Caving in SE Asia: February 2008

26 February 2008

photos of the Perak tin dredge

walking onto the dredge

As far as I know there are only 3 dredges remaining in Malaysia *. Malaysia used to be one of the world's largest producers of tin. This dredge is at Chenderong, near Tanjong Tualang, in Perak. I've seen the dredge from the outside several times over the years, the first time the lake was as the miners left it, and the next time the embankments had been made around the dredge. In Feb 2008 the dredge opened to the public for tours, so I was able to get on the dredge.

I haven't written any detail about the methods of working, but you can see a bit more on dredging up the past.

I first visited this dredge in 1997.
For other photos of tin, see tin mining relics and also the tin dredge at Dengkil Selangor.

* It appears that one of the dredges in Selangor has gone (2010) so now there is 1 in Selangor (soon to be sold and exported) and the one in Perak.
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© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

24 February 2008

Akohi Cave, Seram, Maluku

Akohi Cave is at Tamilouw, on the southern coast of Seram Island in Maluku Province, Indonesia. The cave office is called Lucky House and the caretaker is Mr Jack. The cave has been newly developed for tourism, and we were the first group to use the generator, March 2007. I was the 9th foreign visitor that year.

checking the generator

generator house is to the right of the cave entrance

Sadly the cave development has been done very badly. The biggest problem is that the new concrete entrance really restricts the natural air flow through the cave and as a result many of the stalagmites and stalactites have dried out, and the bats have moved away. The cave is unbearably hot.

Also the lighting has been positioned badly, and the cables laid all over the place. Construction rubbish hasn't been removed. The guide thinks nothing of touching the stal formations, which normally is not encouraged in caves.