EuroSpeleo 2016
Crocs, cocks and karst - caving adventures in East Timor
Oral|Mr Pete Talling
Abstract
East Timor has a troubled past, and potential for major cave systems. After being invaded by Indonesia in 1975, it gained independence in 1999 after a bitter struggle. It has large areas of unexplored karst, some crashed helicopters, and is now opening up for travel. Its biggest river disappears into a large-crocodile filled pool at the foot of the Paitchau Mountains. This talk summarises trials and tribulations of one of the first caving expedition to visit this distinctive country, charting the expedition's fluctuating morale. Initially, the expedition gingerly contemplated the crocodile filled sink, before mapping tasty bat filled caves in the nearby Paitchau Mountains. Following a solid meal of freshly-washed fried possum entrails, the team explored caves that could house 1,000 (rather small) people. Ancestors failed to open caves in the high limestone mountains, where guerrillas had made their last stand. After getting lost on an optimistic short cut, the team arrived at a cave entrance that had been filled in 30 years ago. Morale teetered on the brink. Then on the final day, a hole in the ground was spied. It led down 140m of pitches into large ongoing passages; left with a 60m disto leg into blank space.
More from 2016
Oral|Mr Gavin Newman
Lights Cameras Caves…
Field|Mr John Webb
Field Trip: White Scar Cave - 14th August 2016
Oral|Mr Vladimir Georgiev
Cave explorations at Tennengebirge, Austria since 1980
Oral|Mr Mike Futrell
Workflows and Data Formats Supporting Wider Use of Cave Data
Oral|Mr Roo Walters
3D Mapping the world's largest cave chambers
Oral|Mr Pete Allwright
Nicola 3 Cave Radio
Poster|Mr David St Pierre
Poster: The new edition of the Grotte Casteret (Gruta Helada de Casteret) Annotated and Illustrated Bibliography.
Oral|Miss Oana Chachula
The history of exploration in Șura Mare Cave (Romania)
Field|Dr Bob Mehew
Field Trip - Hands On Rope Testing
Field|Mr Dave Hollingham
Field Trip: Accompanied Caving Trips