| In 1984, while visiting relatives in Tennessee, they | | | | electronic Smart level with a Laser pointer |
| told me of their water supply. A pump house at | | | | attached and a Data Scope compass, each |
| the base of a large hill where they pumped water | | | | member carried water and a snack. We adopted |
| from a cave lake located below. A previous | | | | the map as you go method exploration. This |
| owner had used cinder blocks to block the | | | | requires great restraint on the part of each |
| entrance to a cave in the side of the hill and built | | | | member not to scoop passage. Scooping passage |
| a small dam to back up the stream flowing from | | | | is when a few members would stop the survey |
| the cave. As caving was my hobby, I became | | | | and start exploring on their own. This usually |
| very interested and at once wanted to | | | | results in explored passages not being completely |
| investigate this underground lake. This was to | | | | mapped. |
| good to pass up, I persuaded one of my relatives | | | | Our first mapping party consisted of Buddy Davis, |
| to go with me and wait at the entrance while I | | | | Roger Garratt, John Wallace and myself. We |
| check out the cave. | | | | entered the cave and decided to see if it |
| With no caving gear and just a flashlight I thought | | | | amounted to much before starting to survey, |
| that I would just see if it amounted to anything. | | | | then we would survey our way out. We followed |
| Raising the plywood door at the bottom of the | | | | the stream around several turns for about 300 |
| pump house, I entered the cave by wading in 10 | | | | feet coming out of the water near a T-junction. |
| inches of water for a few feet and looked for a | | | | We followed the main stream through walking |
| way to continue. The ceiling came down to the | | | | passage until it became blocked by breakdown |
| water, but to the left along the back side of the | | | | with the stream flowing from under the rocks. |
| cinder block wall was a 20 foot long crawl that led | | | | At this point, there were no footprints or other |
| to a 4 foot high room at the edge of the water. | | | | signs that anyone had been this far into the cave. |
| After wading through about 100 feet of low | | | | We started the survey at the breakdown, |
| water filled passage, I was able to stand up in a | | | | working back down stream to the junction. We |
| larger room with the stream flowing along one | | | | then took the survey up the side passage |
| side. This room had two columns in the middle and | | | | exploring as we mapped. We climbed up about 3 |
| several small holes leading off in different | | | | feet with a smaller stream flowing below, we |
| directions. I followed the stream for about 40 | | | | mapped on to the bottom of a large pit and then |
| feet and then reentered the stream which | | | | about 50 feet more before the passage became |
| continued in a 6 foot high by 5 foot wide passage. | | | | too tight. |
| The water was now deeper, up to my waist and | | | | Returning to the pit, Buddy and I climbed up and |
| was about 55 degrees. I continued to navigate | | | | continued the survey while John and Roger |
| over the rocky bottom around three turns by | | | | retreated back along the passage to check a lead |
| staying to the sides where the mud and water | | | | going up at a formation on the left. After mapping |
| was not so deep. Alone and with limited light, I | | | | a formation room at one level, we climbed to the |
| called it quits for the day. It would be two years | | | | top of the pit and found large walking passage |
| before I could return to push this tantalizing lead. | | | | going in both directions. We explored in one |
| First Trip, October 25, 1986 | | | | direction for several hundred feet, then returned |
| About once a month, a small group friends and I | | | | to the top of the pit, where we were surprised |
| would go caving in well known caves in northeast | | | | to hear John and Roger coming up the passage |
| Alabama, northwest Georgia and east Tennessee, | | | | from the other direction. They had found a |
| referred to by the caving society as TAG | | | | connecting passage around the pit. |
| country. This area is well known for deep pits and | | | | We mapped down the large passage going |
| long caves. On each trip I would tell them about | | | | southeast then turned back to the left to a large |
| the cave on my cousins property and we would | | | | breakdown room almost directly over the point |
| discuss checking it out. We at last set a date and | | | | where the stream started and where we had |
| drove up from Marietta, Georgia on a Saturday. | | | | first started our survey. Going up over very loose |
| There had been a heavy storm the night before | | | | breakdown, we entered another large passage |
| and my cousin said that he had seen the plywood | | | | blocked at the end by a small pit with a stream |
| door pushed up completely open by the water | | | | flowing across the bottom. We decided to quit for |
| rushing out of the cave after a hard rain. | | | | the day and went back to map the connection |
| Before getting dressed in our caving gear, we | | | | John and Roger had found. |
| walked down to the entrance to check the water | | | | This connection passed two of the largest |
| level, it was running normal, however it is not | | | | formations in the cave, which I named Clark |
| unusual for caves to flood hours after a heavy | | | | Columns, in honor of my first cousins family name |
| rain. The temptation was to great, so we suited | | | | and owner of the property. On a later trip we |
| up for caving. Each member of the group carries | | | | discovered a large formation room at a higher |
| 3 sources of light, with one attached to a hard | | | | level. We exited the cave after six hours, having |
| hat with chin strap. Gloves are required if you plan | | | | mapped 2,380 feet, all mostly walking passage |
| to take any notes or survey. In addition to the | | | | with many leads to be checked. |
| survey gear consisting of a Sonic Tape measure, | | | | |
