Have you ever been caving. Crawling into a hole in the ground and leaving behind every vestige of the environment you understand, stepping into a realm of the unknown, of total lack of light and full of mysterious sounds. Not for the fainthearted, unless you were totally stupid at the time, like I was.1
Madang, PNG, where earthquakes happen at the rate of hundreds every week. Mostly little ones that rattle the cups in the cupboard
and not much else, where the geological structure of the land mass is quite young and unstable, and some idiot suggests we go caving. And five of us agreed. A risky business in a place where the earth we walk on doesn't shake and tremble every damn day, here; it was a lonesome death if something went wrong. We went anyway, a challenge had been made and someone had to take it up.2
The cave entrance was through what had once been a mighty tree of indeterminate height but with a trunk about ten feet in diameter. The tree had split the limestone as it grew and when it died and rotted away an opening into the bowels of the earth was left for brainless explorers to enter this dark domain. We equipped ourselves with a small amount of food and water , good torches with spare batteries, and whatever clothes we were wearing at the time.3
We squeezed through the old tree trunk into a large cavern of unknown size, our torches did not light up the roof, with a stream of water running crystal clear through it. We followed the way of the flowing water, sometimes in it, sometimes alongside the stream. This water was cool, very cool. Our clothing was soon wet through. No worries, this was the tropics, only three degrees from the equator and minimum temperatures were almost always above 20 celcius. Not down there it wasn't. We kept on going, knowing we could turn around at any time and simply follow the stream back to our only exit.4
It was quite fascinating to see the forms of limestone where the action of water had made stalagmites and stalagtites, patterns on the walls, and we five adventurers became engrossed in our journey. We actually swam through the water to get from one cave to another and were amazed to find it lighted by an ethereal light from somewhere "up there". Then, sure enough, it happened, just a little tremor.5
We looked at each other, and without a word being spoken turned back. I swear to this day that the swim back to our last cave was through a smaller hole then the one we entered by. There was only one hole and, no doubt it was the same going both ways, but fear changes things. On the way back upstream we were sure that the water level was rising and the thoughts that went through my mind don't bear repeating.6
The cold water was also taking its toll now and all of us were shivering with the chill. Body temperatures, had dropped, and we, who were used to hot days and warm nights were getting hypothermia. We had watches but no one had even thought of the time, nor how long we had been in this cave system. We did make it out to the surface again, of course we did, or I wouldn't be writing this, would I?7
Shivering, blue with cold and hardly able to crawl into the warm sunshine we sat there, looking at that hole in the tree trunk.8
How damn stupid we were. We had told no one the exact location of the cave, we had given no time frame for the adventure, we had not considered anyone else in our willingness to go caving. Our families and friends all knew we were going, and life for them went on as normal.9
After we had thawed out a bit and dried our clothes in the sun we walked back to where we had left the car. Still carrying our uneaten food in the backpacks we had. Waiting at the car were our families, wives, kids, neighbors. We had been gone for nearly six hours and they had become worried. Some very emotional scenes took place and we vowed never to go caving again.10
The food we had taken to sustain us was not edible as it had become thoroughly soaked in the backpacks. We were lucky to escape with just a freezing for a while. A year later a bigger earthquake closed that entrance with a few thousand tons of rock and rubble from the cliff behind it.11
Looking back I can only say that this was the most thoughtless, stupid adventure of my life. I count my blessings at still being here today.12
Author notes
True to my word I have never ventured underground again
In a list
Ever been underground?
Comments
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Bob, as I've said before, you have led a really adventurous life! I enjoyed this piece; really gripping. However, a few suggestions;
paragraph 5 - 'cold' used twice in one sentence, I suggest rephrasing, perhaps: The cold water took its toll and all of us shivered from the chill.
Also, a lot of 'all' words in the piece. Maybe take some out so that it flows a little better.
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Hi Bernice and thank you once again. I like getting some criticism from readers. Shows me where I can maybe improve next time. Adventurous life, most certainly! In normal circumstances I should have been a statistic, not a writer. Luck, and my poor overworked guardian Angel, means I am still here. I will edit later tonight and look closely at your suggestions. Thank you again.
Bob
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Good real life adventure story. The I've gotten to a cave was exploring a mine shaft in Colorado. Tame stuff in comparison.
Happy trails neighbor.
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Thanks again David. This adventure did not appear stupid at the time, just an adventure. Only later when the face of the cliff fell over the cave mouth did I realise just how stupid. That area sits on a fault line in the earth's crust and is subject to dozens of quakes every week, we could have been stranded in there for ages. Also, at that time i still had a wife and four kids to be responsible for. However, all's well that ends well.
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I feel you--my stupidest adventure was getting married. Give me a cave anytime. Good story. Really.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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I think I understand. My marriage was a disaster too.
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Hoo boy!
Damn! Rather you than me, sonny Jim! One of my all-time worst nightmares is having to swim underneath a rock face to reach the other side...an unknown distance away, and I've lost count of the times I've woken in a sweat, gasping for breath!
Daft thing to do, but what the heck ~ it makes a great story to tell, doesn't it!
Heh heh...well penned. (And so glad you survived...)
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My dear lady, it was an extremely interesting journey into the unknown. My ignorance of the potential dangers made it a truly enlightening experience. However, at that time I had a wife and five kids to care for and the consequences of my departing the scene on a permanent basis would have been extremely traumatic for the family. In short, I was a selfish bloody idiot and got away with it. Many thanks to you for your visit and kind comments.
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It may have been thoughtless and stupid, but I still can't help but laugh (well, chuckle).
There's an old saying: Boys will be boys and men will be...boys
I'm sure glad you did make it back otherwise I wouldn't be reading these delightful memoirs.
I noticed you omitted your age from this little escapade but seeing as there were families and friends around, you must have been older than you were when undertaking previously written 'adventures'
The only time I've spent underground was when I worked down the coalmine.
Nice story Bob, and wonderful to read.
Keep 'em coming
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Lawrie, I was married with five kids when this one happened. Boys will be boys is quite true and men will be .. boys is also true. Just need the right incentive to make idiots from scientific brilliance. I guess when we choose to some things we find interesting, we find the "boy" is still there. That adventurous, irresponsible one we all were in primary school.[ I hope that "boy" never leaves me]
Thank you for reading and enjoying my escapade with me.
I love your comments, my friend.
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I'm so glad you're still here.
That is one thing I would never have the nerve to do. Now, Mammoth Cave, fully lighted with paths, stair and guard rails, that I enjoy.
You are truly luck to still be here.
Trish
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Many thanks Trish. Strangely enough I have no regrets about that episode of stupidity and lack of consideration for others. The sheer thrill of a strange environment was wonderful, like skuba diving on wartime wrecks in PNG, knowing the rusting hulk you are touching is full of antiquated explosives.
The experience of the total absence of light,echoes of sound when there is nothing to make any other noises, and when you surface in another cave with only a glow of light and the gentle soft rustling of bats somewhere close yet invisible. And being petrified with fear when you feel the earth tremor. Caving does have its compensations, but it's surely not for everyone.
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