Cave Stuff The blog for all things cave-related!

My current work and school schedule has prevented me from thinking much about caves, let alone visiting them. However, in May I did get to visit beautiful San Salvador island in the Bahamas as part of my environmental studies through the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Although I did not get to visit any of the caves there during the trip, I did bring back some interesting literature from the Gerace Research Center and took lots of photos at places with cool names like Grotto Beach. (The official class photos have been posted here; my personal photo collection is on Flickr.) Next spring we plan to visit Galapagos! Another dream hopefully to come true...

At least flying back-and-forth to Miami approx. every-other-week on business (my alter-ego is a reluctant computer nerd) has left me plenty of time for reading. Among the cave-related literature, I'm currently reading The Devil's Book of Culture: History, Mushrooms, and Caves in Southern Mexico by Benjamin Feinberg. The book is an interesting read, although not overly focused on caves and a bit scholarly for someone seeking a little escape from scholarly tomes.

On the fiction side, possibly of interest to cavers (especially those with a love of fantasy literature) is Mervyn Peake's chilling novella, Boy In Darkness. Much of the story takes place in an abandoned mineworks, and Peake's ability to paint with words reveals in horrifying detail what the darkness might otherwise hide. Into this world of twisted metal, endless shafts and tunnels is thrust 14-year-old runaway Titus Groan, reluctant heir to the ritual and stones of the ancient castle city-state Gormenghast (and star of his own wonderful book trilogy!):

...At the heart of this land or region, where no trees grew, and no birds sang, there was a desert of grey space that shone with a metallic light.

Dropping imperceptibly from the four horizons this wide swath of terrain, as if drawn towards a center, began, hardly noticeably at first, to break into terrace bright and lifeless, and, as the level of the surrounding land subsided, the terraces grew steeper and wider until, just when it appeared that the focus of this wilderness was at hand, the grey terraces ceased and there was spread out to the gaze a field of naked stone. Scattered indiscriminately across this field was what looked like the chimneys or shafts of old metal workings, mine-heads, and littered here and there in every direction, girders and chains. And over it all the light shone horribly on metal and stone.

And while the mocking sun poured out its beams, and while there was no other movement in the whole vast amphitheater, there was something stirring, something far below the level of the ground. Something that was alive, something that smiled very gently to itself as it sat upon a throne in a great vaulted chamber, lit by a crowd of candles. (Boy In Darkness, pp. 49-50)

Captured by two monstrous grotesques, Goat and Hyena--who once were human like himself--Titus ("the Boy") is called before the master of the underworld domain, the maker of monsters, the blind Lamb:

The Boy, who had heard the call no less than the others, could not imagine why such a sweet and liquid sound should have such an effect on the two rigid creatures at his side.

'What was that?' he said at last. 'Why are you so frightened?'

After a long silence, they answered him together.

'That was our master bleating.' (Boy In Darkness, p. 48)

According to Wikipedia, "Boy In Darkness was first published in 1956 by Eyre and Spottiswood as part of the anthology Sometime, Never: Three Tales of Imagination. Boy in Darkness has also been published separately in the United Kingdom. It has been out of print in the United States for decades." (As I write this, there are a few used copies of the standalone book available via Amazon.com, which is where I obtained my copy after reading the Titus Groan/Gormenghast/Titus Alone trilogy.)

Being an avid fan of tales, tall or otherwise, and especially those relating to deep, dark places, I am devouring two recent acquisitions with much relish.

Down In The Darkness by Troy Taylor, the third book in his "History & Hauntings Series," is a delightful collection of tales relating to "America's Haunted Mines, Tunnels & Caverns." Having recently finished Paul Jay Steward's wonderful True Tales of Terror in the Caves of the World, I was hungry for more. Mr. Taylor has amassed an impressive collection of history and folklore ranging from the expected (Bell Witch Cave, Mammoth Cave, and Floyd Collins' Crystal Cave) to the obscure (e.g., the "Flagstone Tunnels" of Goshen, MA). Whether or not you believe the tales, your enjoyment of this entertaining collection should not be diminished -- especially as Mr. Taylor gives travel directions to many of his still-accessible haunted locales.

Caverns, Cauldrons, and Concealed Creatures by Wm. Michael Mott might not appeal to every caver, but if you're fascinated by the paranormal, history, culture, and comparative mythology (as well as caves), then this book is for you. Although I do not believe the "hollow earth" theory that heavily influences this book, Mr. Mott has captured my fancy by the fact that he has managed to include many of the stories that fascinate me in this single, quite readable tome: caverns, dragons, H.P. Lovecraft, the Bell Witch, chupacabras, UFOs, and the Mothman Prophecies. What does Beowulf have in common with the Three Billy Goats Gruff or the even the Hebrew traditions of Lilith? Read this book and find out!

(For these and other exciting books on cave facts, history, and
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Some time ago (apparently during those turbulent 1960s), the term "spelunker" fell out of favor among organized cave explorers. While "speleologist" still is an acceptable term for professional cave researchers, it is no longer politically correct, in cavespeak, to refer to the organized but non-scientific exploration of caves as "spelunking." Indeed, an experienced caver who refers to himself/herself as a "spelunker" is about as common as a bleeding heart conservative.

"Cavers Rescue Spelunkers" is the bumper-sticker slogan of cavers. That is, to a caver, a spelunker is a cave explorer who views the only essential cave exploring equipment as a six pack and a flash light (in that order of importance). Things such as helmets, multiple backup light sources, and the cardinal rule of caving -- tell someone where you're going and when you're to be expected back -- are not in the spelunker's To Do list.

It follows that so much of the damage to fragile caverns (noted with much lament by cavers) is caused by spelunkers. Cavers also erase the graffiti of spelunkers -- unless, of course, that graffiti was inscribed in torch black hundreds of years ago and now qualifies as historic content to be treasured and preserved.

(For additional background info on the history and origins of spelunking/caving, please refer to Jo Schaper's excellent essay and a very nice entry in Wikipedia.)

This is the blog for all things cave-related. It's for cave explorers (we'll debate the terms "caver" versus "spelunker" later). It's for speleologists and other scientists who study geology, caves, and subterranean life. It's for people who like reading about caves in fact, fiction, history and folklore. It's for people who like buying stuff relating to caves, minerals, fossils, and wildlife such as bats and snakes. It's for people who care about ecology and the environment (both above and below ground), and maybe even donate money for the purchase and preservation of cave and karst lands. In short, it's for anyone who likes "cave stuff."