A cave is an aggressive environment in which it is very difficult for a person to exist. In caves, it is most often cold, damp (for example, in the cavities of high-mountain karst, the temperature is 2-4 ° C and one hundred per cent relative humidity) and completely dark. Moreover, we go mainly to vertical caves, where there are various vertical sections (so-called wells and ledges) that need to be overcome (i.e. going down and up). This puts additional demands on the equipment and training of the speleologist.
Speleology is a very serious sport, so it requires multifaceted training from a person: technical, physical, theoretical, and psychological. Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary risk, it is better to start training in a club under the guidance of experienced instructors.
How to dress in a cave?
As noted above, the caves are dark, cold and damp. All this puts forward very stringent requirements for the clothing used by speleologists:
– it (clothing) must provide warmth; – it must wick sweat away from the body well; – it must dry quickly; – it must be durable enough.
That. Speleologists wear the so-called on naked bodies. Isothermal (a suit made of fabric that meets the above requirements), and on top – a special overall for protection from moisture, clay and sharp rocks.
Wear quick-drying socks and rubber boots on your feet. On your hands – special work gloves with a plastic coating. On the head is a helmet with two independent light sources.
How to overcome vertical sections?
Today, the most common technique for penetrating vertical caves is SRT (Single Rope technique). In order to better understand what this is, a brief excursion into history is necessary. At first, ladders were used to overcome vertical sections.
Flaws:
– large weight and volume of equipment, – low speed (especially during descent), – difficult to transport cargo.
Lifting using TVT
To reduce the time required to complete vertical sections, it was decided to use a nylon rope and cable, and TVT (cable-rope technique) arose. During the descent, a person, protecting himself from the cable, moved along the rope; he climbed the cable, belaying himself on the rope, since the cable, unlike the rope, practically does not stretch.
The main disadvantage is the heavy weight of the equipment. With the advent of static ropes, which combine the properties of both rope and cable, a real revolution occurred in the technique of penetrating vertical cavities – SRT arose. This technique involves eliminating the friction of the rope on the rock and removing the hitch from under the water by organizing intermediate points for attaching the rope to the well. Therefore, you don’t have to use the second fulcrum (belay).
Main advantages:
– the weight of the equipment is reduced (almost half as much rope is required), – the wear of the rope is reduced, – the minimum number of participants in the assault is reduced, – it becomes possible for several speleologists to work on one well, – the speed of passing the cave increases significantly, – the safety of passing the cave increases.
A hitch made using SRT contains many technical elements (straps, guy ropes, protectors, railings, trolleys, etc.) and requires the use of special equipment. To work correctly (and therefore safely) with these elements, you need a high level of technical and theoretical training, which you can acquire in our caving school.
What equipment is needed to descend into a cave? First of all, this is a set of personal hardware, as well as various public equipment necessary for passing vertical sections in caves. A more detailed list can be found in the lecture on equipment, and you can learn how to use it correctly in our caving school.
How to dive through siphons?
Any speleologist, when descending into a cave, sooner or later comes across a passage completely flooded with water – a siphon. For those whose desire to move on has not yet dried up, the most interesting and difficult part begins – underwater speleology (cave diving). Underground diving is very different from regular sport scuba diving. They (dives) require high technical, physical and psychological preparation from the cave diver. For successful diving in a cave at great depths, it is also necessary to have a strong support team that will help drag bulky underwater equipment to the siphon and carry it back.
