South African Spel aeol ogical Association
Cape Peninsula Spelaeological Society
Stephen Craven pointed out that this was one of the earliest spas in the Cape,
where people use to take to the waters. Lady Anne Barnard was one of the
celebrities that visited here. The pool on the right is about 10 meters wide and
sweeps around a wall of busy formations for about 20 meters. On the shore side
of the pool one of the formations is reminiscent of a tree.
Po Box 4812 Cape Town
June
2013 Newsletter.
DE KELDERS, GROTTO BAY AND HERMANUS CAVES
Lene Tempelhoff
Low tide had been about 2 hours earlier and definitely was on the turn as we
backed deeper into the back of the tidal affected cave. We were waiting for the rest
of our party to arrive from Cape Town. The entrance into Duiwelsgat spans about
20 metres across, and soars up for 18 metres or so. A carpet of glistening coarse
sand and strewn broken sea shells bedeck the main chamber which stretches back
for 50 metres. The interior of the cathedral-like sky lit chamber is breath taking.
The Cape Coastal limestone walls soar upwards for 20 metres culminating in a
gaping hole that frames the sky. A possible escape route or abseiling point of
entry. A metre high wall has been built around it to prevent unsuspecting strollers–
by from falling off the edge into the chasm below.
As the thundering waves started pushing in we scrutinized the vertical ascent up the
gnarled, pitted, conglomerated and shrapnel looking wall that offered fabulous
handholds, thumb grips, slits and crannies for searching fingers. It looked doable
until near the top were the vertical rock face turned into a horizontal ceiling, a 45
degree overhang before opening up on the topside of the ridge. The drop down
from the top is potentially treacherous. The rest of the party arrived and our heart
rates settled back to normal. Shortly thereafter we grabbed our bags and started
moving out before the ocean arrived on mass. Leaving the sea cave the same way
we had entered - bolder hopping across the rocks - we had to deal with the now
urgent incoming tide.
Drip Kelders cave is situated a couple of kilometres up the coast from Duiwelsgat in
de Kelders village. Access to the cave which is owned by Beatrice van der Walt is
gained via a locked gate which has no doubt helped preserve the pristine condition
of the cave. The cave is situated at the bottom of a 100 steps which leads down
from the main parking lot to the concrete promenade which hugs a section of the
coastline
Read the article entitled Die Kelders by Stephen Craven in the Bulletin of South
African Spelaeological Association (1984) vol 25 for a historical overview of the
cave. The cave has a discarded electrical system in place which is no longer used
as the commercial potential of the cave has not been emphasized. Viewing is by
appointment only with a maximum of 8 people at a time.
Leaving the jagged rocky coastline and thundering ocean sounds behind we
opened the gate and ascended up some 7 slippery stairs towards gurgling (
inland/fresh ) water and squeaking bat sounds. We were about to step up into a
visual treat of note. The two 7 star translucent turquoise pools at the top of the
stairs that flanked the pathway evoked unanimous sounds of astonishment and
delight from us all.
The Drip Kelders is a richly decorated cave, a Pandora's Box that kept all the
cameras working overtime. One bat eventually had it with me and flew into the
side of my shoulder encouraging us to exit. The size of the restless bat colony
that inhabited the cave was impressive. Other wild life that was spotted included
a centipede, spiders, ants and sea lice. The leisurely two hour car trip to Die
Kelders was well worth the trip. Many caves exist along the coastline which still
need to be systematically recorded and surveyed.
On the route back to
Cape Town we stopped
off in Grotto Bay to view
two un-surveyed caves
located at the edge of
the Public Park The
second cave was filled
with no visibility water
covered in a green slime
(for lack of a more apt
scientific/botanical
name) and promises to
be a future ala Swamp
Thing expedition
requiring aquatic
equipment - rubber
duck, wet suit and fins.
Next up on the Sunday adventure, after a Rudolf Hattingh sponsored refreshments
pit stop at the local Restaurant, was a brisk walk up wooden stairs leading to the top
of a Koppie located in the centre of one of Hermanus' s neighbourhoods. The
overhang is known as Hoy cave and we found it guarded by security and cordoned
off. A beam
detector was also
in place to pick up
transgressing
visitors which did
not apply to us!
The incredibly
potent Dassie
aroma however is
enough to deter
anyone from
lingering around
too long.
CPSS CAVING MEET : Sunday 12th May 2013
Co-ordinator:
Attending :
Route:
Parry Pavlis
Parry Pavlis
Alex, Alf Alfreds, Gayle Andrews, Willem Avenant, Stephanie
Barnard, Brandon Cannoo, Stephen Cannoo, Steve Craven,
Rudolf Hattingh, Ed Hilton, Rashaad Jakoet, Stephen Tully,
Joshua Van Collier, Theo van Eeden, Helen van der Rede,
Isabella van der Rede, Ron Zeeman
Robin Hood, Amphitheatre - Kalkbay
Everyone assembled at the meeting point in Duignam Rd, below Boyes Drive
between 8.30am-9.00am. It was a beautiful morning with a gentle breeze, the
sun shining over False Bay coastline with no cloud in sight…a perfect day for
hiking and caving !
