27 OCTOBER 2006

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Ged, Tony P, Shaun and Harvey set off in the morning to Enshi on their return journey home.


Tiankeng Survey

Bruce, Emerson, and Mr. He were accompanied by 2 Lichuan cameraman went back to the Tiankeng visited on the 20th. It was a fair journey of 35km to site in Mr, He's trusty van, which despite whiffing of petrol fumes inside made light work of the bumpy track to the cave. The previous descent into the tiankeng (Heavenly Pit) was down the east side which was a bit broken up and vegetated. On the other side was a dramatic cliff face that would provide a clean uncomplicated descent to the floor 115m below. Mr. He had been given Shaun's SRT kit and looked like he wanted to descend with us. This was no place for a beginner to learn and in the event of a problem, the long pitches and small team would have prevented a safe rescue. Bruce had to make Mr.He shake to prevent him from following us down. The pitches were duly rigged by Bruce off two small trees initially followed by a Y-hang down the concave cliff. A tree re-belay continued down to a steep thinly vegetated slab with a short bolted overhang to finish. We touched down just 8m or so to the left of the smaller resurgence and proceeded to survey across the tiankeng following the streambed. We intended to head straight into the large resurgence cave but were distracted by the passage next to the outdoor sink pool. In any case the recent rains had muddied the once green waters and the now likely swim into the resurgence cave looked less inviting now. Emerson went to investigate and after a while hanging around, Bruce followed him in and they met up. The cave was essentially an inlet passage possibly from a shakehole on the surface that they had seen on our approch to the tiankeng. The passage was surveyed in an upward trending direction and involved several tricky climbs up waterfalls and slippery flowstone. They thought it possible at one stage that they might surface since the draught throughout was quite strong. Eventually after exploring several tightening but ongoing rifts, they decided they were too tired to continue and headed back out. The pitch was de-rigged and they were helped back to the van by the others who had waited for them.face. Returned to the hotel at 10.40pm.


The tiankeng team required a little refreshment


Fairy Passage Fauna

Eddie accompanied Arthur to Teng Long Dong where they took a look down Fairy Passage (named on a name plate on the wall) to collect cave fauna. They negotiated the square stepping stones and continued on further to find uncharted passage of small to medium size most of which had a trickling stream and deep and slippery mud. In a deep side pool of one passage Arthur found some blind aquatic amphipods and blind aytid shrimps. They also explored the lower reaches where Long Gu Dong connects to Teng Long Dong.

Gan Dong Revisited

Emma, Mike, Marci, Kutya, Moha, John, Graham, Dave and Lilla took the long but downhill walk from the west to Gan Dong. Since the nearby resurgence was found to be unpassable, efforts were concentrated on the fossil entrance some 20m above the river bed. It was a late start, being about 1pm by the time they all ventured underground to leave the bright and sunny day behind. Inside the cave, they split into 3 teams.

Emma and the hungarians explored a side passage and managed about 600m before it closed down. They reckoned that it was all new and had not been entered by any local people.

Tony H, Graham and Dave made their way to the end of the cave where a 50m pitch had been found. This was cacky with mud and nearby, Graham found an alternative way down through boulders and into a solution tube that seemed very convenient. The passage beyond was large and about 40m wide. This was rock floored with calcite flows and was surveyed for 400m before the team ran out of time. A further 300m recce revealed that the passage continued further.

Mike, John, Lilla and a Chinese guide returned from the pitch to photograph some impressive stals in and around the "Hall of Thirteen". Everybody was out and down at the village by 7.40pm where they were met by the two 4x4's.