Caving in SE Asia: Merapoh 2012 Nov, Pt 3, Gua Panjang etc

6 November 2012

Merapoh 2012 Nov, Pt 3, Gua Panjang etc

Day 3, we found an excellent cave in the morning, Gua Tahi Bintang at Gua/Bukit Panjang.

The day started well as we stopped to ask a couple collecting rubber and they pointed at the hill directly where we were standing. And when I saw the registration plate of the man's bike, I knew
it was a good omen.

The cave is very interesting geologically. Layered rocks at the entrance -

The first large chamber had a slope of 'diamonds'. The predominant colour was red.

There were some nice stals. The walls were an amazing mix of coloured layers.

We went down to the next chamber, the floor was slippery mud and we were all slipping and sliding. Habli took these 2 photos -

This passage ended in a muddy lake.
The meteor shower -

Fungus

Is this a snake track? -

This ceiling is so red

Sticky silk threads of fungus gnat larvae -

Cave fauna - bats, whip spider, cricket

At the side of one passage was a porcupine toilet. They are neat, using the same place as their toilet -

As we were looking at it, one porcupine ran past. It is Brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus macrourus).

Further along we realised its mate was hiding -

Outside is a short separate part of the cave.

There were long insect (wasp?) nests attached to stalactites and straws, the brown colour -

Porcupine foot prints -

After lunch we climbed a steep hill but found no cave, only a large 'amphitheatre'.

The others climbed another hill but found nothing.

We then went to a small hill just south of Jinjang Pelamin. There were several passages short cutting through the corners of the hill and one that went through, Gua Lorong Pusing. This was only the second cave we'd seen with graffiti.