Caves, caving, cave-ins

My story takes place in a newly discovered painted cave in the Dordogne in France. That's the same area as the famous Lascaux cave among others. Does anybody on this forum have experience with caving and the things that go wrong. I've only had happy spelunking experiences in France & I need things in my story to go terribly, terribly wrong.

Thanks!

Ever seen the descent?

Very Creepy! They, among other things, fall into a big hole, climb and almost get stuck in narrow passages, find huge, underground lakes, get lost etc etc.

I hate caves :(

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435625/

I've never had anything go wrong for me involving caves. I know that getting lost in one would be pretty easy. I also know caves have cliffs and other drop-offs, and people commit suicide in them. I actually like walking on the pathways that have huge drop-offs to either side. Some caves have underground lakes or rivers, and people could drown in those. I think falling on a stalagmite would hurt pretty bad. I know that a guy's body was found crushed under a large rock he had dislodged while apparently having sex with a chicken...uh...yeah. That would be a pretty embarrassing way to die...

http://www.angelfire.com/trek/caver/page1.html

The link leads you to journal entries complete with several pictures about a caving experience and sub-sequent returns to find out where and what a newly discovered passage in an old cave leads to. It all goes terribly wrong and it's all fake of course, but I was thoroughly creeped out by the end. Not sure it's what you're looking for, but I suggest reading it all the same if you have the time.

Thanks for the tip. I may go blind trying to read the blue type on a black background but the pictures are very interesting! Thanks for the help.

I spent time in a number of different caves during a stint in the military; not spelunking or enjoying myself in even the remotest sense, mind you, but doing army things. Something people fail to mention about caves, specifically ancient ones, specifically dark creepy ancient European caves, is the sheer amount of odd/interesting/horrifically malformed insect and animal species thrive in these environments without ever being seen by a National Geographic photographer. Only about 70% of the world's total animal/insect population has been discovered.....of the 30% that hasn't been found, 70% of THAT is insects....and 90% of those insects seem to live in dank caves off the coast of countries without free health care. Nasty things. Secret dark things. Insects with flippers or human hands or glowing trails of slime with eyes. Now....that may be an exaggeration, but if you take anything away let it be this: SCARY INSECTS THAT NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN LIVE IN CAVES, AND THEY CAN MOST LIKELY KILL YOU, or at the very least, give you the unholy heebie jeebies.

I have been spelunking for many years and traveled to Belize, and am now in Ecuador for caving. A few dangers to watch out for:

1. Your light source going out/breaking on you. The darkness in a cave can literally drive you mad due its absolute lack of light. In normal darkness, there is always some light and your eyes adjust. Not deep in a cave. Losing your light source will literally kill you.

2. Never step into a puddle while deep in a cave. It can cause lethal gasses to rise up and people have died of poisoning/lack of oxygen. This is especially common in some mines. Moving water, as in rivers or a stream feeding a lake is generally okay. Dying this way would be quite horrible.

3. I live in Ecuador, and as stated spent a lot of time in Belize. Caving in the tropics offers yet another danger, being flash floods. Weather changes in a hurry here and a flash flood can completely submerge caves. I was caught in one here in Ecuador that the locals aptly named "Diablo's cave".

4. Snakes love caves, though they are generally found on the surface and not in the depths. In the US rattlesnake dens are located in the mouth of caves due to the cooler temperatures. Scorpions, spiders and all kinds of various dangerous critters. As Uzochizuo stated, lots of opportunities for unique critters in caves. Most of the animals have adapted to the depths and are generally blind with really creepy pale coloration, mainly their eyes.

5. Cave-ins. Getting trapped in a cave-in would be the death of you. Enough said on this one.

6. Getting lost. Caves are like labyrinths and it is REALLY easy to get disoriented and get VERY lost in a cave. The deeper you go, the more dangerous this aspect of caving becomes.

7. Getting stuck. If you are claustrophobic, do not go caving. Often, you will have to worm your way through a passage due it narrowing. People frequently get stuck and start to panic. When you panic, you breath heavy and that won't get you out. Stay calm, take a deep breath and slowly worm your way out. It helps to be skinny!

8. Falling to your death. You can be worming your way through a tight tunnel that simply ends at a chasm. Or you can be walking quicker than you should be and walk right off the edge of an underground cliff. Rappeling equipment is needed for a serious caving expedition.

9. Running out of food and water due to underestimating your depth. It happens. People get lost and are screwed. This is the prelude to your lightsource going out on you, lol.

This sums up the ways you can die while spelunking(caving). It is can be very dangerous to the inexperienced, so I don't recommend it without being with an experienced caver. Having the right gear is another important aspect. Lots and lots of light sources with extra batteries. I can't stress this enough. Also marking your path and making sure you have sufficient food and water for your trip. You can also suffer from hypothermia from a combination of getting wet and not having dry clothes. It gets really cold caving and the temperature doesn't change much when at a certain depth. Expect the temperature to be consistant at about 40-50 F. Hope this information helps you in your book. Feel free to ask any other questions.

Another aspect of caves. The Mayans revered caves and thought of caves as being the entrance to the Underworld. In the Mayan language, it was called Xibalba. Human sacrifices and other horrible events occured in caves. Might be a great opportunity for a haunting, etc.

Just reading this subject line made my chest squeeze unpleasantly.

Things that can go wrong? Bringing a person like me into the group, and having one tiny, marginally-trying-but-to-be-complication would probably be pretty detrimental. You're only as strong as your weakest link, right?

Leave the Jessica-Marie's of this world at home. Or write them into your story to poison your group with paranoia. Paranoia will do A LOT to a group in the dark.

I am still reading up on caves. The comment about the Mayans reminds me of some books I am reading about paleopsychology. It's very interesting to hear the scientists fight it out over what cave paintings meant for early modern humans.

I've always found it kind of interesting the things you don't quite hear so much about. Like caves are dark, the kind of dark most people never experience. And yet deep underground, they have found cave paintings, in color, and right above the painting there are no signs of fire, of light?!? You've got to stop and think about that for a bit. How did a cave painter see to paint in the absolute darkness of a cave? Most assume with a torch but torches leave traces, I've been in many a cave that has been explored enough to leave the ceiling discolor. It takes time to paint, even if you are painting with just one color.

Here in Ecuador we have a massive cave system called the Tayos caves. Many legends exist regarding the caves. They have discovered 4 entrances so far and the explored tunnels are about 35 kilometers in length. Their are still dozens of areas that have yet to be explored. One of the bigger legends involves what is called the Metallic Library and it is supposed to be made of solid gold. Rumor has it that the library reveals the history of mankind. Very interesting and I am to be part of an expedition in 2013.

Cave-ins are not as rare as you may think though you are correct in regards to them being more common in mine shafts where man is constantly disturbing them. They are most common in areas of seismic activity like we have here in Ecuador. In total I have been in 16 cave systems, all being relatively unexplored or mainly unknown.
It is definitely a different world down there, and one that fascinates the heck out of me.

Thank you so much for your stories about the Tayos caves. The legend of the library is something that could not be made up! By the way, I wrote up a short story set in my fictional cave. I sent it off to a writing contest but it was a little raw. It will probably need editing. (Written Sat morning and edited Sunday after a ski trip.) Serves me right for starting the day before the deadline! It was the Toronto Star Short Story contest, by the way. That's the local paper in my city.