Venturing down into the darkness...

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Waitomo is an area which has about 300 caves. One which I have now explored to some extent. Now, to actually get into the cave...well we had to abseil down into the darkness for about 35 metres. At one point it got really narrow but I weaved my way through. The rope was so heavy that I couldn't get a clean smooth descent until I was much further down. We were all equipped with helmets that had head lamps which was cool, twas very scary when you turned them out though! After walking for a little while we had to take a flying fox down to the lower part of the cave...in pitch black! It was so scary sliding down this pulley system at quite a speed, but the glow worms on the ceiling took your mind off that. It were as if you were gliding through space, so beautiful. As if I wasn't cold enough, we now had to jump into the black water with a big rubber ring so we could float along the cave's river, gently passing underneath the stunning canopy of glowworms. I was the only one who lost my ring jumping in, oops...
By now I think my whole body was numb with the extremely cold temperature, so it didn't bother me as much anymore. The next part of the cave was quite difficult, as we had to walk through the water but dodge heaps of rocks..it looked like everyone was really drunk, wobbling and swaying all over the place...
Now the only way to get out of this cave was to climb not one, but two waterfalls. It was quite daunting, looking up and seeing the sheer amount of water that was plummeting down in the direction you didn't want to go! Eventually we all made it out. It was great turning round the corner and finally seeing daylight again! I'd forgotten how much I love caving, back in the day of the caving on Choirwood tours...any one up for a trip to Devon?

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Photos

Into the darkness...
I actually loved abseiling, not fully seeing the bottom of the cave...

Lets go...
All geared up for our caving adventure...

Comments

[Alan]

Hi Lucy - you both look like the Chuckle Brothers in the outfits! Good to read about your daring stunts! When is the parachute jump!!

[MUM]

Surprised!
When you said on the phone you had been caving.......I never expected you did all this!!! fantastic, but be safe love mum xxx