Jamaican Caving Notes

Martel Spring Cave

May 5, 2005 - 10:30-11:00 EST

District: Accompong

Parish: St Elizabeth

WGS84 L/L: 18 14 27.9; 77 45 30.1

JAD69:

JAD2001: 669795 E, 676848 N

Altitude: 400m WGS84

Accuracy: +/- 10m horizontal; +/- 15m vertical

Type: Boulder maze

Accessibility: Scramble

Depth: 2m

Length: 10m

Explorers: NSS - 1985

Survey: N/A

JU Ref: Text - pg 243; Map - none

Entrance size: 4m W x 3m H

Entrance aspect: 100 deg true

Vegetation in general locale: Bush, farm

Vegetation at entrance: Meadow

Rock type: Yellow - White Limestone junction

Bedding: Moderate

Jointing: Moderate

Speleothems: None

Palaeo resources: None

Archaeo resources: None

Hydrology: Wet

Siltation: Moderate

Sink: Active

Rising: N/A

Stream passage with surface activity: Minor flow

Stream passage without surface activity: N/A

Dark zone: 25%.

Climate: Warm, Semi-humid.

Bats: None

Bat guano: N/A

Guano mining: N/A

Guano condition: N/A

Eleutherodactylus cundalli: Some

Neoditomyia farri: None

Amblypygids: None

Periplaneta americana: None

Cave crickets: None

Sesarma: Some

Other species: None

Visitation: None

Speleothem damage: None

Graffiti: None

Garbage: Some - rafted-in

Ownership: Forestry Reserve

Protection: None

Vulnerability: Medium. Siltation is occurring from the catchment in the glade, and garbage is being washed in.

Martel Spring Cave

May 5, 2005

Team: Stewart, Conolley

Notes: RS Stewart

This cave is a bouldery sink at the bottom of a cliff that regularly takes water from a small stream. It is not possible to penetrate far into it.

Dark-zone is limited in the accessible part, and there is no roosting space for bats, and no trog inverts. Sesarma spp are found in the furthest parts.

The catchment for the cave is old pastureland, and there is little cover, but at the time of our visit, there was no immediate cultivation upstream. Siltation is moderate.

We are listing this site with a medium vulnerability, due to it's hydrological activity, and lack of vegetation upstream that will trap run-off siltation. There is also garbage being rafted into the cave.