I have always been fascinated with caves. When I was a kid, my family visited some of the tourist caves in Virginia on road trips down to Florida. I remember how amazed I was at all the wonderful rock formations that could be found in those strange environments. I loved reading books and watching videos that had anything to do with the subterranean world.

      As I grew older, whenever I planned a trip, I did research to see if there were any caves in the area I could see. The first cave I visited as an adult was on my trip to Puerto Rico. This was the Rio Camuy Cave complex. This was vastly different from anything I had experienced before. The cave systems I had visited in the past weren’t evident from the surface. Other than signage and a visitor center, you would have no way of knowing there were caverns beneath your feet. The complex in Puerto Rico, however, had many different caves, some of which could actually be seen from above.

      I started with Cueva Clara. This large cave was somewhat similar to my previous experiences of show caves. I headed inside and walked amongst the stalactites and stalagmites, taking photos when possible. Then, it started to change. The path led to a jagged cave mouth entrance with sunlight beaming down onto lush green vegetation. Water was seeping out of the rock face below the open sky, and we were encouraged to take a drink of the fresh, naturally filtered water while enjoying the sounds of the jungle above. This portion of the cave was the Sumidero de Empalme.

Interesting rock formations in Cueva Clara. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

A view of the big room in Cueva Clara with various types of rock formations looking towards Sumidero de Empalme. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

The entrance of Sumidero de Empalme from Cueva Clara. You can see the other tourists in the far right for scale. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

Another cave entrance in the opposite wall of Sumidero de Empalme. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

These stalactites at the cave mouth into Sumidero de Empalme were oddly green. I'm not sure if this was from the reflection of the light off all the vegetation or if they were covered in actual molds, lichens, mosses, etc. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

Looking up at the opening to the Sumidero de Empalme from Cueva Clara. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

      I had never seen anything like it before. It was a sinkhole, something not common in New England. Many of the caves in the Rio Camuy complex were actually sinkholes. Later that day, as the tour continued, I was able to visit two more – Sumidero de Espiral and Sumidero Tres Pueblos. Espiral involved walking down a lot of steps at the base of a cliff. The vegetation was thick on either side of the path, but there was still open sky above. At the bottom of the stairs, we could peer into the depths of a small cave mouth filled with jagged rocks, but we could not enter.

The long elevated stairway through the jungle into the depths of Sumidero de Espiral. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

The thick vegetation along the stairway into Sumidero de Espiral with a couple of fellow tourists for scale. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

Approaching the end of the staircase at the bottom of Sumidero de Espiral and the first glimpse of the cave opening. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

Stalactites forming the jagged cave mouth in Sumidero de Espiral. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

      Tres Pueblos was different from either of the other two. There was a huge circular hole in the ground. We had a viewing platform in one location on the rim. You could look across and see other viewing platforms along the rim. This was the mouth of a huge sinkhole, seen from above. It was so large, the borders of the three towns met inside, thus each town had its own viewing platform. Looking down into the sinkhole, all I could see was vegetation. The Camuy River flowed through the vegetation below, but it was completely hidden from view.

Looking across the Sumidero Tres Pueblos at one of the other town's observation platforms. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

Looking down into Sumidero Tres Pueblos at what possibly was a cave mouth where the Rio Camuy flowed. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

The lush jungle vegetation filling the Sumidero Tres Pueblos. Rio Camuy Caves, Quebrada, Puerto Rico

      Puerto Rico’s caves were really an eye-opening experience. They might not have been the most beautiful or the most diverse in terms of rock formations. But, they were very educational, and it was a lot of fun to experience different types of caves. Plus, they were my first cave experience outside the US, so they’ll always hold a special place in my heart.

      My next caving experience was later that same year on my trip to Ireland. My brother and I were spending most of our time in the country based in the Galway area. When I found out about some caves in the area, I knew we had to make it part of our itinerary. We spent one day doing a ‘southern’ drive. On that day, we visited Dunguaire Castle, Aillwee Cave, Poulnabrone Dolman, and the Cliffs of Moher.

      Aillwee Cave was located in the Burren and was perched high on a mountainside above Galway Bay. It wasn’t very large but was a fun little tour of a cave system across the Atlantic. I don’t remember there being a large array of formations, but what was there was still interesting to see. The feature that stood out most to me was the waterfall. This was the first time I’d really seen flowing water within a cave. All the other caves were formed by flowing water, as well, but the only water I’d ever seen had been small still pools or that tiny seepage in Puerto Rico.

Looking across the landscape to Galway Bay from the entrance. Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, Ireland

One of the few interesting rock formations I saw inside the cave. Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, Ireland

This was a man-made tunnel inside the cave, but I really liked the alternating lights and shadows that made it appear to be a row of arches instead of simply a tunnel. Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, Ireland

A long exposure photograph of that small waterfall. Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, Ireland

      A couple of years later, I had a few more caving experiences. These were all very short and very different, as they were part of my studies in the UK for my Masters in Landscape Archaeology. The first cave we visited was Gough’s Cave in Cheddar Gorge. We only went into the entrance area to see where the remains of ‘Cheddar Man’, the oldest complete human skeleton from Britain, were found.

