Caving
Note: You MUST be a fully paid club member to participate in any abseil activities which appear on the club program.
We recommend that each caver have the following equipment available when caving. Check with the activity leader for more precise details of what to take in the particular cave you will be doing.
Clothing to wear
Gear to take
All caves
Cave Hazards
It is difficult to transport an injured person out of a cave. It is therefore important that each caver is aware of potential hazards and takes appropriate action to minimise potential risks.
Some hazards to be aware of are:
Note: You MUST be a fully paid club member to participate in any abseil activities which appear on the club program.
We recommend that each caver have the following equipment available when caving. Check with the activity leader for more precise details of what to take in the particular cave you will be doing.
Clothing to wear
- Overalls, with shorts & T-shirt underneath
- Footwear with flexible soles & good grip
- Thermal or woollen socks
- Short sleeved or light thermal top (optional)
Gear to take
All caves
- Helmet
- Caving light, e.g. Petzl or similar
- Secondary light source, e.g. small torch
- Asthmatics must take their puffer
- Cigarette lighter or matches (to test for bad air)
- Pack
- Space blanket & simple first aid kit
- Water
- Snacks & lunch (ask the activity leader what's needed)
- "P" bottle (wide-necked and very, very water tight!)
- Tape for hand-lines and etriers
- Appropriate gear from the above lists, plus…..
- Harness and attached descending device
- Gloves
- Prussik loops (& mechanical ascenders if you have them)
- Spare carabiners
- Party to carry appropriate mix of ropes and tapes (also pulleys and spare equipment at the activity leader's discretion in case of emergencies).
Cave Hazards
It is difficult to transport an injured person out of a cave. It is therefore important that each caver is aware of potential hazards and takes appropriate action to minimise potential risks.
Some hazards to be aware of are:
- You need to be fit and have some climbing skills or ability, as most caves involve a lot of free (unbelayed) climbing.
- Caving can involve wriggling through squeezes and small openings, many of which have sharp rocks or pebbles. You may end up quite sore and bruised.
- Caves are very dusty, and there is a slight possibility of becoming ill after ingesting or inhaling dirt in caves, particularly if it contains bat guano.
- Foul air (>5% CO2 or < 18% O2) is found in some caves. Foul air causes difficulty breathing, and damaging effects ranging from headaches through to loss of consciousness, and in extreme cases death. For this reason we test for foul air frequently in caves where it is likely to be present, eg. those at Bungonia.