The Guadalajara Reporter

Trapped underground ... and if the cave does collapse?

After 36 years of crawling into dark spaces in many parts of the world, naturally I’ve had a few close calls.

In fact, my very first visit to a wild cavern (Windsor Cave in Jamaica) was nearly my last because – having gone inside – I made the mistake of relying on outside sunlight and a large bat colony to help me find my way back to the cave entrance, not realizing that once night fell, neither the daylight nor the bats would be there to indicate the way out.

Over the subsequent years, my friends and I have run out of light, nearly suffocated in underground “lakes” of carbon  dioxide, dangled stuck at the end of a rope 100 meters long (because of an unexpected knot in it), breathed in invisible fungus spores which cause histoplasmosis and even been attacked by angry bees for invading their space. But when asked the question, what if the cave roof falls in, I have always replied that natural caves are among the safest places to be during an earthquake, and I’ve never experienced a collapse.

Luis Rojas, a chemical engineer, outdoor enthusiast and long-time caver,  Here is his story, translated from a colorful email which he sent me recently.

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