The entrance to the cave is found within the actual town. Gough's Cave, Cheddar, England, UK

The location of Cheddar Man inside the cave. You can see the red and white pole in the bottom left for scale and the skeleton in the top right. Gough's Cave, Cheddar, England, UK

      From there, we moved on to Aveline’s Hole at Burrington Combe, just outside Cheddar. This cave was the site of the largest Mesolithic cemetery in Britain. We were able to go inside, but only a few people at a time. It was very damp and slippery and dark. This wasn’t a show cave for the public but rather an archaeological site. Inside, the archaeologists showed us carvings on the wall, inscribed X’s or crosses dating from the Mesolithic period, in the time just after the Ice Age.

The entrance in the rock face is nearly hidden by the green trees. Aveline's Hole, Burrington Combe, England, UK

Some of my classmates and archaeologists heading to the entrance. Aveline's Hole, Burrington Combe, England, UK

Peering down into the depths of the cave, you can just make out a few of my classmates at the bottom. Aveline's Hole, Burrington Combe, England, UK

Looking back up towards the entrance after the short but steep climb down. Aveline's Hole, Burrington Combe, England, UK

The Mesolithic carvings found on the wall, partially visible in the light of the flash. Aveline's Hole, Burrington Combe, England, UK

You can see the shapes better here without the glare from the flash, though the photo itself is blurry from the slow shutter speed. Aveline's Hole, Burrington Combe, England, UK

      Our final stop of the day was Totty Pot Cave, also just outside Cheddar. We did not enter this cave, as the only access was via a vertical drop through a hole in the ground. This small cave was also an archaeological site, not a show cave, and was discovered to be the burial place of an individual from the Mesolithic period.

A view of the area. Totty Pot Cave, Cheddar Gorge, England, UK

My classmates looking down at the entrance. The edge is just visible as the curving line between the two people closest to the camera. Totty Pot Cave, Cheddar Gorge, England, UK

One of my classmates getting a closer look at the actual entrance. Totty Pot Cave, Cheddar Gorge, England, UK

This small hole is the vertical drop that forms the entrance to the cave. Totty Pot Cave, Cheddar Gorge, England, UK

One of the archaeologists showing some of my classmates another feature of the area. Totty Pot Cave, Cheddar Gorge, England, UK

      The following spring, while still in the UK working on my Masters, I visited another cave, this time on my own as a tourist. I was living in Bristol and spent a day exploring the area around Avon Gorge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge. On the side of the gorge, partway down the cliff face was a viewing platform. This was the old entrance to the Giant’s Cave. When the tunnel was constructed down from the Clifton Observatory to reach the cave, they built the platform as well.

You can just see the yellow viewing platform in the middle left of the frame sticking out of the rock face of Avon Gorge with the Clifton Observatory up and to the right. Giant's Cave, Bristol, England, UK

      The tunnel was very small and narrow, and the stairs quite steep. I was very thankful to be the only visitor, as I’m not sure what happens when folks are going in opposite directions. The cave itself was small, at least what I was able to see. There were no formations really to speak of. It was a natural cave but had been used as a chapel or holy site during the Romano-British period, in the first few centuries AD.

The steep narrow stairs through the tunnel down from the observatory into the cave. Giant's Cave, Bristol, England, UK

A look into the cave from the edge of the old viewing platform. Giant's Cave, Bristol, England, UK

      A few years later, I was able to visit a famous show cave on a trip to New Mexico – Carlsbad Caverns. It was the first time since I was a kid that I was able to visit show caves in the US. They were massive and absolutely stunning! I had my film camera but had also borrowed my brother’s digital camera to test it out. I was thinking of getting a new one that was pocketable to take on trips as a backup and also for self-portraits so family and friends could see me in these far flung locations.

      I was able to do the cavern tour and was shown the King’s Palace, the Papoose Room, the Queen’s Chamber, and the Green Lake Room. After the tour was over, I was able to spend some additional time on my own in the Big Room. The whole experience was fantastic, and I took lots of photos.

I believe this was called Cave Popcorn, little formations that have covered almost all of the rock surfaces in this part of the cave. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

Some beautiful stalactites and a few columns inside this area were very appealing. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

Several different rock formations, some lit by the lights, others completely in shadow. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

A look at one of the big rooms and the several large stalagmites scattered about. This was one of my film photos, and as you can see the film did not do as good a job at capturing the dynamic range of the different light sources and was also not the right temperature balance for the type of lighting. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

Lots of little stalactites making for an extremely jagged ceiling. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

More stalactites with a stalagmite and a couple of columns thrown in. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

A combination of cave popcorn and stalactites in this area. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

This large stalagmite reminds me of someone wearing a blanket wrapped around themselves to keep warm while looking out at all the stalactites. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

Another few large stalagmites that have nearly grown to become columns. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

      The following year, on my trip through the Panama Canal, I was able to visit Ik-kil Cenote on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This was a sinkhole, similar to what I’d seen in Puerto Rico. Mexico is famous for its cenotes. Many had been used by ancient peoples for different purposes – burial, sacrifice, the gateway to the underworld, etc. Today, many are used as swimming and diving spots, as the bottoms are full of crystal clear deep water. This particular cenote was located in a resort and was used for swimming. We hadn’t known this would be a stop on our tour to Chitchen Itza, so I didn’t do any swimming. But, I did content myself with taking photos of other tourists jumping in.

