Alan Cressler
We found the water tower, the last landmark in the driving directions, and drove back down the road until we found a local to get permission to park. Then, we geared up and I downed a bunch of bars because I was quite hungry. We crossed a barb wire fence and walked through tall grass hiding sharp, eroded limestone. We descended down the top of the ridge, crossed another fence, and followed a trail along the edge of the jungle above residential housing before cutting into the woods.
Alan got out the GPS and we thrashed through the thick jungle and ended up at the same spot we’d been before. The GPS point was definitely off. We scouted around for awhile. I found a small 3 x 3 hole but it probably didn’t’ go. Then we went back to an area where we’d saw spray paint and eventually found the cave.
What an entrance! Hidden behind a curtain of jungle loomed a massive 75’ W x 30’ H entrance. I knew that I had to take an entrance shot. I flailed around getting Alan’s tripod into position and set up 4 strobes. 1 Vivitar 285 mounted on the camera, another 285 further down the slope on the right, and 2 Vivitar 2800s midway down the breakdown slope above where I intended to place Alan. After a test shot, I readjusted the lower Vivitar 285 so it didn't white out the rock it was on. I also adjusted the framing. Then we took another 3 shots and I packed everything back into my dry boxes and descended the 40’ W slope into a gigantic room over 100’ wide and 70' tall.
Ahead, the room split into a large dome to the right. I followed Alan into the dome room and we took pictures of the many gastropod fossils in the wall. After that, we climbed back into the massive room. Looking up towards the entrance, I could see a parallel passage of similar size to the entrance passage sloping up and ending in breakdown high above me. We crossed the breakdown floored room and descended down the left split. We found ourselves in a large borehole passage around 40 – 50’ W and 20 – 30’ H. To the left the passage filters into an upward sloping 13’ diameter tube.
At the time, bats were everywhere flying in and out of the tube. I took a strobe up the tube so Alan could take a picture. Bats were blasting by me on all sides as I ascended the sludgy guano slope. After the picture, we headed down the large borehole passage which turned 90 degrees and enlarged. Alan helped me try to get some bat pictures. We continued down the borehole and encountered a large, tall, dome that was raining guano. We turned around I took some roach and amblypigid pictures in the large borehole. We hiked back up to the bat tube. The air became hotter and the smell of guano stronger as I ascended the guano slope. I started up the slope holding my breath but then quickly descended back down deciding that I didn't want to inhale that many bacterial spores. We then climbed back out of the cave and hiked directly back to the car. That night we stayed at Tom Miller’s house.
Cueva Tuna
This picture really doesn't depict how massive the entrance really is.
A gastropod serving as an identifier fossil for cretaceous limestone.
Cueva Tuna
A gastropod serving as an identifier fossil for cretaceous limestone.
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Cueva Tuna
Large borehole passage near the back of Cueva Tuna.
We were trying to get some bat pictures but these fruit bats really don't like flashes and disperse after the first flash is fired.
Cueva Tuna
This is a native Puerto Rican cock roach.
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Cueva Tuna
This is a cluster of native Puerto Rican cock roach.
Watch Out! He's ready to pounce. Grrr :)
Cueva Tuna
This Amblypigid knew just where to place himself for a good picture.
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Cueva Tuna
"The point is you are alive when they start to to eat you…"
"so ah try to show a little respect."
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