Conquering an Infinite Cave

Conquering an Infinite Cave

There’s a jungle inside Vietnam’s mammoth cavern. A skyscraper could fit too. And the end is out of sight.

“Past the hand of dog, watch out for dinosaurs,” says a voice in the dark.

 
Jonathan Sims is truncated acknowledge the British military emphasis, but have no idea what he's talking. Find my lighthouse, gray whiskers protruding from under his helmet beaten, sitting alone in the dark along the wall of the cave.

"Carry on mate," growled Sims. "Just fuck off an ankle."

Two of us roped through the thunder, the underground river and the Rao Thuong increased by 20-foot limestone of the sandbar. I will continue to own after the bar on my old lighthouses along the tracks.

In the spring of 2009, Sims was a member of the first expedition to enter Doong Hang Son, or "mountain cave in the river," in a remote part of central Vietnam. Hidden in Phong Nha-Ke robust Bang National Park, near the border with Laos, the cave is part of a network of some 150 caves, many still questioned in the mountains of Annam. During the first expedition, the team explored two miles and a half before a Doong Hook 200 foot wall of calcite mud prevented it. called the Great Wall of Vietnam. Above is an open space and distinguish the traces of light, but had no idea what was the other side. A year later, they returned seven central British cavers, some scientists and a team of porters to climb the wall, if possible, to measure the passage, and push, if possible, all to the end of the cave.

The trail disappears in a pile before me for building size hard rocks that have fallen from the ceiling and crashed on the floor of the cave. I crane my head back, but the immensity of the cave some light soaked my headlight, as if looking at the night sky without stars. I said I'm in a space big enough to park a 747, but I have no way of knowing, the darkness is like a sleeping bag pulled over my head.

I turn off my headlight just to feel the depth of darkness. Initially, nothing. But then, as my students to adapt, I am surprised to get a little ghostly light ahead. I pick my way through the rubble, almost running excitation, propagation of the rocks under my feet and the echoes in the room invisible. Climb a steep hill, I hit a ridge, as on one side of the mountain and stopped in my tracks.

A large tree in the sun sinks into the cave as a waterfall. The hole in the roof through which light falls is very high, at least 300 feet in diameter. The light, which penetrates deep into the cave, revealed for the first time of incredible proportions Doong Hang Son. The passage is perhaps 300 feet wide, the roof of almost 800 meters, enough space for an entire block of 40 floors of New York. There was wispy clouds near the ceiling.

The rays of light above reveals a round of calcite on the floor of the cave, there are over 200 feet high, strangulated by ferns, palms and jungle plants other. Icicles on the edges of the window like icicles massive petrified. Vine swinging a hundred meters from the surface, diving and swifts are cut in the column of shining in the sun. The table could be created by an artist to imagine how the world looked millions of years.

Jonathan Sims reached me. Between us and the way forward is a stalagmite from the sun in the profile resembles a dog's paw.

"Hand of God would be too boring," he says, pointing to the formation. "But the dog does not start well, do not you think?"

He snaps off with the headlights and gimpy ankle unweights.