AA CAVE (Cooke 2012), 1st

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An arched cave entrance (unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation) associated with a gully leads down to the entrance chamber (5 m x 5 m) decorated with weather worn stalactites. A large boulder is perched precariously at the apex of the entrance arch. At the back [of the entrance chamber] a short passage leads to a second smaller formation filled chamber. In the floor there are two holes, the first looks unstable, the second is a 10 m pitch into a chamber below. A ladder was rigged which Ross climbed down but … didn’t reach the floor (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Mss: Diary 2012.doc). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for a relatively new cave of unknown age (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Mss: Diary 2012.doc) which Arbenz, T (2013.03.16 dated ”2012.04.30” cave distribution map Pala relief13 2.pdf) indicated as Cooke 2012 because Rich, Nicky, Ross & Cookie … [were] hoping for a way in to end of Krem Man Krem [Krm –>Mankrem]. Whilst wandering around (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Mss: Diary 2012.doc). Within merely 21 months after this new cave of unknown age was found, Thomas Arbenz discovered that the expedition diary 2012 relates, among others items, to an entry which describes the position of three potential caves. The explorers failed to find a name for them or to produce a cave record … As a temporary substitute the caves are called [by Thomas Arbenz] Cooke Cave 1,2,3 after the explorer [not after Mr. -Cooke Cave- but after David -Cookie- Cooke] who took the GPS positions (Arbenz, T 2013.11.24 Mss: Cooke Cave 1 (2&3) 19th Feb 2012). SITUATION 2012: Not only in an unidentified setting and at an unspecified location somewhere in a north-eastern corner of the Jaintia Hills. SITUATION 2013: In a short, low valley leading from Umkyrpong east along the 4WD track to Kseh. Near the base of the northern flank (Arbenz, T 2013.11.24 Mss: Cooke Cave 1 (2&3) 19th Feb 2012). APPROACH: From th church in Kseh take the Shaktiman track [a.k.a. road] north and along a spur which some take as the ridge towards Umkyrpong. Follow the road [a.k.a. Shaktiman track] to N25°25’55.1’’ / E92°35’24.0’’. Look for a footpath NE down along a shallow valley with an unidentified name. Needless to say that the caves as such are invisible but their entrances were found at locations about 60 m south of the path (Arbenz, T 2013.11.24 Mss: Cooke Cave 1 (2&3) 19th Feb 2012). POSITION: Somewhere in the vicinity of a spot for which selected aspects of an incomplete GPS reading, which was based on an unspecified geodetic datum (possibly WGS84) and disqualified by an unidentified precision error, were recorded but reduced to a meaningless at N25 25 59.0 E92 35 32.8 (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Mss: Diary 2012.doc). The crippled at N25 25 59.0 E92 35 32.8 is, perhaps, the remainder of A) N25°25'59.0” E92°35'32.8” = N25.433056°: E92.592444° B) N25°25.590' E92°35.328' = N25°25'35.4”: 092°35'19.7” C) N25.25590° E92.35328° = N25°15'21.2”: E092°21'11.8”PROSPECTS 2012: Since the cave entrance's assumed prospects are good (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Mss: Diary 2012.doc), no expedition caver came back to it. CAVE POTENTIAL: A string of caves [note 1] and cavernous objects [note 2] in the same line as Krem Lacarvi 1&2 [is] possibly interconnected, they could be a part of a cave … between the Lamyliang caves and Krem Labit Kseh. Therefore, the three cave entrances noticed by David -Cookie- Cooke on 19th February 2012 may give access to the “missing link” between Krem Labit Kseh and Krem Man Krem (after Arbenz, T 2013.11.24 Mss: Cooke Cave 1 (2&3) 19th Feb 2012).092°35'19.7” C) N25.25590° E92.35328° = N25°15'21.2”: E092°21'11.8”PROSPECTS 2012: Since the cave entrance's assumed prospects are good (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2013.08.07 Mss: Diary 2012.doc), no expedition caver came back to it. CAVE POTENTIAL: A string of caves [note 1] and cavernous objects [note 2] in the same line as Krem Lacarvi 1&2 [is] possibly interconnected, they could be a part of a cave … between the Lamyliang caves and Krem Labit Kseh. Therefore, the three cave entrances noticed by David -Cookie- Cooke on 19th February 2012 may give access to the “missing link” between Krem Labit Kseh and Krem Man Krem (after Arbenz, T 2013.11.24 Mss: Cooke Cave 1 (2&3) 19th Feb 2012).