GIBBON DOLINE CAVE 1 (aa -)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about 5 m wide cave entrance, which gives access to a pothole with an about 70 m (Brooks 2009.03.06 Mss) or about 75 m deep shaft (note 1), represents the first of two entrances leading to … the 1,788 m long Krem Tngaw (1+2) (Ape Cave 1 + 2) that contained a 70 m deep pitch as part of its vertical entrance series leading to yet more typically delightful Meghalayan river passage (Brooks 2009.03.06 Mss: Overview 2009). SITUATION: At a first glance, the location of the cave entrance giving access to first Gibbon Doline Cave is inexplicable because Henry, Brian, Hugh, Karma, Pankaj and Roshan … managed to get a GPS marking of the cave [note 2] and of the drop-off point too (Brooks, S J et al. (2009 Mss: Meghalaya diary). Arbenz, T (2009.03.29 Mss), however, remembered that the cave entrance lies at the northern end of the –>Gibbon Doline and, to be precise, in an unidentified spatial relation to the other cave entrances in the –>Gibbon Doline. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.02 (in: Brooks, S J t al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc): Henry Rockcliff, Karma Choki Bhutia and Pankaj Rai descended a shaft, rigging it with a ceiling along with a caravana and three bolts. As soon as they reached the bottom, there were boulders, calcite formations, and a strongly draughting opening in boulders which led to an estimated 50 m deep shaft with clean washed walls but no water (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Saturday 7th February). Torben Redder, Henry Rockcliff et al. (2009.02.08): The shaft estimated at 50 m turned out to be 62 m deep. Both upstream and downstream the passage became very wet and it was unfeasible to continue surveying without wetsuits (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Sunday 8th February). Torben Redder, Robert Winkler et al. (2009.02.09): Following the water downstream, the passage is for 450 m in general about 3 m wide and 2 m high, sometimes only 1 m high. There seem to bundle several parallel passages but it is probable that they are allonly one single passage separated by sedimentary deposits covered in mud. There is a lot of water (wet suit is useful) but no swim up to now. The passage is going on and may lead to Krem Shynrong Shrieh (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Monday 9th February). Torben Redder & Louise Korsgaard, Robert Winkler & Damien Lindner (2009.02.10): Torben, Louise and Chung went downstream and surveyed about 100 m before the main passage ended at a pool, possibly a sump. There are many unexplored side passages and the draft in the main passage seems to disappear. The others went upstream in a nice passage with a lot of water. They surveyed about 200m, most of it swimming stuff. At Station 4.15 there is a passage with a very little stream coming in from the right. From time to time there are parallel ways. From the last station 4.24, the passage is going on (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Tuesday 10th February). Robert Winkler, Damien Lindner & Valerie Chopard (2009.2.11): The side passage at 4.15 ended after 110 m at a boulder choke. In the main passage, the water becomes lower and finally the little stream come from a little parallel side passage from the left. The way on in the tunnel ended again at a boulder choke (station 4.37). At station 4.32, it is possible to crawl into the stream passage. It's rather narrow and wet about 20 m with snot gobblers in the end. It could be interesting to have another look to it, if there is a possible connection to somewhere and when all the survey kit is waterproof. To complete the day we surveyed a part of the narrow side passage (in fact sometimes a side passage of the side passage) with the little stream in between the stations 4.30 and 4.27 (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Wednesday 11th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.03.06: … a 70 m deep pitch as part of its vertical entrance series leading to yet more typically delightful Meghalayan river passage (Brooks 2009.03.06 Mss: Overview 209) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.03.29: Tngaw 1 ist ein gut 75 m tiefer Schacht, Durchmessser um die 5 m (Arbenz, T 2009.03.29 Mss: Re Bakteria, Tngaw & Wah Sapoh). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: Ein anderes Projekt … ist die Krem Tngaw 1 (Affenhöhle) in der ich ingesamt fünf Tage verbringe. … Gut so, denn inzwischen hänge ich in einem eindrucksvollen 60 m-Schacht mit vielleicht 15 m Durchmesser. Die letzten 45 m sind schön frei. Um so erstaunlicher, dass 20 m über dem Boden nochmal eine Umsteigstelle kommt. Da hat wohl das Seil nicht ganz gereicht. … Auch die Erforschung dieser Höhle wird in den folgenden Tagen abgeschlossen (WINKLER, R 2010: 117-118).9) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009.03.29: Tngaw 1 ist ein gut 75 m tiefer Schacht, Durchmessser um die 5 m (Arbenz, T 2009.03.29 Mss: Re Bakteria, Tngaw & Wah Sapoh). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: Ein anderes Projekt … ist die Krem Tngaw 1 (Affenhöhle) in der ich ingesamt fünf Tage verbringe. … Gut so, denn inzwischen hänge ich in einem eindrucksvollen 60 m-Schacht mit vielleicht 15 m Durchmesser. Die letzten 45 m sind schön frei. Um so erstaunlicher, dass 20 m über dem Boden nochmal eine Umsteigstelle kommt. Da hat wohl das Seil nicht ganz gereicht. … Auch die Erforschung dieser Höhle wird in den folgenden Tagen abgeschlossen (WINKLER, R 2010: 117-118).