossil [sic! more likely: relic] passage with the -Snow Man- stal. The passage ended in a boulder choke squeeze [Full stop? But a lead was found?…] through into large passage way with a 35 m aven with day light at the top of an open shaft. Passage continued getting larger with good mud paving. Passed snake remains and monkey paw prints. Passage ended in a choke which needs to be pushed, several other small leads to be looked at. Annie, Lindsay Abraham continued ongoing crawling passage from yesterday, surveying approximately 400m still ongoing. Fiona, Dave did bit of a trek setting traps. To the end of the cave traps set in boulder choke at end of main passage, centre of cave and entrance (twilight zone). One hour after leaving end of cave, fishing along river, arrived at start! Bugger… shouldn't have followed the river! Hodgson (2002.02.24 Mss: Sutdiary.wri): Michael, Robin, Ruben: Side lead to north-east [No Draught Passage]was dry, without air draught and growing in size. This side lead had a draughting passage off it [Fluted Flowstone Aven]. Hodgson (2002.02.25 Mss: Sutdiary.wri): Michael, Nicky, Philban, Dale surveyed approximately 150 m tidying up two oxbows near the entrance. Dan and Fiona went to collect their traps for the biological survey of the cave. Managed to relocate all but one trap (a water trap). Most interestingly one of the traps contained a large (over 10 cm long) blue and purple centipede. This was t a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in heigh -- named -Agoraphobia Chamber- in respect of it's impressive size.t a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in height a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in height a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in height a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in height a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in height a gravel bank at the streamway at survey station 51. This is the first of these centipedes [see also: Krem –>Lashing] found by our biological team and suspected to be an over land dweller. Also collected samples for interstitial fauna. This was a 10 hour trip! out by 10 at night. Robin, Batkupar, Ronnie, Sunni (the star drivers first caving trip) and Gareth made a tourist trip to the extremes of the known cave. Got to large area of breakdown with beautiful pretties and into large passage off the survey. On the return journey they encountered an inexplicable small pool of road tar! Sonni enjoyed the cave but got lost on the way back to the jeep whilst chasing wild fowl! Brooks, S J et al. (2007.03.01 Mss: Overview): Key findings from this year [2006 February 07 to March 01] include … the discovery and exploration of Krem Labbit (Khaidong) in which 6,230.99 m of passage were surveyed and a large chamber (largest found to date in Meghalaya) measuring 50 m by 60 m and over 30 m in heigh -- named -Agoraphobia Chamber- in respect of it's impressive size.