My Sarawak Adventures Series continue with something different this time. An adventure caving in Racer Cave, Mulu. Apart from visiting show caves, I did not have any prior experience to adventure caving. I had bad experiences hiking at night, so I was more than nervous when I got to know My Sarawak Adventures involved adventure caving. What more when I was asked to bring along diving boot.
Although I hate it when I got up at night suffocating in the pitch black darkness, caving thrilled me to the core. At the same time, the uncertainty of being in complete darkness with the aid of only LED headlamps put me in full alertness. Just a week before, I was watching the Sanctum, a movie on underwater cave exploration in Papua New Guinea. Like always, everything you see and hear before indulging into somewhat similar activity influences your mind in one way or another.
Adventure Caving in Racer Cave, Mulu
After our breakfast, we were taken by boat on the same route as Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave – only that we stopped at much earlier point.
We had to walk for about 15-20 minutes before seeing the cave entrance.
Hey, this is Mulu Apple. They said you’ve got to taste it to know the taste.
For your information, there are few caves which are graded as intermediate and advanced level. For cavers who are interested to explore the advanced level cave such as Sarawak Chamber (12 hours exploration), you must take a mandatory test at Racer Cave to determine your level of fitness and skill for the advanced level caves. If you fail, you will not be allowed to proceed with advanced level caving activity.
Racer Cave, Mulu
Racer Cave as its name connotes is home to racer snakes. Racer snakes kill by constriction, not by poison. If you get lucky, you may spot the slithering racer inside the cave. Didn’t I tell you of uncertainty of what lies ahead of you in caving?
Equipments wise, we had been told to wear sturdy clothing and proper footwear. The guide, Undi, gave us a helmet and helmet-mounted headlamp each for our usage throughout the caving at Racer Cave.
As we climbed into the cave entrance, we caught a strong pungent smell of guano. Not far into the cave, we were tested for a vertical 10 metres climb using single rope technique. It was quite difficult as I was not used to climbing technique. After awhile, I got the hang of it. Next, we came across a small passage we had to squeeze our bodies through. It was too small that my front and back almost touched the cave flowstones.
Adventure caving in Racer Cave, Mulu is not on flat cave ground. Ascending and descending using single rope technique is part of the adventures. After the squeeze, we set foot on a somewhat even ground. By then, Undi was on the look out for the racer snake. He quickly pointed out to the roof of the cave. Meet the racer snake of Racer Cave, Mulu.
It was time to descend, my turn was right after Undi. I climbed down with the help of Undi and I had to wait for Undi to help Angela and Micheal. It must be the adrenaline rush that I slipped down. A moment of silent passed before Angela screamed in horror seeing me hanging by the rope. I looked down but I could not see the ground. There was total darkness. I did not know how deep it was to the ground and whether I would hit slithering racer snake underneath. The imagination was put to an end when Undi held out his hands and pulled me up. I heaved a sigh of relief; thank God, I am still alive.
I know it’s difficult to digest if I were to say this part of the earth was beneath the sea around 60 million years ago before the crust began to slide up over another piece of Earth’s crust. But how else would you explain for the sea shells embedded inside the sandstone formation inside the cave?
Not one, but many of them.
Apart from the bats and snakes, Mulu caves is inhabited by fishes, flying fishes, blind catfishes, cave scorpions, huntsman spiders, cave crickets, centipedes and crabs.
Another ascent. My glasses were misty, I did not wear my contact lenses.
5 minutes break before continuing over adventure caving in Racer Cave, Mulu.
Presenting you the cave curtain or drapery, it was as beautiful as your house’s curtain. Stunningly beautiful we couldn’t help to strike poses in front of the cave curtain.
Undi showed us a broken stalactite. Look at the pattern! It reminds me of the tree pattern when you cut the tree trunk. The fine lines inside the stalactite.
When in Racer Cave, get your photographs captured like us.
Shark tooth stalactites.
Another round of climbing up and down before concluding our adventure caving in Racer Cave, Mulu. I have to go back for the Sarawak Chamber of Mulu. Who’s up for an adventure caving with me?
This trip to Gunung Mulu National Park was made possible by Sarawak Tourism Board.
2 Comments
Congrats! You have got your Sarawak Chamber caving license 🙂
i tengok gambar pun dah penat ni…. hehe