Joe,
Been there and done that with David - at least almost all the way to
Valles - I think we both paid our dues. As I've told David a couple of
times, I think he has the worst case of sleep apnea of any LIVING human.
I think someone should write up an abstract for the ICS on the need to
create a new word and definition for the physical hazards from guano
while caving. It has the makings of a great - if crappy talk. I
nominate Devra as she coined the term Craptastrophic but then again,
there is lots of room for second authors. Most cavers have a great
sense of humor and would really enjoy it. Seems like there is still
time.
For example, we haven't discussed what would happen if guano caught on
fire while you were in the cave or the possibilities of a dust
explosion. There are a number of hazards associated with guano other
than just plain old histo. Being buried alive in guano or almost drown
like Viv would be pretty nasty way to go. Considering the hazards of
caving in guano, has anyone ever been diagnosed with a bat intestinal
parasite.
G
From: jran...@gmail.com [mailto:jran...@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 10:45 AM
To: Texascavers Mailing List
Subject: Re: RE: [Texascavers] guano question
So is this a new record for TexasCavers? A discussion that contains
scatological humor, scientific study of guano fall rates, actual caving
stories, new word creation and a reference to George Veni's testicles!
Geary and Locklear may need to be punished for this :-) Maybe a roadtrip
from Houston to Xilitla together in David's Honda Fit...
On Dec 5, 2008 9:46am, mark.al...@l-3com.com wrote:
>
>
> Sounds like we have some good
> candidates for the "Carbide Corner" in some upcoming TEXAS
> CAVERs.
>
>
>
> Any takers want to submit a bio and apropos
> column?
>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> (An always looking for material editor)
> Mark
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: vivb...@att.net
> [mailto:vivb...@att.net]
> Sent: Fri 12/5/2008 9:32 AM
> To:
> Texascavers Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] guano
> question
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> David wrote:
> >I am just curious which cave
> passages have you experienced your
> worst encounter with bat guano.
>
> The
> Vampire guano in Japones Cave in Mexico was pretty bad. Really deep
red and
> sticky-slimy gooey. And the vampires were in a complete frenzy filling
the
> passage and stirring up the choking smell. But we only had to walk
ankle deep in
> it. It didn't even top my boots and wet my socks.
>
> Then I thought I had
> experienced the worst the time I plunged one leg into a 2' diameter
pothole full
> of semi-liquid quano in Borneo. Those potholes were everywhere so we
really had
> to watch it. But even then, only one leg was completely saturated with
the
> stuff, and I was able to wash off in the river that night.
>
> But the true
> pinnacle of guano came the time George Veni took us to Sorcerer's cave
here in
> Texas. It was the Boil-Boil-Guano-and-Trouble passage. This is a full
on lake of
> pudding-consistency guano with a frosting of insect casings and dead
bats. It's
> actually a series of these lakes. Apparently some of the original
explorers wore
> hip waders (a rally good idea), but George swore he could cross the
lakes
> without getting his balls wet, and it wouldn't be that bad. But then,
no
> one had been there is some time, and the guano dam on the far side had
grown. It
> was at least waist deep for everyone, that is if you could maintain
your perch
> on invisible ledges deep in the pools. Once on the far side, it was
decided to
> take out the guano dam (something like a rimstone dam, but all pure
guano)to
> lower the lakes to their previous levels. I thought the amonia and
methane would
> kill us all for a minute there, but eventually the air did clear
somewhat, and
> we all made it to our objectives.
>
> At the bottom of the cave is a really
> nice stream passage, so we could get nice and clean down there. But
the trouble
> was you have to exit the cave through the guano lakes. On my way out
of the
> cave, I was the lucky one who actually did fall full on into the
over-my-head
> shit. I managed to barely keep my lips above guano, but my hair was
saturated.
> It was freezing cold outside and we were in a 100% dry camp, so when I
stumbled
> out of the cave in the wee hours, I just washed my hands and face as
best I
> could with a nalgene of water and crawled in my sleeping bag.
>
> I was
> pleased to learn that the climb I did the next day did not require
traversing
> the dreaded
> cesspool.
>
> Poo-falls?
> Shitslide?
> guanoflow?
>
>
> -
> Visit
> our website: http://texascavers.com
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