Basic Safety Tips for Cavers
Rules to Protect Cave Explorers and Prevent Underground Accidents
Nov 10, 2008
Most caving accidents don’t happen to cavers. Instead, the typical victim is a spelunker, an individual defined by expert cave explorers as someone who goes into a cave without proper equipment and training.
Typical Caving Accidents
The exploits of spelunkers fill the pages of “American Caving Accidents,” the annual publication of the U.S. National Speleological Society. A typical incident begins with friends meeting at a bar and deciding to explore a cave. They find a rope (of any sort), tie it to a tree and climb hand over hand to the bottom of a deep pit. Only later do they discover that they have been deceived by the antics of countless movie heroes for whom hand-climbing a rope appears as easy as riding an escalator.
All too often, one of the spelunkers falls to his death while the others are stranded in the pit, usually without water, food, warm clothes and, of course, without light.
Avoiding Tragedy Underground
Cavers have learned—the hard way—how to reduce the likelihood of such a tragic end to a caving trip. First of all, they never go into a cave without lights, adequate clothing and a helmet.
Multiple Lights for Caving
Each caver carries at least three sources of light plus extra bulbs and plenty of spare batteries. One of these lights is normally a headlamp.
Suitable Clothing for Caves
Adequate clothing depends on the temperature of the cave and the chances of finding water inside. At the very least, a long-sleeve windbreaker should be brought along. The main point is to be ready to minimize the effects of hypothermia, which usually sets in very quickly once a caver is immobilized by an accident. In some cases, a wetsuit may be an absolute necessity, while in others, a sweatshirt may be sufficient.
Helmets Save Lives
The importance of wearing a helmet cannot be overemphasized. The most careful visitor to a wild cave is likely to bang his or her head on ceiling or wall protuberances far too frequently. In some cases, people without helmets have died simply by stumbling and striking their heads on a rock. The expression “Thank goodness for my helmet” comes up again and again in speleological trip reports.
Safety gear in Cavers’ Backpacks
Other important equipment to be brought into a cave includes:
- Drinking water in a rugged canteen.
- A fifteen-meter length of nylon tubular webbing (as a short-climb aid)
- A backpack to carry most of the above.
A normal group of cavers consists of at least three people. In case of an accident, one person stays with the injured party and the other goes for help. Smart cavers let someone know where they are going and when they expect to be back. All of these tips represent standard procedures recommended by caving organizations all over the world.
By following these basic tips for cave safety, occasional underground explorers and spelunkers can join the ranks of serious—and safe—cavers.
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