By Lambe Lamis 
On February 19, 1994, a team of fellow employees from where I was currently working, alongside with my caving associate, John Wallace ended up ridge walking earlier mentioned Pettyjohn Cave, on Pigeon Mountain, in northeast Ga. Immediately after finding 4 possible dig web sites we opened one particular and named it Patrick Cave. The following day Doug Dewitt and I returned and mapped the small cave.
The sink was huge with trees growing at the bottom, when we checked about the edges Doug commencing poking at a tender spot in the heart with Patrick was observing. Soon we started out taking turns enlarging the hole.
The cave consisted of two tiny rooms. The to start with area was five toes tall and 6 feet large. There was a restricted hole at the base that may possibly be a excellent put to dig. The space was complete of roots with grime above. Another smaller sized home five foot huge and 3 and a 50 percent higher was on the north side. The degree study was 18.9 feet and the whole study was 22.8 feet. The pit at the bottom was not opened up. It a lot more than likely drains down into Pettyjohn Cave, as we had been straight over the cave, superior on the mountain aspect.
On February 20, 1994, we also mapped a small cave underneath a huge rock, Sophie Cave, a large space with a good deal of spiders. Sophie was Doug’s other white Labrador. The back again section of the cave rose to a top of 7 ft, entire of spiders, we named it Spider Cathedral. One more 5 foot opening alongside the stream was pushed to a minimal dig exactly where the audio of h2o operating could be listened to beneath. As curiosity overcame us we force more challenging and more challenging into the mysterious to see were being it led, but could not squeeze via to the stream below.
This cave was not named, as you could not get out of the daylight. This is how a good deal of caves commence out, curious cavers checking out holes in the ground. Digging a little, mapping what they identified and afterwards on extra cavers returning to examine more and dig extra.
New discoveries are created in 3 methods. To start with time website visitors to a very well acknowledged cave, without a map, will generally discover an ignored passage in the vicinity of the entrance or further as they search for a way to keep on. Typically cavers acquainted with a cave will rush to the conclusion, overlooking feasible sales opportunities.
An additional way to find out new passages is to cautiously map the cave as you go, examining out and mapping all of the doable crawls and climbs. This is the best way and the most rewarding.
The last and most frequent is to just thrust and dig each and every feasible hole that can be discovered. Some have even developed their very own caves by next a rock ledge or crack until eventually it at ast opens up into a little something larger.
Biologists divide cave animals into 3 types: trogloxenes, troglophiles, and troglobites, or cave visitors, cave lovers, and cave prisoners.
Trogloxenes are people animals who briefly visit the cave, typically just inside the lighted entrance. Raccoons may use the entrance for a den, or snakes may well continue to be in its coolness for the duration of the warmth of the day. These are momentary residents.
Troglophiles are the cave fans. They specially like the great, moist, dim atmosphere of the cave, and may perhaps invest their entire lives there. Having said that, they equally very well might shell out their life in some other cold, dark, damp position, like underneath a rock. Numerous forms of salamanders typify this class, cave crickets also belong right here.
Troglobites are the true cave dwellers. They have progressed for this daily life they are unable to depart. They are generally blind, white and the circumstance of fish will hid below your toes if you stand even now in the water.
As a troglodyte, I normally believe about caves and examine them in my mind, when unable to in fact go there.