KUNA CAVES.

This Saturday, with some fellow adventurers in tow, I finally made it to the Kuna Caves.  The caves have been on my adventure list all summer, however, it is a destination I definitely didn't want to attempt solo!  I have read quite a bit about the Kuna Caves, none of it encouraging.  In fact, many of my guidebooks suggest that the caves are a destination not even worth visiting.  Although the lava tubes themselves are spectacular, they have been disappointingly treated with a great deal of disrespect.  There has been a disgusting amount of garbage left in the caves and the walls are graffiti laden.  However, I still thought the caves were a terrific adventure and a great opportunity for me to express my bravery!  It isn't often you get the chance to adventure UNDERGROUND!  Dad, Jessie and I did a great deal of exploration and managed to enjoyed our dark and dirty excursion, despite the littered state of the caves.  I should add that my Mom also accompanied the three of us on this adventure.  She, however, perhaps being much wiser than the rest of us, stayed safely above ground!

It is amazing to me that such a wonder of nature has been so largely ignored!

The caves are nearly impossible to find and there is only this tiny sign pointing the way.

JESSIE, DAD AND I AT THE CAVE ENTRANCE

  

CLIMBING DOWN THE LADDER SCARED THE DICKENS OUT OF ME!

AND CLEARLY JESSIE WAS HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT EXPLORING

UNDERGROUND WITH THESE PARTICULAR RELATIVES!

  

KUNA CAVES MAIN ROOM

WE WERE ONLY CLEAN FOR ABOUT FIVE SECONDS!

WE CHOSE TO TAKE THE NARROWER OF THE TWO ROUTES FIRST

WHICH MEANT WE HAD TO CRAWL THROUGH THE TUNNEL ON OUR HANDS AND KNEES.  I WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED THERE WOULD BE SO MUCH DUST!  AFTER A HERD OF BATS SCARED JESSIE, WHO WAS LEADING, I BEING SECOND IN LINE, WAS NOMINATED THE NEW LEADER . . . 

SO THAT MEANT THAT I GOT TO BE THE FIRST TO CRAWL ON MY STOMACH!

THE TUNNEL QUICKLY NARROWED EVEN MORE!  I CRAWLED OUT AHEAD OF THE OTHERS BEFORE DECIDING THE CONDITIONS CLEARLY WERE NOT GOING TO IMPROVE.  WE ABANDONED THIS TUNNEL WITH ME BEING THE ONLY ONE TO GET THIS DIRTY!

BY THE TIME I TURNED AROUND AND CAME BACK OUT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD KNEEL IN THE TUNNEL AGAIN,THERE WAS SO MUCH DUST IN THE AIR, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAMERAS TO FOCUS!

HEADING BACK TO THE MAIN ROOM

THE SECOND ROUTE WAS MUCH EASIER TO NAVIGATE!

VALIANT CAVE WOMAN!

UFOS ARE REAL

after being on a bigfoot kick all summer, dad has now moved on to ufos!

and, just like with bigfoot, he's got me watching ufo shows too!

he's so much fun!

DAD AND I

JESSIE

END OF THE ROAD

WE HAD JUST BEEN DIVE BOMBED BY ANOTHER BAT!

ON THE WALK BACK, DAD SPOTTED THIS HOLE IN THE WALL

AND QUICKLY DISAPPEARED INTO IT!

AND THEN JESSIE TOO!

PEEKING UP INSIDE THE TUNNEL DAD AND JESSIE WERE IN!

  

THE TUNNEL RAN PARALLEL TO THE MAIN TUBE AND HAD BOTH AN 

ENTRANCE AND AN EXIT A SHORT DISTANCE APART.

2008

KNOWING AHEAD OF TIME ABOUT THE DISMAL STATE OF THE CAVES, I CAME PREPARED TO REMOVE AS MUCH GARBAGE AS POSSIBLE.  WE BROUGHT THE GRABBER AND TRASH BAGS.  HOWEVER, WE SOON REALIZED THERE WAS JUST TOO MUCH GARBAGE AND SIMPLY NO WAY TO REMOVE OUR GIANT TRASH BAGS.  PERHAPS SOMEDAY WE'LL COME BACK WITH A WAY TO HOIST THE BAGS BACK OUT OF THE HOLE.  CLEARLY NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT!

  

DAD PICKING ON ME!

MY PACK KEPT GETTING STUCK ON THE CAGE!

  

DAD!

I FELT LIKE A PRAIRIE DOG!

  

WHAT AN ADVENTURE!