Creepy-Crawly Cave Dwellers

Creepy-Crawly Cave Dwellers
By: Cave Spelunking

When you first enter a dark and dank cave, it would be easy to think of it as devoid of life. It isn't. Dark, dank caves are places that many creepy-crawly creatures call home, sweet home.

You might expect to see bats hanging (pun intended) around inside a cave but you probably wouldn't expect there to be such an abundance of life.

Scientists study the insects in a cave with great interest. The environment of a cave changes as you descend into the earth. There are three major cave "zones": the entrance zone, the twilight zone, and the dark zone.

Different creatures live in each cave zone. Over millions of years, creatures have evolved that are perfectly suited to not only live, but thrive in caves. The cave zones are distinguished by the amount of sunlight each has. The entrance zone has a lot of light. The twilight zone has much less light, and the dark zone has no light at all.

In the entrance zone of a cave, the creatures and insects that live there can all live either inside the cave or outside the cave. They usually come and go from the cave. Some creatures that live in the twilight zone of the cave can also come and go, but they almost all leave the cave only at night. Those that live deep in the dark zone of the cave never leave the cave. They have evolved to the point that sunlight would be fatal to them. They don't have pigment, and they're blind.

Scientists see caves as "evolution in a bottle," so to speak. There are species of the same insect family that live in each zone of the cave. Each species has developed characteristics that have made life in different levels of the cave possible.

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Lighting For Caving

Lighting For Caving
By: Cave Spelunking

Caves are dark places. As a matter of fact, you might say that they are the darkest places on — or in — the Earth. The sun never shines in a cave. You have to take your light in with you. Going into a cave without reliable lighting would be foolish, to say the very least. There are safety headlamps, flashlights, torches, emergency strobe lights, and lamps available today for caving. Led, halogen, waterproof, and portable technologies are all used.

Every caver will have his or her own preference for lighting. Mine is the LED. The latest generation of the LED caving lights are really "state of the art" in cave lighting. This latest generation features an incredibly small maintenance-free rechargeable lithium ion battery in an anti-static housing. But there are other choices — lots of them.

Of course, different kinds of lighting are needed for different kinds of caving. Lighting that would be more than sufficient for a decent into a cave on dry land wouldn't be worth anything to cave divers.

For many years the typical recreational dive light consisted of a self-contained light head that contains the power supply and bulb. There would be a handle attached to the light head. Then, to attach the light to the user's wrist, there'd be a lanyard. It was the combination of the parts of a typical recreational dive light that made it basically unsuitable for serious cave divers.

Things have gotten better over the last few years. The new generation of cave-diving lights are made up of a waist-mounted battery canister that's connected by a power cord to a separate, very compact, light head. This newer design allows the use of larger power supplies so cave diving lights can burn brighter and last longer.

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Cave Formations

Cave Formations
By: Cave Spelunking

There are more than a dozen differently named cave formations. The collective term for all of them is "speleothems," much like the collective term for blooms is "flowers." The best-known cave formations are stalactites and stalagmites.

Stalactites are the icicle shaped rock-like formations that hang from the ceiling of cave chambers. All of them began ages ago with a single drop of water and all of them have a central hallow tube.

Stalagmites might be thought of as the children of stalactites. They are formed by water dripping off of the parent stalactite. Stalagmites are smoother than stalactites, and they don't have a hallow tube at their center.

A column is a speleothem that's formed when the stalagmite grows upward and the parent stalactite grows downward until the two meet and grow together to form a column.

Helictites are another speleothem, and the best minds in the scientific world still can't explain them. They remain a mystery. They look a great deal like a tree root that is growing in all directions in search of water. Helictites are the most delicate and most beautiful of the cave formations.

One of the more interesting speleothem is the Gypsum Flower. Gypsum is a mineral made up of calcium and sulfur. Gypsum forms in the dry areas of the cave. It forms a crust that reflects light and makes it appear to sparkle. Gypsum Flowers are twisted projections that don't require any support. Usually they are about a foot in length. They're very fragile and sometimes fall from their own weight. Native Americans harvested gypsum and used it as paint for their faces and body and also for medical purposes.

All of the apparent magic afforded to modern-day scientists still can't unlock many of the mysterious formations in caves.

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Cave Spelunking.

Cave Spelunking Google Profile

Check Out Cave Spelunking Google Profile
By Cave Spelunking

http://www.google.com/profiles/cavespelunking

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Alf Bolin's Outlaw Loot

Alf Bolin's Outlaw Loot
By: Cave Spelunking

The treasure isn't buried IN the cave, but it's buried near the cave using the cave entrance as a landmark. At least that's what legend tells us. Alf Bolin was an outlaw who terrorized Missouri and Arkansas in the 1800s. He built a fortune in stolen gold and silver over the years. Obviously, Alf couldn't just deposit his ill-gotten fortune in a bank, so he buried it.

Alf Bolin was a heartless outlaw, and he terrorized the people of Missouri and Arkansas. When he was tricked and killed by a Union soldier masquerading as a sick Confederate soldier, his head was cut off and placed on a pole, and all of Missouri and Arkansas rejoiced. Alf Bolin was only 21 years old when he was killed.

