Things To Know Before Exploring A Cave
Clear your mind for one second
Clear your mind for one second. Now close your eyes. What do you think of when you hear the word "cave"? Do you think of Batman revving up the Bat mobile in his Bat Cave? Do you think of finding a pirate's hideout that is littered with gold doubloons? Or do you just think of pitch-black, claustrophobic spaces that are frequented in horror movies?
Whatever you think of, your view of caverns is either scary or something that is not realistic. Well, you couldn't be farther from the truth. In the modern world, caverns are anything but a thing of fantasy or horror.
You would probably be surprised that today caving-or "spelunking" as some may call it-is an extremely popular recreational sport that attracts many people around the world to its thrills. It's not entirely new, either.
Caving was first pioneered by the French in the late 1800s and started to become a recreational sport in the 1930s. Since then, some have dubbed it an "extreme sport" because of the skill it takes and the adrenaline that cavers feel while they are exploring uncharted territories.
Despite it being dubbed an "extreme sport", everybody can partake in this fun activity. You don't have to be an extremist and go for a Guinness World Record for the biggest cave ever explored. There are small caverns all around the United States and even the world that you don't have to be an expert to explore in.
Keep in mind, though, that you just can't take yourself and a backpack and hurl yourself into a dark hole. Spelunking requires certain equipment that will help you on your journey, and most importantly it will keep you safe from any dangers that caves can throw at you.
The first piece of equipment that you need before you start your adventure is a hard hat. Whether it is a small or a large cave, there will be rocks everywhere. And those rocks could be on the ceiling.
That means that at any moment's notice you could have rocks unexpectedly hurled toward your body. A hard hat will keep your head protected and make sure that you don't get injured in a place where there's no doctor's office around.
You will also need a light, because no one has the nerves to walk around in unexplored territory in the pitch black. Most hard hats can come with a standard electric or LED light that is hooked on to the top of the hat for easy mobility.
Be sure to also have a second backup light, because once you are exploring unexpected things happen. Having a second light will prevent you from getting in a sticky situation when a battery dies or a foreign rock hits and breaks your light.
You will also need to be sure have the right type of clothes for different types of caverns. If you wind up with the wrong type of clothes or not enough clothes in an exploration, you will be in a world of hurt.
In cold spots, it is best to have fleece or polypropylene underwear, with an outer shell of harder, waterproof material. In warmer spots, light clothes will prove worthy and in wet caves, a wetsuit might be appropriate especially if there are bodies of water that need to be crossed.
A good pair of boots is also needed, as you will be doing a lot of strenuous hiking and climbing in a small space. For warmer spots, hiking boots are recommended. For wetter sports, a pair of rubber boots would do just fine.
Your hat, clothing, and boots are your most essential items of equipment on your body. If there are tougher and rougher spots you need to traverse, there are some other pieces of equipment that might prove useful to your quest.
Knee and elbow pads can help prevent you from getting cuts and scrapes that will annoy you and make your trip less enjoyable. Also, depending on the circumstance, a pair of sturdy gloves might be preferable to fend off cuts, abrasions or exposure in especially chilly caverns.
With this equipment in your possession, you can learn more about other equipment needed such as ropes and climbing apparatuses that are useful in spelunking.
Once you have all the necessary equipment, you can find many different caverns in your area. Don't hesitate to start reaping the benefits of this exciting sport!
by: Ronald Pedactor
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