Caving offers an opportunity for people to explore the depths of the earth that most people don’t usually step into. These places, also known as caves, are known by many as being dark, damp, and rocky, owing to their nature of being located directly under the earth.
Those descriptions aren’t necessarily wrong. Caves can get dark the deeper you venture into them. In fact, at a certain point, there’s no light at all! The light can’t reach due to the layout and how far the inside is from the opening that allows light inside.
But that’s not all there is to these caves. What they also have are animals that reside there, beautiful cave formations, and amazing bodies of water. That’s right, underground lakes and waterfalls aren’t things you only see in a video game.
They can also be a challenging and thrilling experience for the adventurers. Some caves are easy to traverse, perfect for beginners, but others require activities that require you to be physically fit, like climbing and diving.
This article is here to help those on the former end. If you want to get into spelunking, then make sure to read this article.
Research an easy cave to start with
No matter what kind of outdoor activity you’re doing, you always want to walk in with as much knowledge as possible, so you already know what to expect and what to do, even if you haven’t necessarily experienced it yet. This applies heavily for caving.
Make sure to find a cave that is easy to traverse for your first time. You want to get a feel for the activity first by dipping your toes into some well-known caves before actually jumping into the more difficult ones. Hire a guide if you must.
Just don’t go exploring in an unknown cave that you don’t even know anything about. This an activity you don’t want to go into unprepared, as the consequences can be very costly for you, and you may end up injured or even dead.
But if you do proper research and go in a cave that is well-known to be safe and perfect for a beginner, then you should be fine.
Wear a helmet.
Ideally, a caving helmet is what you want to have, but since it’s your first time, it doesn’t need to be that kind of helmet, especially if you simply want to get a feel for the experience first.
In fact, bicycle helmets will do. As long as it can provide ample protection to your head, it’s good enough.
Bring a flashlight.
For any deeper cave ventures, you will want to have a light source like a lamp, a flashlight, or even headlights to light your way. Ideally you will have more than one just in case your primary light source fails.
If you’re not completely sure about how serious you want to take it, then a regular flashlight is enough. You are unlikely going to be doing a lot of climbing as a beginner caver.
Rent or improvise your caving gear.
Caving gear can get expensive, so if you’re still unsure as to whether or not the sport is for you, don’t go all in and purchase a multitude of equipment that you may not even end up using if you suddenly feel like caving isn’t for you. It ends up being a waste of time and money for you, and it’ll take up space in your house too.
Instead, opt to improvise or rent caving gear. As mentioned above, if you don’t have a helmet specifically for caving, you can rent one or you can use a different helmet that you own. So long as your head isn’t protected, it doesn’t matter. Eventually, when you’re very much sure that you want to continue going caving, that is when you can start purchasing proper equipment for yourself.
Go with someone else.
This an important rule that every caver must follow. Yes, all of them. Not just the ones that don’t have enough experience.
This is because when it comes to caving, even the best person can make a mistake and find themselves in a tricky situation, such as being injured. Having someone else acts as a safety net, as they will be able to watch your back and call for help when needed. Of course, this extends in the opposite direction as well, if they need help, then you’ll be there to provide it.
No matter what, never try to go caving alone. There is not enough experience in the world that can prevent minor mistakes from happening, and when that happens, having someone else who is fully healthy and capable of helping is essential to ensure your rescue.
Conclusion
Caving can be a rewarding experience, but it’s not one that you can simply go about all happy-go-lucky. You need to be prepared and always make sure that you don’t go biting off more than you can chew, and this is especially so for people who are new to caving.
It is better to choose a cave that you’re sure you can traverse easily than one you’re unsure of which then happens to contain very uneven and dangerous ground.