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Far Enough Cave
May 13, 2005
Team: Stewart, Conolley, Roggy, Slack
Notes: RS Stewart
Far Enough Cave
is the final downstream cave associated with the Mouth River known at
this time. The cave was found by the KHE to trend east and finally
end in a sump after 380 metres. If there is a rising for Far Enough
Cave beyond the sump, further into the Cockpit Country, the KHE, the
JCC, and the JCO do not know about it. This does not mean it isn't
there, but if it is, it remains to be found. Our own explorations in
the district have only extended as far as those of the KHE, so
essentially, no one has gone to take a look. But, by plotting the KHE
cave map on the topos, using our GPS position for the entrance, we
can make a guess where a rising might be found - 18 19 03.0 N, 77 34
13.5 W.
It took us two
tries to find this site, first at the end of March, and then
successfully on May 13, with the rainy-season underway. Apart from
the flood-risk, because of thick mud at the fissures that drop into
the start of the passage, we were locked out and were able to do
nothing but get a good position and learn the lay of the land. This
was at least of value, because as a result of our search we can
supply GPS points for the best route to the glade, and coordinates
that will allow the entrance to be quickly found.
On May 13, the
entrance to Far Enough was heavily silted, the same as the other
sinks upstream in the system (Good Hope Cave One, Good Hope Cave Two,
several upstream entrances to Printed Circuit). The cockpit in which
it is located showed obvious signs of having experienced great
flooding, presumably during Hurricane Ivan. For all three of these
entrances, even though water was carving holes through the mud to
drain into them, for a human to get in would have required much
shovelling of unstable mud.
We are not
entirely sure which of several sinks in an area about 50 metres
across was the entrance, because all were muddy. The position listed
is for the most likely sink, but in reality, it could be one of the
others. The land is open around the GPS position, so it will not take
long to find and have a look at all of them.
We saw heavy
siltation throughout the entire Mouth Maze to Far Enough system, and
it is obvious where it comes from. The land in much of the catchment
immediately above is heavily cultivated alluvial soil, with no ground
cover between the banana, yams, coffee, or whatever. The farmers are
diligent in their labours, and the soil on their farms is cultivated,
loose, and ready to move when heavy rains arrive, such as with Ivan.
Along with this topsoil, there is an incredible amount of garbage
that is washing into/through the system. At Mouth Maze, the trash was
astounding - we'll go into it further in the notes for that cave.
Beyond the downstream exits of Mouth Maze, at Good Hope Glade, the
entire streambed to the sink of Good Hope Cave One was littered with
bottles, and scandal bags, and you name it, all washed through from
the Mouth River sink. This garbage actually extends right through the
entire system, travelling through, Good Hope One Cave, along a stream
and then through Good Hope Two Cave, and still found in the streambed
that leads to the entrance to Far Enough Cave. It is no doubt
continuing onwards into Far Enough, and what is happening to it there
is anybody's guess, because this is the end of the known surface part
of the system.
Access to the
glade where this cave is located is via two routes, and has been
addressed in the introductory notes to this chapter.
We
are listing this site with a medium vulnerability, because of the
potential for clogging of the passage downstream due to the garbage
that washes into the cave, and the siltation caused by local
agriculture.
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