It was a fairly good turnout, with some people attending a club caving meet for the
first time, having no idea what to expect, although everyone seemed excited at the
promise of the adventurous day that lay ahead.
After a quick head-count, we headed up the mountain through Echo Valley at a
leisurely pace, taking in the magnificent views across the bay and the fresh
morning air. The hike up went smoothly, with Ron giving us some insight as to
the origins of the names of our bays and beaches, although Helen and Isabella
unfortunately had to turn back, due to Isabella not feeling too well.
Long section B - B
O
O
Long section A - A
O
O
A
10m
Un
de
rc u
t
B
We eventually reached the Amphitheatre where the entrance to Robin Hood is
located and took a brief rest, before changing into our caving gear. Torch
batteries were checked and, in some instances, replaced. Helmets were fitted,
shoelaces tightened, pants tucked into socks and long-sleeved jerseys donned.
Ron, Rudolph and Steve had decided to stay on the surface to keep an eye on our
rucksacks, and to search the immediate vicinity for a couple of other lesser known
caves. Everyone else was ready to tackle Robin Hood !
We headed into the main entrance with Alf going down the steeper section while I
lead the group into the tighter, albeit safer postbox section. Gayle and another
member decided they could not follow suite and turned back, preferring to join
Rudolph & Co outside and to wait for us to return. The rest of the group crawled
through, and soon we found ourselves in ‘Junction Hall’ leading to the dreaded
‘Narrows’ into Ronan’s Well. We had a look at the entrance to the ‘Narrows’ and
were reminded once again that the name truly does this passage justice...it is an
incredibly tight passageway that requires patience, skill and a calm demeanor…no
time for claustrophobia here !
We were happy to leave the ‘Narrows’ behind us, and continued working our way
through Robin Hood. Another three members, including Stephen Canoo and
Stephanie, decided they could not continue further, and with Stephen knowing the
route back, they too decided to wait for us outside.
Underc ut
Sand and c ulturally deposited ash
With the group now having dwindled down to nine, we made our way into the
‘Main Chamber’. We took some time to appreciate the beauty of this place and
sat around chatting, our headlamps extinguished, the only light provided by a
yellow
Dripline
A
Cave Name
Hoy’s cave, Hermanus
Instruments Compass, Clinometer, Tape
Survey group R. Zeeman, S. Craven, A. Butcher
B
BCRA Grade
5D
Survey Date
Location
S 34 24’ 50”
17th October 2009
O
E 19 O 14’ 26”
Cartographer: Ron Zeeman
glowstick that I brought with me, dimly reflecting off the incredible rock formations
surrounding us.
Survey of Rudi’s and Merlin Caves
Anthony Hitchcock
th
We continued through to the end of the cave system and after realizing that we had
already spent almost three hours inside this magnificent cave system, we headed
back to the entrance/exit.
Once outside Robin Hood, and back in the warmth of the sunlight, we packed away
our caving gear and had a much deserved lunch break. Shortly thereafter we
started our hike back down Echo Valley…about an hour later we had reached our
cars and were treated to Steve’s delicious, home-brewed beer as a perfect ending
to a perfect day.
It seems everyone enjoyed themselves and I’m sure we shall be seeing these faces
again. Thank you to all who attended !
New little cave
Steve, while on an outing with the Mountain Club to Kalk Bay noticed this hole at
the side of the path at the base of Blokhuiskop.
So on the day that Parry’s merry men were cavorting with Robin Hood Steve took
Rudolf and I to investigate.
Drawing from memory this is what we found. Suggesting we call it Steve’s Pot he
graciously declined and would rather name it after their meet leader, Trainor’s Pot.
Plan
Low underc ut
Long section
Le
a
f li
tte
r
Sand floor
10m
Darryl Holland and I went the 10 March 2013 to survey Merlin and other caves
near Bat’s Cave. We were not sure where the entrance to Merlin is so we decided
to explore and map the caves we found between Hangman’s and Bats. We had a
look around and found three holes two of which had small cairns at their
entrances. We set up a central beacon on a prominent projection on a boulder and
surveyed to each entrance. I did a basic sketch of the surface with the position of
the caves marked on it.
The first cave we tackled is a small hole at the base of a narrow cleft sandwiched
between two rock walls. The small entrance is marked by a cairn and a narrow
passage slopes down to a low horizontal passage about 6m long. Darryl went
ahead with the tape to take measurements and was about to return when he
noticed light filtering in from above him. I asked him to wait while I left the cave
and climbed up to a boulder pile a little way ahead. I could hear Darryl calling and
in searching for him I found an impressive chamber with its walls clothed in fine
roots and some root stalactites hanging from the ceiling which I named Root Hair
Chamber. I found him on the other side of a small hole at floor level. We took
readings and then he joined me to survey the chamber.
