AA CAVE (Burgers 2014)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A pair of closed depressions (dolines), of which the western one is an estimated 20 m wide and the eastern about 35 m by 25 m across and 10 m to 15 m deep, descend down to an interconnecting cave passage and a partly daylight-lit lateral cave chamber with a blind 30 m shaft in the far north-west corner. ETYMOLOGY: Neither a historical nor an autochthonous or indigenous name has been identified for this interconnected pair of caves as De gids wist geen naam voor deze grot, dus mochten we hem zelf verzinnen (DIKSTRA & BURGERS 2014: 38). When Jos -Yoxz- Burgers or Marcel Dikstra took unnamed cave for granted, the clouds [note 1] in the dolines suggested the name Misty Cave [note 2] (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss; 17th February, Monday). Within a few hours, however, this sports training device was not only dubbed Double Dutch Doline but also nicknamed Ladder Cave due to an interesting line of thinking according to which Jos surveyed and Marcel rigged the pit and the cave did’t pay off, hence the name (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 18th February, Tuesday). SETTING: On the one-hand side in the former coal mining fields of Lakadong Umlatdoh (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline) but on the other at the western rim of the Lakadong Plateau and at the head of a stream with an unidentified name that drains about 5 km or 6 km in a direct line approximately WSW to the vertically 700 m lower orographically right (eastern) bank of the Myntdu (Hari Nala, Hari River, etc.). SITUATION: At a spot which lies at an unidentified walking distance or, to be especially precise, just a short way further west than the cave entrances to Krem Rynsong and Krem –>Rynsong 2 (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 17th February, Monday). APPROACH: Follow a GPS track [note 3] from [what had been in February 2014 an unspecified] the tea shop in Umladtdoh [Umlatdo] (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05a: A relatively large doline about 20 m by 20 m wide [with a knowable depth] … led through a window to an even bigger doline, perhaps over 50 m by 50 m wide [and, presumably, also with a knowable third dimension]. The first doline failed to yield any dark cave zone, but at the far end of the second one was a breakdown chamber about 20 m across, and hidden from view at the far end, a pitch approximately 30 m deep (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 17th February, Monday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05b: The Double Dutch Doline or Misty Cave or Ladder Cave … consists mainly of two large collapsed chambers with lots of sandstone rubble from the overlaying beds. The 35 m pitch was descended … and proved to be an absolute dead end. Another small pitch of about 7 m in the centre of the chamber below the boulders proved to be a dangerous descent ening in [continuing as] a very narrow passage, which did not look like it would go more than a few metres. Further investigation of the two dolines didn’t yield any more cave (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 18th February, Tuesday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: Two collapsed dolines, connected by cave (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.05.10: Two big collapsed dolines connected through a window 2 x 6 m. Sandstone bedding on top of limestone very distinct demarcation line, with little stalactites and mini gours on the sandstone. In a corner in the room connected to the second doline there is a nice pit with fluted walls, 30 m deep, dead end.In the middle of that chamber there is another climb down to a smaller chamber in the collapse with a small instable 7 m pit (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). TACKLE: 1 sling, 40 m rope, 3 hangers (Arbenz, 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). PROSPECTS 2014.04.29: Speleotopographical progress finished (relinquished) due to apparently minimal potential, dangerous dig (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). PROSPECTS 2014.05.10: No feasible way on. Anyone who fancies a dig in an unstable boulder choke might find a way on [note 4] (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). CAVE CLIMATE: Slight draft apparent (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). CAVE LIFE: Old guano deposits but no bats seen. A few crickets and spiders. Many ferns [or, perhaps, much fern] (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). Keywords: Bat guano; Araneae indet.; Orthoptera; Pteridophyta: conf. Filicopsida.ing in [continuing as] a very narrow passage, which did not look like it would go more than a few metres. Further investigation of the two dolines didn’t yield any more cave (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 18th February, Tuesday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: Two collapsed dolines, connected by cave (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.05.10: Two big collapsed dolines connected through a window 2 x 6 m. Sandstone bedding on top of limestone very distinct demarcation line, with little stalactites and mini gours on the sandstone. In a corner in the room connected to the second doline there is a nice pit with fluted walls, 30 m deep, dead end.In the middle of that chamber there is another climb down to a smaller chamber in the collapse with a small instable 7 m pit (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). TACKLE: 1 sling, 40 m rope, 3 hangers (Arbenz, 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). PROSPECTS 2014.04.29: Speleotopographical progress finished (relinquished) due to apparently minimal potential, dangerous dig (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). PROSPECTS 2014.05.10: No feasible way on. Anyone who fancies a dig in an unstable boulder choke might find a way on [note 4] (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). CAVE CLIMATE: Slight draft apparent (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). CAVE LIFE: Old guano deposits but no bats seen. A few crickets and spiders. Many ferns [or, perhaps, much fern] (Arbenz, T 2014.05.10 Mss: Marcel Dikstra 18-02-2014 Double dutch Doline). Keywords: Bat guano; Araneae indet.; Orthoptera; Pteridophyta: conf. Filicopsida.