One of the big issues facing us in locating, exploring and mapping caves in Khao Sok national park is the loss of local knowledge.
Formally very remote and rural, Khao Sok was flooded during the early 80’s and has since become a popular tourist destination. But getting accurate information about Khao Sok is becoming increasingly difficult, especially since many of the people living in the area before the construction of the dam are now approaching old age and senility.
But here’s one piece of information which we’re keenly pursuing:
Rumors tell of a 2Km long cave, previously dry which the locals used to be able to walk through. The top entrance to the cave is located high in the foothills and limestone cliffs now surrounding the lake, and the lower end of the passage will now be below water level.
By our best estimates, we believe that from the top entrance to the bottom covers a total distance of 330 metres. We believe that the dry portion of the cave is significantly bigger than the flooded section, covering a horizontal distance of 1.5Km and descending almost 300M.
Assuming that information is correct, that means we’re looking at a flooded section approximately 500M in length, descending from the same height as the surface of the lake to the exit at a depth of around 40M.
Being able to attempt this passage is clearly going to take a lot more research and preparatory work. Not least of our problems is transporting all our technical diving equipment to the top entrance to the cave, and being able to carry all the gear the 1.5Km through the dry portion of the cave to the waterline where we can begin the dive. Locals say that the easiest way to do this will be using elephants. And that’s before we even begin to consider the complication of cave diving!
Check back soon for updates on how the research and future expedition is shaping up, and if you’d like to get involved please drop us an email.
