Sump in Big Bat Cave Kentucky |
Sump in Big Bat Cave Kentucky |
Sump in Big Bat Cave Kentucky |
Sump in Big Bat Cave Kentucky |
The room is a small rutunda room that I have seen in sump passages before which is interesting.
The water level the cave was reported to be near normal.
The sump itself was a static pond with an estimated measurement of 20 x 30 x 10 ft in height decreasing to 0 feet within the length of the pond. There was foam bubbles covering the surface water and the water visibility was around 3-5ft. The depth was unknown for most of the pond except for a few estimates that I will mention shortly.
There was a flowing river that went into the sump that eddies right down river. I felt around the eddie pool and found no going submersed passage. I also found a small dugout " sea cavern" like feature that looked like a continuation of the River eddie pool water action with no going passage. This appears to be a overflow dugout where higher water levels act and slot erode this feature.
Left down river, I did not find any features with a foot push or a mud silt flow check. There was surface organic matter floating in this corner.
Back center is where I suspect that the submerged passage will be found. There was a structurally solid limestone ledge with a sharp lip and a drop off in this section. Walter and I took turns dipping into the water and I was able to hit the bottom which is estimated to be at a depth of 10ft. I stuck my feet under the ledge for a bit while we traversed the ledge and it appeared to go beyond my reach. The actual passage may even trend a little left from sump back center but I can not confirm that. After dipping into the water it appeared to stir up the bottom decreasing the viz so it appears that the bottom is silty.
Sump in Big Bat Cave Kentucky |
Back center is where I suspect that the submerged passage will be found. There was a structurally solid limestone ledge with a sharp lip and a drop off in this section. Walter and I took turns dipping into the water and I was able to hit the bottom which is estimated to be at a depth of 10ft. I stuck my feet under the ledge for a bit while we traversed the ledge and it appeared to go beyond my reach. The actual passage may even trend a little left from sump back center but I can not confirm that. After dipping into the water it appeared to stir up the bottom decreasing the viz so it appears that the bottom is silty.
My conclusion is that this submerged passage might be quite small due to the static pool of water and foam bubbles on the surface. Although there was no organic material or garbage floating in the pond, indeed the water is losing into a unknown passage. There was no indication of a whirl pool other than the eddie pools to the left and right.
Sump in Big Bat Cave Kentucky |
In my opinion, I feel that a recon visit to Chris's cave is a necessary trip to not only only mark the sump that will confirm a dive connection if one is attempted on either side, but will also give us the option to choose a more feasible dive plan which will include the traverse with the dive gear in the dry/semi dry passages leading to the sump. Furthermore, Chris's cave must be the receiving end of big bat and will be a resurgence which can add a margin of safety to the divers.
I also have had a thought that the water in the pond of big bat cave may just percolate through the bottom and contact with impermeable rock where it starts traveling to Chris's cave without a passage big enough for human travel. I want to thank John Sies for laking us through the cave and giving us some great insight into Big Bat Cave. John is very experienced with this cave and with his help we were able to develop a plan to look into this dive a bit further. The next bit will be to visit Chris's cave to see what the connection sump looks like from that end....to be continued.