Cave

[Waterwheel Farm]

OK, as much as I like this site, one of the things I find frustrating is that someone will post something, people take the time and thought to reply or try to help, then you never hear the outcome or any kind of answer from the original poster....so nobody knows if the advice given was good or whatever. I didn't want to be guilty of that. I posted a few weeks ago about a cave on my place, and several people posted thoughtful replies urging caution or pics of their own caves. Well, we went in it today...my three of my brothers and a EMT/firefighter friend just to check it out. By no means am I urging anybody to do the same thing as lots of things can go wrong. We kept somebody outside the whole time in the event a problem occured. Anyway, we figure we went down maybe 100 yards and encountered some water that you'd have to get on your belly and slide through, more than what we wanted so we stopped there. But wanted to share some pics as a follow-up to previous cave postings. I don't encourage you to try this at home.

Just inside the entrance...



Further in....




In further


Cave formation



Bat sleeping



Brother Stacy



Water pool, end of the road for rookie cavers, maybe more for real cavers.

Cool pics . I've read a lot about the Swift mines & caves that's supposed to be in KY . Seems that there's lots of caves in KY . Quite a few here in WV also . Thanks for posting .

[chickenista]

Fantastic!
You have a great extra (hidden) food storage/cold storage area with a built in springhouse.
And a place to hide out in if need be too.
Wonderful find!

[nc_mtn]

I'd be tying a rope to myself and heading on down there... but that's why I don't go caving...

[Waterwheel Farm]

The cave is cool, but pictures of everybody's homesteads and the ideas they have come up with on here are even better. Buncha great folks here.

[Chucknbob]

Thanks for the update. The homebrewer in me is jealous, the cave would be a great place for beer and winemaking.

[Sparkie]

Thanks for the update. Cool pics. I'd be trying to figure out how to use it as food storage/emergency shelter also.

[renee o'neill]

I'm jealous did you know it was there before you bought the place?

[Raven12]

I don't know about that spelunking thing...



it is kinda creepy.

[Tiempo]

Very cool!

[katlupe]

Wow! That's really a great find! I'd keep a secret from others.

[TnAndy]

Spent a lot of time in my youth, carbide light in hand, spelunking.....was a member of the NSS. (National Speleological Society). Visited caves all over southwest VA, KY, W.Va, Alabama. Some wonderfully deep pits in northern Alabama !

Would loved to have found a place with a cave when we bought our property, but it wasn't in the card. You have quite a resource there !

[Molly Mckee]

Thanks for the pictures.

[ronbre]

oh Man I agree with people above, that is sooooo cool, I would definately keep it secret and possibly build some kind of supports and a getaway just inside the cave where you could go if you had to..if it is safe anyway..and I would probably store food in there if I had the opportunity to do it as well..put in some buckets and containers if you had to get water, store in some ropes and a pully system for gathering water..some purifying tablets (or have the water tested)..a couple cots or blow up beds and some "space bag" stored blankets, sleeping bags, or whatever as well as some changes of clothes, flashlights and batteries..a great hide away..possibly a good place to store some guns and ammo as well.

[mellba]

Enjoyed looking at the pictures.

[stamphappy]

I've been wondering what happened with your cave. One question I have:

The ceiling where the bat is hanging----is it wet or is it sparkly?

I know nothing about caves obviously.

[luvrulz]

Thx for the update!

Test the water! Also, we've had some really wet weather - I'd wonder if there's that much water in there when it's dry. Maybe want to check it when we haven't had a boatload of rain! I am in S central Ky, maybe your weather has been different.....

[Shygal]

I have claustrophobia so even looking at the pictures makes me want to scream and run

[Waterwheel Farm]

Answers to some of the questions that were asked:

-"Good hiding/storage place": This opening is at the end of a dry creekbed and would be prone to flooding during heavy rain events. There are sinkholes prior to the cave that absorb most of the water, but there are times that water will make it all the way to the cave opening.

- "Did I know the cave was there when I bought the place?" : They told me there was supposed to be a cave, but the entrance was caved in or plugged. They must not have tried very hard.

- "The "shiny" bat": This particular bat was close to the entrance and there was lots of humidity/condensation at that point. Didnt seem very healthy for the bat, but it was covered in condensation.

- "Maybe there will be less water in the cave in drier weather": Yeah, but even though I'm not particularly scared of snakes, the area around the entrance looks pretty inviting to snakes. I'll probably avoid it during those periods.

[joebill]

Google "Karchner caverns" You might be sitting on a gold mine............or not.......Joe