Km 44.5 CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.docA triangular cave entrance (1 m wide, 1.5 m high) faces south (towards the Borghat-Lama road) and gives access to a generally horizontal complex of interlacing streamcave passages which were abandoned by flowing water on one day (23rd February 2014) in the dry season and contained visible occurrences of secondary calcite formations (speleothems). The relic cave, former hillside drain, original entrance part cut off by road construction (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified, if it exists, for what was initially dubbed Km44.5 Cave (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss; Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev [sic!] 2_ 2014) but, unfortunately, also were disguised as a Pseudokhasi Krem km 44.5 (Anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xs). SETTING: The GPS position recorded for the entrance to the so-called km 44.5 Cave indicates a spot which lies a) about 2 km in a direct line due east of Borghat (N25°40': E092°40) b) above the banks of a stream of water that joins (near ±250 m N25°09°22”: E092°13'38” WGS84) the orographically left (locally east) bank of the Myntdu (Hari Nala, Hari River, etc.), c) about 125 m in a direct line approximately SSW (-105 m north, -67 m east) from the GPS position recorded for the so-called –>Km 44 Cave. SITUATION 2014.12.25: At km 44.5 on the road from Borghat to Lama. In cliff face right beside the road (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc). SITUATION 2014.04.05: The cave entrance was understood to open somewhere just 500 m down the road at a location perched two metres above the road or, to be slightly less unclear, on one or the other the side of the road between [the village of] Lama and [a crossroads settlement referred to as] Ld Lakadong (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 23rd February, Sunday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05: The mere act of entering the small entrance … led to a very beautifully decorated dry passage which had a few short side passages, which turned out to be oxbows. The [process of surveying the] 104 metres long cave petered out in a boulder choke beyond which the inaccessible part of this cae continues in an unknown way (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 23rd February, Sunday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: Horizontal, many formations (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.12.25: From the road climb up 3 m over a rocky ledge to the entrance. The main gallery is on average 2 m wide and 3 m high with a chamber after ca. 50 m where a 10 m long bypass leads away to the left and back to the main passage. The cave is dry and has many beautiful calcite forations. The continuation is blocked with calcited boulders and rocks (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc). CAVE CONTENTS: Sand and gravel, calcite formations (stalactites, stalagmites, helectites, curtains, flowstone, straws) (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc). PROSPECTS 2014.04.29: Speleotopographical progress has been declared ongoing and visible aspects suit the demands of beauty contests. Hence is a photo cave (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx) for everybody who preferes taking many pictures over seeing much. CAVE LIFE: The only wild animal noticed on 23rd February was, perhaps, a rodent mammal and ended up as a so-called one rat observed (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc).ations. The continuation is blocked with calcited boulders and rocks (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc). CAVE CONTENTS: Sand and gravel, calcite formations (stalactites, stalagmites, helectites, curtains, flowstone, straws) (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc). PROSPECTS 2014.04.29: Speleotopographical progress has been declared ongoing and visible aspects suit the demands of beauty contests. Hence is a photo cave (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx) for everybody who preferes taking many pictures over seeing much. CAVE LIFE: The only wild animal noticed on 23rd February was, perhaps, a rodent mammal and ended up as a so-called one rat observed (Arbenz, T 2014.12.25 Meghalaya cave record: Urs Waelchli 2014.02.23 km 44.5 Cave.doc).