GRILL CAVE (trip 1 - Lost and feeling pretty stupid !) ...

Just a long anecdote that just get's better everytime I remember it !.

It was a long hot summer of park closures (no canyoning) and I had taken muself out to Kanangra for a couple of days of peace and quiet, but no canyoning. I had also subscribed to an SMS push notification (how advanced !!) of park closures, or more importantly, openings.

Lo and behold a message came through inthe morning that Bungonia was actually opened ! So, after a little thought and with nowhere else to go and no rush to get there... I had a late breakfast, packed up the camp, and set off to Bungonia, with Grill cave on my mind.

10+ year old memories were flooding back.
I used to go caving here with a group of friends just after high school, and I wondered what changes must have occured in that passage of time.

Duely, I arrived at the park mid afternoon, and ernestly set myself to 'wandering' and 'loitering' around, trying hard to remeber where particular caves were.
As usual, B5 made itself known early on, as did B4.
A couple of other holes in the ground looked familiar but were far beyond the scope of my intentions for today, and the lookout beckoned as well. It's always a grand view !

In the end, at risk of dampening a so far very enjoyable afternoon, I opted to go to the ranger hut with the ploy of seeing what the present day 'proceedure' was, in terms of going caving, and if all looked OK in that respect, then politley ask for directions to Grill.

In short, this plan led to a memorable exchange with the ranger, that is forever stored in mind.

The outside of the hut was as remembered, including the activity log to sign in/out on etc. (no park maps on display, but useful information regarding cave, canyon and trail issues!).

Inside I go and with girded loins, ring the bell on the counter.

The ranger appears and we exchange pleasant afternoon salutations. So far this is going well ;-) .

  • [me] Is the procedure for siging in and out still simply filling in the activity log outside ?
  • [her] Yes. [then warily].. How many in your party ?
  • [me] (mumble) One...
  • [her] ONE!!!! (short awkward silence)
  • [me] err. yes... just me ...
  • [her] what gear have you brought ?
  • [me] (thinking fast, canyoning and camping gear in car so...) helmet, headtorch, spare torch, candles, lighter etc ... !
  • [her] Well!.. You're well enough equiped... Have a good time !
    and with that bustled out of the room....

    I was far too embarrased now, to ask for a map or directions ...

    Knowing that Grill is in fact very close to the ranger station, I parked in the first carpark and more through good luck than good management, saw what was very likley the track leading back towards the cave entrance.

    Overflowing with optimism, I grabbed my helmet and my old and not so trusty petzl zoom and off I went. (Leaving everything else in the car)

    At last, Grill cave. Just as I remembered it !

    After my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noted for the first time, how dim my headtorch was, but I knew it would last a while, and I had no intention of staying long or going far. (Maybe Horizontal Ladder if I was feeling sporty).

    Somewhat cautiously, I made my way deeper. Carefully noting the way back.
    In seemingly no time at all, I was at horizontal ladder, and still keen to go further.

    At this point I decided to climb up a little, so as to get to the passage that leads "on" (now known as via Crystal Palace). At the time though, it just seemed to be an easy to remember passage.

    Getting to it was easy.
    A short climb up. A short slide down. Step across the only white reflecting stone in the whole area. Pass two small 'mites (I named them Nicky and Becky for future reff). and continued along the passage to a series of holes in the floor.

    Here I made a good decision. It's been nearly an hour of poking about. Time to turn back.

    Right then my Petzl Zoom flickered a little, and I was now acutley aware of how orange the light from it had become. (No problem! I have a spare battery... in the car...Ha Ha ! ).

    Loping back along the passage was easy enough and past the girls, back out into the chamber was easy. Cool! There's my white rock ! Step across and ...
    Oops! dead end!

    Ok... step back and try again ...
    Nope! It's still a dead end !!

    Trying down to the right ? (no more passages and dead ends..)

    Trying over and out to the left. Well, It's a nice chamber and oh hey ... there's a ladder going up ! (to a dead end)..

    Like a gold fish, that ladder had me amused three of four times with my slowly dwindling light.

    Back to my girls and my white rock to take stock of my situation. (last known recognisable position).
    Sitting down and feeling my anxious heart rate increase, my thoughts went along the lines of...

  • Sunday
  • make that, late Sunday afternoon
  • Pretty much no-one in the park due to all the closures and random openings.
  • My "party of ONE" is looking a bit foolish.

    I know I can simply sit here and wait it out. (I do presume the rangers check the log book and do a sweep for cars occasionally)..

    This is going to be embarrasing at an atomic level.... and all my friends will read about it !

    Then suddenly I remembered...
    I climbed DOWN a short section, before stepping across the white rock.

    With renewed purpose, I once agin stepped over the rock and approached the low confounding wall on the other side, climbed up the two moves to the top. And there was the way back to the horizontal ladder.

    Alright! I'm not going to make the news today !

    Back outside in the evening air, I decided next week, I'm doing this again. This time I'm bringing the girls with me to meet their namesakes. !