Looking down into the swimming hole that was this cenote. Ik-kil Cenote, Xcalacoop, Mexico

Unlike the Sumideros in Puerto Rico, this cenote didn't have much vegetation down inside it, but i don't know if that was normal or if it had all been removed when the walkways and stairs were being built. Ik-kil Cenote, Xcalacoop, Mexico

This was quite the popular swimming spot with folks lining up to jump off the ledge into the deep waters. Ik-kil Cenote, Xcalacoop, Mexico

      The next winter, I was driving back to Maine with my boyfriend. He had never been caving before, so I made it a point to stop in Virginia on the way. We went to the Endless Caverns first, as they had been my favorite when I was little. Unfortunately, they were closed for the season. We pressed on and soon arrived at Shenandoah Caverns. Luckily, they were open, and we were able to book a tour.

      The caves were amazingly beautiful, filled with fantastic formations. They had some wonderful examples of cave bacon, my all-time favorite formation. Many of the formations were covered in a rough surface that glittered and sparkled in the lights, adding a magical quality to everything. I was really happy that Bobby’s first caving experience was such a spectacular one. We both enjoyed ourselves immensely.

One of the first interesting areas, high vaulted ceiling with a narrow path dwarfed by large columns and lots of sharp stalactites hanging above. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

Cascading rock falls with thin stalactites dripping from each tier. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

This was just an interesting shot looking up at the chaos of all the different formations. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

Lots of little stalactites and some interesting cave bacon in the mix. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

One of the large formations lit in some interesting colors that helped highlight the natural glitteriness of the rocks. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

More of the interesting rock formations we saw along our tour. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

A pretty large stalagmite next to some interesting rock shapes. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

More lacy rock falls shimmering in the lights. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

Even more of the rock cascades, such a large grouping that it resembled melting ice cream cones. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

An amazing example of cave bacon beautifully backlit. Shenandoah Caverns, Quicksburg, Virginia, USA

      As of writing this, my last cave visit was to the Polar Caves in Rumney, NH with my dad. Unlike all the limestone caves I’d visited so far, these were granite caves. Limestone caves are formed by water and acid eating away at the soft sedimentary layers of the limestone. In contrast, these caves and passages along the base of Hawk’s Cliff were created when the glaciers of the Ice Age left giant granite blocks behind as they melted and retreated north.

Looking up at the seemingly impenetrable granite rock face that is Hawk's Cliff. Polar Caves, Rumney, New Hampshire, USA

      So, this wasn’t your typical caving experience. Most of the time, you were scrambling under and over boulders, squeezing between tight spaces, hoping you wouldn’t get stuck or too scared to continue, as there were lots of people right behind you. There were no beautiful rock formations as seen in show caves – stalactites, stalagmites, columns, cave bacon, etc. There were no real photo opportunities either, and I was simply hoping my camera wouldn’t get banged up in the bag. In some ways, this was probably more similar to cave exploration, a ‘true’ caving experience than any other I’d had.

Some of the serpentine pathways leading up to, around, and into the various caves. You can see the massive size of the rock overhanging this particular entrance. Polar Caves, Rumney, New Hampshire, USA

Another stairwell amongst the surprisingly lush vegetation amongst the giant boulders left by the glaciers. Polar Caves, Rumney, New Hampshire, USA

My dad sitting near the entrance to one of the caves along the route. Polar Caves, Rumney, New Hampshire, USA

      As you’ll have seen from the photos sprinkled throughout, cave photography was not something I was any good at. It is a sub-genre all on its own, very complex and very difficult. It’s not something I’ll ever specialize in, so I don’t expect to really excel at it. Still, part of me is disappointed in the quality of images I have from the majority of my caving experiences. However, I do recognize that I couldn’t have done better at that time in my life. One, I had no tripod, if I even would have been allowed to use it. Two, I had no flash. Caves are dark, even with the added artificial lights along the paths and highlighting the features. Shooting on 100 or 200 speed film would have meant needing a very long exposure for enough light to even make an image. Without a tripod, even propped on the floor or a banister, the resulting photos would have come out blurry, no matter what. I just didn’t have the resources or equipment to get fantastic images. And, honestly, that’s ok. I still have the memories, the love of the experience, the blurry photos to remind me of it all and to teach me how to do better in the future.

      As I mentioned, I haven’t been able to visit any other caves since that final one with my dad. However, I’m sure it won’t be my last. I’ll always look for the opportunity to visit caves in the future. And, I’ll always try to capture the experience with my camera, if possible. As technology progresses, I believe that will become easier to do, and I look forward to those images. Even more importantly, however, I look forward to those experiences.

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Click here to see some higher quality cave photos.