Flood Exit, Bamboo Bottom, Jamaica

Jamaican Caving Notes

Jamaican Caves Organisation

June 17, 2002

SITE FINDING, including FLOOD EXIT CAVE

R. S. Stewart, M. Taylor

Field notes: R. S. Stewart

Malibu and I did a circle up the Troy Trail, through Bamboo Bottom and out via Guthries.

The RIVERHEAD was reached by going down-slope at the point where the side trail cuts off to the top entrance saddle. A 2D fix was obtained and marked as Wpt 020, (18 21’ 02.2” N, 77 38’ 34.4” W). The Riverhead consists of a number of springs resurging over an area about 25 m square and is only active in the rainy season.
We rejoined the Troy Trail by following the valley up to where it intersects the trail a fairly short distance on from where we’d gone down.
Further south along the trail we came to the two SINKHOLES that we intended to have a look at. The western one was dry and appears to be no longer active but the eastern one was quite different. A substantial river was flowing into it and disappearing underground in a pool about 10 m across. At the northern edge of the pool, the water was flowing down into holes accompanied by a loud gurgling sound. Out further, whirlpools could be seen looking like water going down a drain. Pieces of wood were sailing round in circles, often being erected vertically by the flow attempting to suck them down.
We followed the river upstream for about 100 m then turned back to regain the trail and continue on to Bamboo Bottom. I was unable to get a GPS fix at the eastern sink due to canopy, hills and mosquitoes, (they were absolutely fierce and prevented us from staying too long in any one spot).

We hiked on south along the trail and because neither Malibu nor I had ever gone to Bamboo Bottom overland, only departed from it after going through the Great Cave, we missed the easy route into it. When we realized that we’d gone too far, I got a GPS position and took us back along the trail until it was showing us directly across from the polje. I steered and Malibu chopped with the machete and within minutes we could hear the roar of water ahead of us through the bush. We came to Bamboo Bottom at the FLOOD EXIT which was very much living up to its name.
The Flood Exit cave was resurging with a flow about 2 x 5 m wide blasting out into the flooded floor of Bamboo Bottom. It was quite pretty and the bush had given way to open stands of bamboo that let air move through and clear out the mosquitoes somewhat. We took a break and watched for a while. I was able to get a good 3D DGPS position, (Wpt 023), (18 20 26.1 N, 77 38’ 34.3” W), about 10 m SE of the cave entrance.
This the first time that I've seen this cave in action. The previous times that we'd been here, we'd been able to enter it and go as far as the terminal sump.

Heading on, we kept to the south part of Bamboo Bottom, skirted the edge of the flooded section and passed through a very open area with a coconut palm growing in it that supplied us with two ripe jelly coconuts; Malibu chopped drinking holes in them and we had a refreshing draught of cool juice. Close by, 3 goats were wandering around and looking on with curiosity. It was all very idyllic.
I was able to get a good GPS position and used it to set a bearing to an old waypoint I had from the top end of Guthries. Using the compass and steering Malibu with his machete, I directed us as best I could in the right direction although we had to take to high ground when we hit floodwaters at the southwest corner of Bamboo Bottom. In this area blood-red water seeped from small springs into the pond. A short stretch of contouring brought us to the Guthries saddle where we found and followed an old trail. In 10 minutes time we were out into the sun in upper Guthries. We expected to be left with only a pleasant stroll back down to Windsor and then a cold Red Stripe at Dango’s shop. This was not to be.
The old pastureland that Forestry has made an attempt at reforesting is currently very overgrown with wild morning glory(?); the trees that have been put in seem to have been choked out. Several minutes of stumbling through the vines brought us to the start of the Guthries trail; it also was the start of a large swamp where the road normally is during the dry season. It began as little springs issuing from the road itself. The best course seemed to be accepting wet feet and wading through it so we carried on. It got deeper. When it was almost to my waist I hoisted my pack onto my head. When it was over my waist, I emptied my vest pockets, stashed everything in my pack and put it back on my head. When it reached our chests, we struggled through the water off to the side of the trail and headed for high ground. With a quick stop to empty our boots, we pushed through the bush on high ground to the east of the trail in the direction of Windsor. After several hundred metres we waded back into the swamp; the water seemed to be shallower and we found ourselves able to resume our previous course. Avoiding tripping on the water-hidden vines was a trick but neither of us fell. At last, the trail rose over the high ground that was damming the water in Guthries and we were able to squish our way in fast time the rest of the way to Windsor.
The old road up to Guthries seems very overgrown these days. It might need machetes and chainsaws to get a 4x4 up there although it’s hard to tell since so much of it was underwater.
I had a very hard time getting fixes on parts of the Troy Trail… the mosquitoes didn’t help things either. The trail goes further to the east of Bamboo Bottom than I’d realized. It looks like there hasn’t been much traffic on it lately; it’s very overgrown and difficult to trace in places.

The bamboo doesn’t seem to interfere with GPS signal acquisition… I was getting good signals under thick stands of it.

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