The Art of Speleology
June 25, 2007 by
As a one time tour guide to the only drive through cave in the United States and a previous college major in the subject, I believe that I'm qualified to explain to people what speleology really is.
Defined as, "the scientific study of caves and karst topography," speleology is a hands on science. During my time as a speleology major I found myself squeezing through holes in the ground less than two feet in diameter, viewing ancient saber-toothed tiger markings in the now famous
River Bluff cave, and mapping out never before seen places 200 feet underground.
Not for the faint of heart, or the claustrophobic, speleology takes you places no other scientific study can. There's nothing like the feeling of crawling on your back down a twelve inch tall tunnel, up to your neck in muddy water, only to come out on the other side of a 300 foot long, 50 foot tall, room in a cave which no other human eyes have ever seen.
You don't have to be a student or scientist to enjoy speleology. People around the world take part in speleology everyday, and some of them don't even know it. The recreational activity of exploring caves is something that even a twelve year old can love.
Known as caving, but also sometimes referred to as spelunking or potholing, thousands of people in the United States enter caves everyday. There are single individuals that enjoy exploring new and old caves as well as large organizations, with hundreds of members, which take the hobby of caving to a whole new level.
For those people that wish to make their hobby a career, they must study speleology and geology in college. Classes normally consist of book work mixed with a single day of field trips each week. Students must have a strong background in math, since a majority of the work in speleology involves mapping out caves, foot by foot.
Cave maps are created by a group of surveyors and have many different uses. Cavers use the maps to keep from getting lost, contractors may use the maps to decide if it's safe to build in a certain area, and scientists use the maps to compare cave systems.
Defined as, "the scientific study of caves and karst topography," speleology is a hands on science. During my time as a speleology major I found myself squeezing through holes in the ground less than two feet in diameter, viewing ancient saber-toothed tiger markings in the now famous
Not for the faint of heart, or the claustrophobic, speleology takes you places no other scientific study can. There's nothing like the feeling of crawling on your back down a twelve inch tall tunnel, up to your neck in muddy water, only to come out on the other side of a 300 foot long, 50 foot tall, room in a cave which no other human eyes have ever seen.
You don't have to be a student or scientist to enjoy speleology. People around the world take part in speleology everyday, and some of them don't even know it. The recreational activity of exploring caves is something that even a twelve year old can love.
Known as caving, but also sometimes referred to as spelunking or potholing, thousands of people in the United States enter caves everyday. There are single individuals that enjoy exploring new and old caves as well as large organizations, with hundreds of members, which take the hobby of caving to a whole new level.
For those people that wish to make their hobby a career, they must study speleology and geology in college. Classes normally consist of book work mixed with a single day of field trips each week. Students must have a strong background in math, since a majority of the work in speleology involves mapping out caves, foot by foot.
Cave maps are created by a group of surveyors and have many different uses. Cavers use the maps to keep from getting lost, contractors may use the maps to decide if it's safe to build in a certain area, and scientists use the maps to compare cave systems.
I'm 45, out of shape, with not a great deal of upper body strength, and 60 pounds overweight. Yesterday I went caving in Luxembourg. I rappelled down some sheer drops, squeezed through some narrow passages and climbed up through others. I had fun.
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