Day 4: Part 2, Caving

Next on our day's agenda was going to the Venado Caves about 45 minutes outside of town. They were formed 15-25 million years ago, and there is a large unprotected section of the caves in which we were allowed to touch the limestone, stalactites, stalagmites, and corals. Not only was the caving experience different than the typical due to being allowed to touch things, but we also got a truly intense experience.

One challenging route option I had to crawl through a tunnel so tiny that I wasn't sure if my hips were going to fit (and they barely did). Other areas we bent down in about 3.5 foot areas that were filled with water up to our knees. Others, we crawled up and down actual waterfalls (there was river running through the cave, so we were in the water the entire time, some areas deeper than others). My mom had a panic attack going through one narrow tunnel and started to have problems breathing, but luckily we were only about 5 minutes from an emergency exit and so we got her out. She decided to head back up and wait for us at the bar at the entrance (where we later found her drinking a beer, lol!).

Our guide and I continued back into the caves for the final and most challenging portion of the tour. I think he brought me through a more challenging than the normal tourist route version, due to my bravery. he now mentioned that "if anything happens, follow the flow of the water to the exit." This was slightly unnerving, considering he was serious. We were the only two down there, and if anything were to happen I was his only chance at getting out.  Just the two of us and our two headlamps (one of mine which had already blown out once earlier in the tour). Yikes!!!!!!!!

One entertaining portion included him sending me first down a very small tunnel that I had to crawl on my knees to fit in, and I couldn't turn around because it was too narrow. At the fork, he told me to turn left. I got about halfway down the 15 foot tunnel to realize that he had not followed behind me. Getting a bit nervous in this very enclosed and dark space, I reached the fork and turned left. As my light hit the depthless water in front of me, suddenly something burst from the water about 4 feet in front of me. Thankfully not easily scared, I quickly realized it was my guide playing a mean joke on me and sending his hand out of the water to try to frighten me. I got a good laugh, and splashed him (totally pointless) with water and we continued on.

I asked him about earth quakes, imagining tumbling rocks closing our passageways (anyone ever watched the movie, The Descent? Yeah.....), and he said they happen frequently in Costa Rica, especially near the volcano. Oh, and I got to hold a Scorpion Spider that was as big as my hand! In the picture I'm holding it's antenna, and it's mouthy pincher things as far away as possible....Apparently it doesn't bite.... I hope.

We went throughs some pretty deep water and some pretty narrow tunnels, and clambered up some more waterfall areas in tight spaces until we reached the end, where there were two vent holes we visited. Seeing that rain was pouring through the vent holes, we decided we should probably start heading back. Considering the caves were part of an underground river system, there is always concern about the water level rising, and we had gone through some tunnels that dipped down and could potentially fill with water pretty quickly. We passed back through without problems, although the water had started to rise.

My mom (at the bar) was talking with the head people while we were down there. With the increasing torrential downpour, they were beginning to get concerned about us being in the caves. Apparently, one time they were down there and the water levels rose to the point they had to swim in the then turned underwater tunnels in order to get out of the caves. Scary! They were about to come search for us when we reappeared. They are now very careful about having tours during the rain, understandably. But, the rain can set on at any moment without notice.