Newly mapped sections in the O'hana Kai Maze section of the the system show the first step of documentation. Steve Lewis sketched this map in the cave as he tooks data (left page) from surveyors.Newly mapped sections in the O'hana Kai Maze section of the the system show the first step of documentation. Steve Lewis sketched this map in the cave as he tooks data (left page) from surveyors.
This is my blog, my wife has a new camera, and we have "new" cave, so here I am on Thursday, January 17 hard at work. Read on to learn more about Cave Conservancy of Hawaii related projects.
After two days of touristing and visiting friends over the weekend of Jan. 19-20, survey was resumed in the promising Xanadu section of the now 20 plus mile system in Kipuka Kanohina. The CCH owns nearly 50 acres in this system and is under agreement for a number of other acres thanks to the Heritage Land Grant program.
Wow! unbeliebalble new discoveries abound! The "Bus Station" puka leads into a series of passages that go and go. A thousand feet of cave turns in to more and more leads....
Rose Herrera examines formations in a section of ceiling. Note the red fallen segment.
Emily crawls through a small connecting passage in a 1400 foot spur in Xanadu.
Helectites....
Ceiling mineral deposition...
A biological display near a seep deep in the cave.
This collection of roots is one of the heaviest yet found in the system... and has just been discovered.
Unusual wall formations.
Walking passage in what is so far over a mile of newly documented cave this season.
After two survey days of mostly crawling and sometimes downright squeezing, this seemed to be a very large passage...we could stand and stroll around, actually moving from one survey point to another with ease. Little did we know that the other survey party today (Thursday Jan. 17) was busy working on MUCH larger passage, all previously unrecorded. We have surveyed almost 1/2 mile of cave in the last three days! Photos coming soon.
Emily spotted this very nice chocolate colored lava formation with water dripping from the points.
On station? That secret smile is for another long shot once Ken Kloppenborg pulls tape.
A gas bubble formed this distinct raised floor near once entrance we surveyed to on Wednesday.
There's Ken, standing by the roots of an Ohi'a tree. Lava tubes collect enough water in the desert to serve as an essential sources for these trees. A line of Ohi'a trees often indicates the presence of the sustaining course of a lava tube below. It is important to avoid disturbing the root systems to avoid damaging the trees. A number of species of cave dwelling creatures habitate these root systems.
Join the CCH (online) on the Big Island this month!
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