Caves were often used by outlaws in those days as hideouts and as safe resting places. Caves are easily guarded, so they make the perfect place for those who don't want to be found.

Many years ago, a man claiming that he had been told by a member or Bolin's gang where the treasure was hidden, came to a farm in Taney County, Missouri, and talked the farmer into letting him look for the treasure with a promise of dividing the loot when it was found. He didn't find the treasure, and nobody else has either over the years. Still, the rumor persists that there IS treasure and it IS buried near the mouth of the cave on Fox Creek.

Outlaws aren't known for being the most truthful of souls, however. The facts are: Alf Bolin DID steal a lot of gold and silver. He didn't have it with him when he was killed. He was known to hide out in or near the cave on Fox Creek. It stands to reason that the treasure is still buried there waiting to be found.

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Carlsbad Caverns

Carlsbad Caverns
By: Cave Spelunking

Carlsbad Caverns are part of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Southwestern New Mexico, in the Guadalupe Mountains. Carlsbad Caverns is one of the best-known caves in the world. The show cave can be visited by the general public. You can walk down or take an elevator down to the Underground Lunchroom. The Underground Lunchroom is 750 feet underground and it is strictly a tourist attraction.

Walking or riding an elevator down 750 feet into the earth is an experience like no other, and it's as close as most visitors will ever get to spelunking or caving. Besides the Underground Lunchroom, there are 20 other named rooms in Carlsbad Caverns.

The named rooms in Carlsbad Caverns are the Balloon Ballroom, Bat Cave, Bell Cord Room, Bifrost Room, Big Room or The Hall of the Giants, Chocolate High, Green Lake Room, Guadalupe Room, Hall of the White Giant, King's Palace, Lake of the Clouds, Left Hand Tunnel, Mystery Room, New Mexico Room, New Section, Papoose Room, Queen's Chamber, Spirit World, Talcum Passage, and The Rookery. Those names sound so fascinating, and they are, but not nearly so fascinating as the rooms themselves.

Lechuguilla Cave was discovered in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1986. Lechuguilla Cave is not open to the public. It's been mapped to a depth of 489 meters, and that makes it the deepest limestone cave in the United States. The entrance is kept hidden to preserve the cave in its most undisturbed state so that researchers can uncover the mysteries hidden there.

Carlsbad Caverns is home to 16 different varieties of bats. There's a big population of Mexican Free-tailed Bats. Seeing the bats take flight at dusk is one of the attractions at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

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Creatures That Live In Caves

Creatures That Live In Caves
By: Cave Spelunking

The creatures who live in caves are divided into four categories. There are troglobites, trogloxenes, trogolophiles, and incidentals...

Some creatures live their entire lives inside dark and sunless caves. They never see the light of day. As a matter of fact, many of these creatures are so acclimated to living without sunlight that sunlight would kill them. They're called "troglobites." Troglobites include the blind Texas salamander, blind flatworms, eyeless shrimp, eyeless fish, cave beetles, cave crayfish and some bristletails, isopods, and copepods.

Trogloxenes are creatures that live part of their lives in caves, but also go outside of caves to complete their life cycle. Some examples of trogloxenes are animals that sleep only in caves, like bats; or animals that nest only in caves, like packrats; or like cave crickets, who live inside the cave but eat outside the cave. Gnats and flies are also trogloxenes.

Trogolophiles are creatures that sometimes live in caves but sometimes live in other places. It isn't necessary for trogolophiles to leave a cave or go into a cave because they need to do either. Trogolophiles simply choose to live in caves sometimes. Some trogolophiles are cave crickets, cave beetles, salamanders, millipedes, snails, copepods, segmented worms, mites, some spiders, and daddy longlegs.

Incidentals are us. Human beings are considered incidentals. Incidentals are creatures that occasionally visit caves but don't live in caves. Frogs and raccoons, for example, sometimes visit caves. Humans also sometimes visit caves.

Various types of creatures live in various parts of a cave. There are three cave zones: the entrance zone, the twilight zone and the dark zone.

The entrance zone (some light) is home to rats, spiders, beetles, earthworms, salamanders, snakes, millipedes, and any other creature seeking shelter.

The twilight zone (less light) is home to cave crickets and cave beetles.

The dark zone (no light) is home to blind crayfish, eyeless shrimp, and other creatures that are totally adapted to life without light.

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Basic Caving Technique

Basic Caving Technique
By: Cave Spelunking

Spelunking or caving is becoming a more and more popular hobby or pastime. There are probably more beginning cavers than there are beginners in any other hobby or sport today.

Caving is fun, and caving is interesting, but caving can also be dangerous - VERY dangerous. If you are interested in caving, the safest thing that you can do is to learn good basic caving techniques from those who have "been there, done that". And you'll continue "learning" all of your life.

The most important technique of caving is staying safe while caving. Stay with your group. Don't forge on ahead or lag behind. You should never, ever go caving by yourself. It isn't safe, and it's just plain stupid. At the very least, take one buddy with you, and groups of more than two are much more advisable. "Stuff" happens in caves.

