PUIPUI, Mooria (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An estimated 30 m by 40 m wide and 34 m deep pothole and seasonal stream sink features a sandstone caprock that has been undercut (-15 m) in places. On ledges and at the base, the pot has much greenery, including relatively huge trees and a somehow large variety of forest and jungle foliage. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi cave name Krem Puipui (Kharpran Daly, B D 2000.02.26 after Moon Dkhar, Thangskai) was said to be due to vapour (moisture laden air; mist, plume, spray) rising from the pothole (note 1). SITUATION: In an unidentified setting and at an unspecified location (Brooks, S J 2000.02.29 Mss: Krem Puipui) which expedition cavers had reached in February 2000 by proceeding without orientation from an unidentified starting point between the villages of Thangskai (note 2) towards the village Wahjer (note 3). APPROACH: Brooks, S J (2000.02.29 Mss: Krem Puipui) issued the authoritative order to leave a road (National Highway NH44) at an unidentified spot (without GPS position) for a Shaktimantrack (a rough fair weather road / 4WD track motorable for cross-country vehicles) that runs east from the road at the end of the concrete barriers on a long right-hand bend. Having covered an unknown distance, take the track off from what happened to be way back in February 2000 the first noticed junction (without GPS position), and keep right in an unidentified direction. On the second of the junctions (without GPS position), which had been noticed in February 2000, keep again right in an unidentified direction and pass what had been in February 2000 a mine shaft (without GPS position). At the third junction (without GPS position), bear once more to the right without orientation and keep to what had been in February 2000 a so-called the main Shaktiman track passing by a washing place (without GPS position). Continue along the track. At the next noticed junction (without GPS position), go in an unknown direction left and uphill. After about 1 km, pass by relatively large depressions ith unidentified dimensions in an area without any GPS positions. At yet another the next junction (without GPS position), take a track to the right (without direction) and downhill. At one stage of disorientation, ignore a smaller track downhill to the left without direction and at an other stage (without GPS position) ignore an other footpath to the left without direction. Continue without orientation downhill to a river (note 4) and follow the streambed downstream (without direction) for ten minutes to reach the obvious pothole (Brooks, S J 2000.02.29 Mss: Krem Puipui). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000.1: The sandstone floored streambed opens directly into a 30 m by 40 m pothole formed where the sandstone caprock has been breached to give access to limestone. A single 34 m airy pitch (in the wet season a waterfall) descends down to the base which is completely blocked by wood, bamboo and rocks. The sandstone caprock has been severely undercut (-15 m) in places and the pot has much greenery (rlatively huge trees and a comparatively large variety of forest and jungle foliage) on ledges and at the base (after Brooks, S J 2000.02.29 Mss: Krem Puipui). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000.2: At Thangskai we … picked up Moon Dkhar, our forest guide. A Shaktiman track was followed in the Mahindra [jeep-like car] for as far as it could go and then we walked for an hour or so to a trickle of water in a dry, sandstone floored riverbed. Here we went downstream for 10-15 minutes to look at a -cave.- We were gobsmacked when the riverbed suddenly ended on the brink of a huge shaft -33 m deep, 30 m wide and 40 m long! … Pui-Pui means -dust- -- possibly rising spray … The only way on at the bottom was a sink passage almost completely choked with trees and bamboo. I dug my way through into a 4 m aven and the length was surveyed at a mere 10 m. On the way out I dug down into the floor to enter a most unpleasant section of passage choked with vegetation, rocks, and the odd spider. Despite a good draught tis would be a bit of a digging project, and so was abandoned. A superb doline shaft though and well worth the visit (Jarratt, A R 2000.02.26, 28 Mss: Cave Log 2000, entries 26/2/00, 28/2/00). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000.3: Krem Pui Pui, a massive pot hole in a river bed, measures [an estimated] 30 m by 40 m at its lip and dropped [an estimated] 35 m to a forested floor reminiscent of a -lost world- [note 5] (BROOKS, S J 2000b: 5).TACKLE: 50 m of SRT rope, a rope protector for the lip, and a 7 m ladder to assist getting on and off the pitch head. PROSPECTS: There must exist fully unexplored and seemingly inaccessible side / outlet passages, however , totally blocked by debris and which would require -several days to dig- (in Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt's assessment) (Brooks, S J 2000.02.29 Mss: Krem Puipui). CAVE CLIMATE: Simon J. Brooks had noticed at an unknown time on 28th February 2000 an air current (air flow) in side / outlet passages and recorded good air movement (Brooks, S J 200002.29 Mss: Krem Puipui).CAVE LIFE: Relatively large spiders (Arachnidae: Aranea: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda sp.), -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) which tend to indicate a perennial moist atmosphere.is would be a bit of a digging project, and so was abandoned. A superb doline shaft though and well worth the visit (Jarratt, A R 2000.02.26, 28 Mss: Cave Log 2000, entries 26/2/00, 28/2/00). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000.3: Krem Pui Pui, a massive pot hole in a river bed, measures [an estimated] 30 m by 40 m at its lip and dropped [an estimated] 35 m to a forested floor reminiscent of a -lost world- [note 5] (BROOKS, S J 2000b: 5).TACKLE: 50 m of SRT rope, a rope protector for the lip, and a 7 m ladder to assist getting on and off the pitch head. PROSPECTS: There must exist fully unexplored and seemingly inaccessible side / outlet passages, however , totally blocked by debris and which would require -several days to dig- (in Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt's assessment) (Brooks, S J 2000.02.29 Mss: Krem Puipui). CAVE CLIMATE: Simon J. Brooks had noticed at an unknown time on 28th February 2000 an air current (air flow) in side / outlet passages and recorded good air movement (Brooks, S J 200002.29 Mss: Krem Puipui).CAVE LIFE: Relatively large spiders (Arachnidae: Aranea: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda sp.), -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) which tend to indicate a perennial moist atmosphere.