Caving...

Caving

What is it?

Caving is the exciting art of squeezing through tiny, muddy crevices and abseiling down freezing waterfalls into seemingly bottomless chasms, all in chambers so deep underground that daylight never reaches them.  The caves we explore range from simple, horizontal tunnels that only require a quick stroll with a flashlight; to three-dimensional labyrinths that may involve serious climbing on slippery surfaces.  In caves we frequently find ourselves immersed in freezing-cold water, or squeezing through passages so narrow that we have to take off our helmets and squirm through, our arms pinned to our sides as the rock presses in from all directions.  In short, caving can be a seriously challenging activity, both physically and psychologically.   The rewards, however, are well worth all the effort-- we see incredible formations that have taken centuries to grow, from towering stalagmites to delicate crystal straws that can be destroyed by the slightest touch.  The caves of New Zealand are also home to vast colonies of glow-worms, sometimes so numerous that the cave ceiling seems to glitter with constellations.

What MUAC does.

MUAC runs at least one caving trip each semester, generally to local caves that are suitable for all levels of experience.  Occasional trips may be run to more challenging caves and/or cave systems that are farther away, such as the caves at Waitomo.

Local Opportunities

There are many small caves within just a couple of hours' drive of Palmerston North.  One of the most popular is Indecision Cave in the Pohongina Valley, to which the Alpine Club makes regular trips.  Indecision is perfect for those who are new to caving, as it contains plenty of space for walking as well as a few easy crawls and climbs, plus a couple of potential abseiling spots.  There are several other caves of varying degrees of difficulty in the same area.

Useful Books

Delving Deeper: Half a Century of Cave Discovery in New Zealand. Compiled by Moira Lipyeat, edited by Les Wright. Christchurch: Hazard Press 2003.

Other Opportunities

If you want to get away from Palmy, the Waikato region is home to several cave systems, most famously the Waitomo Caves near Te Kuiti.  This area is popular for guided cave tours because of the stunning formations and huge glow-worm populations, but there are still a number of caves that are open for self-guided exploration, again for a range of experience levels.

Other cave systems can be found all over New Zealand, and the wonderful thing about caves is that each one is unique.  Information about caves in a particular area can be obtained from the New Zealand Speleological Society chapter for that region.  A list of clubs, as well as further information on caves and caving, can be found on the NZSS website, http://caves.org.nz.

Leader Resources

Any caving expedition should be undertaken with the proper equipment: helmets, light sources (including back-ups and spare batteries), and warm clothing are essential; and many caves will also require ropes, harnesses, and other climbing gear as well as the technical expertise to use them safely.   Anyone planning to lead a caving trip should be aware of the equipment needed and should be prepared to arrange a guide who knows the cave.

Helmets and climbing equipment can be hired from the MUAC Gear Hire.

Stored with the other MUAC Gear Hire stuff, the club has First Aid Kits and Survival Blankets for use on official trips.

On the muac_leaders group there are environmental care codes, trip registers, gear lists etc..

Links

http://caves.org.nz - official site of the New Zealand Speleological Society

http://caving.wellington.net.nz - Wellington Caving Group, runs trips throughout the lower North Island