Caving is fun, but it is also serious business. A cave is no place to be rambunctious or engage in "horseplay." Injury in a cave can mean that a cave rescue must take place. Cave rescues aren't quick; they take time. For example, an injury that occurs after only 15 minutes of entry into the cave can require as much as eight hours and a hundred people to reach the injured caver.

Dress in warm clothing. Hypothermia is a very real possibility in the 54-degree temperature or a cave, particularly when you are sweaty because of the 95-100% humidity. Eat a snack and drink some water when you stop to rest. Rest stops need to be kept short to avoid chilling. Dressing in layers and avoiding cotton clothing can also help.

Caving instruction is available in every state in the Union. Join a caving club or check the yellow pages for caving instructors in the area where you live.

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How Caves Are Formed

How Caves Are Formed

By: Cave Spelunking

All solution caves are formed in basically the same way. While wind can have some effect on cave formation, wind isn't really responsible for making the caves themselves. Caves are formed by water.

The purest of moving water is a powerful force when the water picks up eroding chemicals along the way, it becomes an even more powerful force. Caves are carved out of rock by water.

Let's talk about the caves that are formed in the limestone layers of the earth, since they are the most common. Limestone is a porous rock that will dissolve in water that's been enriched with carbonic acid. So here's what happens.

Over many, many, many centuries, rain falls and mixes with plant material, where it picks up carbon dioxide. Water and carbon dioxide combine to form carbonic acid. The water, now containing carbonic acid, trickles down through the earth to the water table. The water table is sometimes called "groundwater."

Now, the groundwater also contains carbonic acid. The groundwater finds tiny pores and cracks in the limestone layer and slowly begins to dissolve the limestone. The cracks get bigger and bigger and become chambers.

Time marches on. Eons pass, and this erosion process continues. Larger and larger crevices and passages are formed for the water to flow through.

Chambers and passageways are formed in all shapes and sizes. Some are small and narrow, but others can be very low and wide, or they can be high and narrow. There are passages and chambers that are large enough to drive an 18-wheeler through, and there are chambers big enough to fit an entire NFL football stadium, and then there are chambers and passageways that aren't large enough for a child to crawl through.

Caves are all completely unique. There are no two exactly alike anywhere on Earth.

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Cave Spelunking.

The Wabasha Street Caves Ghosts

The Wabasha Street Caves Ghosts
By: Cave Spelunking

The Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul, Minnesota, appears to be simply a building like many others in the area. It's not. The original building was built in the 1800s. It's original purpose was used for mining silica. The Wabasha Street Caves is actually built into the sandstone caves, and today it is an event hall.

The caves that house the Wabasha Street Caves have a long and storied history. The caves have provided a hideout for gangsters, a place for mushroom farmers to grow their plants, a site for a nightclub, and more.

There are a great many ghostly hauntings of caves reported all over the World. Most of the time the ghosts that are said to haunt caves are described as unhappy spirits of Indians or miners. Usually, they are supposed to be the spirits of someone who was killed in the cave. The ghosts that haunt the Wabasha Street Caves, though, aren't just the usual unhappy and disturbed spirits or Indians, miners, or victims of tragic cave accidents...

The ghosts that haunt the Wabasha Street mines have class! The ghost that is most often reported is an apparition of a man wearing a Panama hat. He's been seen in several different areas of the caves. There's another man who appears, but he's always with a female companion at the bar, usually around 3 AM...

Another female ghost has also been seen roaming through cave passageways at various times of the day and night.

During the 1930s, legend has it that three local gangsters were gunned down in the Wabasha Street Caves. All three of the gangster's ghosts have been seen by children, and one of the gangsters has been seen in full-bodied and solid form by several guests. He suddenly appears right in front of guests and then quickly disappears....spooky!

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Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave
By: Cave Spelunking

Mammoth Cave is included in the Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky. Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world. Mammoth Cave tours have been conducted for the public since 1816, but Mammoth Cave is a treasure trove of information about prehistoric life on our planet.

Prehistoric people left evidence of their existence in Mammoth Cave over many, many centuries. And scientists are still probing for more answers to their questions about prehistoric life.

According to a somewhat disputed legend, the first European to discover Mammoth Cave was John Houchin, in 1797. It's said that while he was hunting, Houchin chased a wounded bear to the cave's large entrance opening near the Green River.

Evidence of humans having been in Mammoth Cave spans at least 6,000 years, and could be much longer. There have been human early American Indian remains found in the cave. There's also evidence of intentional burial of human remains that date back well before Columbus discovered America.

Interestingly, in 1935 the remains of an American Indian adult male were discovered under a boulder. He was apparently the victim of a mining accident. The boulder had shifted and settled onto his skeleton. The remains of the ancient accident victim were named "Lost John" and exhibited to the public until the 1970s.

The remains of "Lost John" were buried in a secret location in Mammoth Cave for the purpose of preservation. Political sensitivities to the public display of Native American remains probably had more to do with the burial of the remains, however, than did preservation concerns.

Today there are several federal and state laws that protect the ancient artifacts and human remains that are still in Mammoth Cave. Even slightly moving an artifact from the position in which it is found destroys all of its research value, so explorers are training to document, not touch.

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