Caving in Anak Tempurung (Sunday 14 March)
Caving coordinator Chang Kok Kai led a group of
42 to Anak Tempurung. Three Penang MNS members and veteran Selangor
MNS Caver Liz Price were our guests. Six non-members came to join in the
fun. The Perak MNS cave group last visited this cave in March 1997.
This less known ‘Son of Tempurung’ is literally
situated in the shadow of its ‘mother’, Gua Tempurung. Entry is via a rivulet
running through a low passage, initially requiring a bit of a waddling
and stooping. Except for a short stretch where crawling is required progress
is quite pleasant. The water sloshing at your feet, the darkness and the
featureless walls of the passage give a deja vu feeling — like walking
through the Six-Mile Tunnel! Only this time the passage has lots more twists
and turns. After about 200 metres a shower marks the end of this passage,
with an opening a short distance further on.
After a short break, the group bid farewell to the
rivulet and started to climb up a dry passage about 80 metres long. The
steep climb ends in a narrow opening overlooking the North-South Highway.
We were about 20 metres above the base of the hill. A short walk on a narrow
ledge leads to another cave opening about 4 metres above the ledge.
The cave entrance is accessible by scaling a vertical
rock face to reach a small chamber below it and then by pulling yourself
up through a hole in the floor. Just to make life more difficult, there
is a limestone saddle right across the passage just before the small chamber.
To cross this obstacle, you have to swing your legs astride as though you
are going to "ride a horse" to quote Chang Kok Kai, who waited patiently
in the small chamber to guide us up.
The hole in the floor of the cave entrance has the
size and shape of a toilet seat. Michael Liew and Ong Boo Kuan who went
up earlier had a busy time playing ‘midwife’ to subsequent cavers coming
through. About half the group decided not to make this difficult climb.
They thought it would be safer to sit on the ledge and enjoy the scenery
as well as to watch the contortions and exertions of those who went
on.
For these few brave ones there were some interesting
formations to be seen in the upper cave. After a couple of S-bends and
a climb up a slippery ramp, the passage opens up to a chamber about 20
metres in diameter with a 4 metre-high roof. Light from a small skylight
illuminates the chamber, which is home to about a hundred bats. A three
metre-high flowstone in the shape of a jellyfish is a distinct monument
on one of the walls. The dim light has allowed the growth of some algae,
giving it a greenish hue. Several pure white flowstones can be seen in
the darker recesses of this chamber.
As we retreated we explored another side chamber,
about 6 metres in diameter. On one end of the floor, there is a formation
that looks like the two famous peaks of Mount Kinabalu – the South Peak
and Low's Peak. Walking across them gives you the sensation of flying over
Mount Kinabalu. On the roof at the other end of this chamber are numerous
limestone curtains that look more like guil-lotines. In the centre of the
chamber is a mire of soft white mud. One caver sank to his knees in it!
The group made their way home by descending the
steep slope from the ledge to the base of the hill instead of backtracking
through the lower cave again. A few of us journeyed on to Phillip's country
home several kilometres away. In his chalet-like house, which has five
dogs, a cat and an orphaned monkey, we found a crate of ice cold beer waiting
for us – fitting reward for a challenging hike! Thanks a lot to Phillip
Leong and Lee Su Win for their kind hospitality! (Dr. Chan Ah Lak)
Back to 1999 May Newsletter index
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Created on 26th April 1999.