[Texascavers] tour cave question
I was just curious which of the tour caves have closed due to WNS. I saw that Wyandotte Cave in Indiana was closed. ( I believe that is a state owned tour cave, as opposed to a privately owned one. ) I know there has been some debate about tour caves putting up barriers to keep bats out of their caves. A bat with WNS could just as easily fly into a tour cave, and hook up with some other bats there. Which of the tour caves have had bat fatalities from WNS ? Could a tourist somehow spread the virus by taking 2 cave tours in the same clothes? I would not believe that. Are any cavers for the closing of caves that seldom have bats in them ? It seems that if none of the tour caves are going to close, what is the point of closing the caves that are not tour caves? That decision seems to be based purely on economics. I have a feeling that WNS is not high on Obama's plate at the moment. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: [Texascavers] tour cave question
David, Regarding your question and comment, Could a tourist somehow spread the virus by taking 2 cave tours in the same clothes? I would not believe that. I don't see why tourists would be any less likely than cavers to spread WNS. At least most organized cavers are now aware of the issue and, where appropriate, are taking steps to decontaminate their equipment between caves. Tourists, however, are much less likely to be knowledgeable about WNS or what to do to avoid its spread. Tourists might wash their clothes between cave tours, but how likely are they to wash or disinfect their shoes? It's also quite possible that they could use other items, such as cameras, coats, purses, gloves, etc., during multiple cave tours without cleaning them between tours. By the way, isn't WNS thought to be caused by a fungus rather than a virus? Rod -Original Message- From: David dlocklea...@gmail.com Sent: Jul 17, 2010 3:33 AM To: Cavers Texas texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: [Texascavers] tour cave question I was just curious which of the tour caves have closed due to WNS. I saw that Wyandotte Cave in Indiana was closed. ( I believe that is a state owned tour cave, as opposed to a privately owned one. ) I know there has been some debate about tour caves putting up barriers to keep bats out of their caves. A bat with WNS could just as easily fly into a tour cave, and hook up with some other bats there. Which of the tour caves have had bat fatalities from WNS ? Could a tourist somehow spread the virus by taking 2 cave tours in the same clothes? I would not believe that. Are any cavers for the closing of caves that seldom have bats in them ? It seems that if none of the tour caves are going to close, what is the point of closing the caves that are not tour caves? That decision seems to be based purely on economics. I have a feeling that WNS is not high on Obama's plate at the moment. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: [Texascavers] a cave question
Using metal strips or tags was once a popular method of marking stations in Texas caves. You can still find them in some of the caves that were surveyed back around the 1960s. I still use colored aluminum tags for permanent stations that I want to easily relocate. Jerry. In a message dated 6/13/2010 11:08:19 P.M. Central Standard Time, dlocklea...@gmail.com writes: I have a question, or questions. Do cavers still place numerical metal tags at caves? Do any caves still have the old metal tags around them ? My memory seems to recall seeing a round tag a little bigger than a quarter with a number on it at a cave I once went to. I can't remember if I saw that at CBSP or somewhere else where cavers were marking caves.Maybe out at Bandera ? If my memory is correct, was this a grotto thing, or a TSS thing, or some other group?
Re: [Texascavers] a cave question
Yes, we still place aluminum round tags at cave entrances. (My experience with cave tags is from CBSP.) There are some that have an aluminum strip, similar in thickness to a beer/soda can , that is a temporary marker because you can quickly write on it with a ball-point pen on location. It can be replaced later with a round tag that has been stamped with the cave ID number. At CBSP, these IDs are either SABxxx or LAMxxx depending on which county the cave is in. For karst features, the ID is Kxxx, IIRC. The tags are usually nailed to the nearest tree, which at CBSP is most often a cedar tree. These ID numbers, GPS coordinates, and other info about the caves are kept in a database at TSS. For CBSP, I know that at least Crash Kennedy and Butch Fralia have copies of the database. In fact, Butch is the maintainer of the CBSP database, (maybe others too.) A few years ago when the Maverick Grotto had a project going at a private ranch in San Saba County, we tagged the caves with a round metal tag. If you are looking for a specific cave at CBSP, and you know the ID number, and you have GPS coordinates that may or may not be accurate, once you come upon the cave entrance, look for the tag, and that will usually veriify whether you have found the right cave or not. Also - if you're out ridge-walking and you come upon a small cave with a tag, then you know for sure it's already been discovered previously. If it doesn't have a tag, well... maybe it has been discovered - maybe it hasn't... Scott --- On Sun, 6/13/10, David dlocklea...@gmail.com wrote: From: David dlocklea...@gmail.com Subject: [Texascavers] a cave question To: Cavers Texas texascavers@texascavers.com List-Post: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Sunday, June 13, 2010, 11:07 PM I have a question, or questions. Do cavers still place numerical metal tags at caves? Do any caves still have the old metal tags around them ? My memory seems to recall seeing a round tag a little bigger than a quarter with a number on it at a cave I once went to. I can't remember if I saw that at CBSP or somewhere else where cavers were marking caves. Maybe out at Bandera ? If my memory is correct, was this a grotto thing, or a TSS thing, or some other group? - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] a cave question
I have a question, or questions. Do cavers still place numerical metal tags at caves? Do any caves still have the old metal tags around them ? My memory seems to recall seeing a round tag a little bigger than a quarter with a number on it at a cave I once went to. I can't remember if I saw that at CBSP or somewhere else where cavers were marking caves.Maybe out at Bandera ? If my memory is correct, was this a grotto thing, or a TSS thing, or some other group? - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] Trivia cave question
The link below shows a photo of the eastern entrance, or the upstream entrance to which Texas cave ? http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1268/1318273188_862bb28e5a.jpg For scale, a 6 foot person could easily walk thru the entrance and out the western or downstream entrance. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: [Texascavers] Trivia cave question
Gunnels? If that's right, it's only because you led the trip I was on to it a decade or so ago. Roger -Original Message- From: David dlocklea...@gmail.com To: Cavers Texas texascavers@texascavers.com Sent: Thu, Apr 8, 2010 11:58 pm Subject: [Texascavers] Trivia cave question The link below shows a photo of the eastern entrance, or the upstream entrance to which Texas cave ? http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1268/1318273188_862bb28e5a.jpg For scale, a 6 foot person could easily walk thru the entrance and out the western or downstream entrance. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