The chamber is entered from above by climbing down a 2m vertical slab or
bypassing this along the right-hand wall and descending a steeply sloping floor
strewn with boulders and rocks. A buttress divides the chamber with a very narrow
vertical fissure extending for at least 4m as far as we could see. There was a faint
breeze emanating from it. The chamber continues on the right hand side for about
10m and is between 5 and 6m high. Darryl found a hole at the base of the right
hand wall and found it to lead through to the main entrance of Bat’s Cave. We
completed the survey and headed back for some lunch. Descriptions confirm this
to be Rudi’s Cave.
The second cave surveyed is below the permanent beacon. We climbed down into
the entrance and then under a solid wall to a level below. There are a few routes
amongst the boulders leading towards the light, but we mapped down to a narrow
opening and into a medium sized chamber. The walls and rocks on the floor were
very crumbly and we had to take care moving around. We mapped the chamber
and noted boulder collapse blocking holes in the upper right hand wall. A very
narrow passage continues at the end of the chamber, but we decided to measure
this rather than push it.
We then turned our attention to the floor of the chamber. A narrow, vertical pit was
measured by attaching a stone to the end of the tape. The stone came to rest
when the tape read 9m. We could not descend without equipment so we left a
clear beacon mark and called it a day.
More Wynberg
Anthony, on an outing with Wendy up Table Mountain, had a peek into Wynberg
and discovered a hitherto unrecorded passage. So one Sunday we accompanied
the survey gear to have a look. This resulted in 95m of new passage. Further in
we were serenaded and fluttered by many Schreibers long fingered bats, one
bouncing off my shoulder. The one great surprise was the unmistakeable vocal
protestations of Egyptian Fruit bats. I was unaware they occurred here.
February 3rd
Longest Sandstone caves
Rudolf had the day all planned – Meyer’s Memorial, Rooi Afrikander Ridge, Imp and
Imp II. Oh boy! This was not to be. He ended up with 29 people, mostly visitors,
so a quick change of plan.
We instead enjoyed Squeezes/Edwards Limit, Egyptian, Jo-Jo Spelunk, Tartarus,
Bobby’s Grotto and Muizenberg.
As usual a thoroughly enjoyable day except for the long tedious walk back to the
cars.
I’ve been trying to find a list of the longest Sandstone caves without much
success.
I tried e-mailing the British Cave Research Association, BCRA, but they couldn’t
help. Next I tried the American Caving Society but they also could not help. I
tried the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society who claim to have a large
library but they never responded. It seems Sandstone is the underdog.
Kalk Bay visits
February and March saw three group trips to the six caves route.
Firstly the Rovers, senior scouts. They made up a party of 22 of both sexes and
surprisingly they were not particularly fit.
Apart from the longest in Venezuela at 10.8km I came up with the following
Brazilian caves:
Gruto do Centenario at 4700m and a depth of 481m.
Gruto das Bromelias at 2700m
Toca dos Ecos at 1725m.
Incidently Brazil also has the longest Limestone cave in the Southern Hemisphere
at 107km.
Our surveyed extension on Table Mountain adds up to 4699m so far
Secondly the girls from Herschell Junior School. This time I only had a party of
twelve.
“I liked seeing the bats, crawling in the caves, having lunch in a cave, looking at the
stuff in the box under the sand*, and, learning about all cool things”.
“I mainly loved the caves
Speshialy the one with the bats.
I just want to say thank you”.
“I loved going caving so much. Even though it was six hours it felt like five minutes.
Ron was a star when it came to exploring! The only part that I didn’t like was how
small it was. Big thanks to Mrs Roebert for organizing it”.
“Thank you Ron for taking us down in the cave it was wonderful I espeshely liked
Boomslang cave it was my experians
Lastly a group of students from the Centurion Academy in Bellville. This time I only
had eleven. It seems that
this was the Wednesday
just before the start of the
holidays and interest was
waning. In fact I was due
to take a second group on
the Thursday but only two
were keen so I cancelled.
From the start in Godfrey
road I bank on one hour to
the sheltered resting ledge
at the caving level and it is
very consistent. These
guys however are sports
science students and very
fit. We made it in 42
minutes, near killed me.
(* geocache)
While waiting for Parry
While Parry and co were still underground I took Rudolf, Gayle and Hannes to
relocate Dripwater Pot, Me Too and Me Three. We found Dripwater and close by
Me Three which we explored. Further up we came to Me Too but did not enter as
It looks like a ladder might be needed although it might be chimney-able.
Space filler
The time of the year for snuffles is approaching. If you ever wake up in the night
with your nose totally bunged up and having to breathe through the mouth try the
following.
Lying down on a pillow your nose is horizontal, nothing will clear. Lie on your
back with the pillow under your shoulders. Now drop your head right back. Your
nose is now vertical and usually drains completely clear in a few minutes.
(Pity about the stiff neck)
Editor: Ron Zeeman 021 7855818