Lobatse
The Drought is over!
Wednesday February 8th, we were on our way to the Lobatse estates to see some caves. We got a late start though after deciding to get a trailer to help fit all our gear and trying to load everything in between the thunder showers.botswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavinglobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Mother Lode Grotto members go off to visit the caves of Lobatse Estates.
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The roads were a little wet
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Camp- our home for the week. Just below Lobatse cave 1.
It was nearly closing time for the estate when we arrived at the gate but they were expecting us so we had no problem at the gate. Getting to the estate office proved to be a challenge though as there was a newly flooded river across the road. My parent’s car would never make it across but their landrover with Bill at the wheel had no problem crossing. A couple of trips saw us all across the river and checking in at the office. We were shown the location of Lobatse cave #1 which was about 4 kilometers from the office on a dirt track. After agreeing to meet my parents back across the river on Sunday morning we headed out to the area near the cave. As it was getting dark rapidly we all set about setting up tents and no sooner had we finished then it began to rain again. We ate huddled in a large tent, and then went to bed. It proceeded to storm throughout most of the night with booming thunder waking us occasionally. The storm was amazing and I could not have imagined camping in a more spectacular storm. The flash and the boom were separated by less than a second, and it seemed to go on all night. Several times I wondered if the lightning had actually hit one of our tents it seemed so close. This continued till after 4 in the morning making for very little rest for any of us.botswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavinglobatsecavemappingexplorationcampoffroad4x4speleological
Brightly colored grasshopper
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Brightly colored grasshopper, Lobatse, Botswana.
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The entrance to Lobatse cave 1.
In spite of little sleep the excitement of seeing a new cave got me up early and as soon as we’d had some breakfast Doug and I rigged the drop into Lobatse cave #1, we were all very glad the rain had stopped. It was during all this that Doug announced the trip report should be entitled ‘the drought is over’ to which we all heartily agreed. Karole rigged up first to climb down into the cave and as she began her descent a beautiful white owl, identified by Bill from Peri’s bird book as probably a barn owl flew out of the entrance. Bill, Ric and I followed her down. I was amazed to see the root structure of the fig trees at the entrance formed a column that extended all the way down the entrance shaft and into the talus cone at the bottom. The drop was approximately 18.5 meters.botswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavinglobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Tom enters the cave (note the fig tree roots)
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Jaw bone in debris pile at base of entrance.
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Botswana big eared bats!
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Fencing material?
We found out later back at the Museum that the fence had originally been put in the cave by South African freedom fighters hiding in the cave during apartheid.botswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavinglobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Tom before the squeeze.
shortly after this Karole, Ric, and Bill had pushed a crawlway (through gooey guano) where they found bad air.botswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavinglobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Another shot of the fence.
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Horseshoe nosed ? bat and Botswana big eared bat.
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Here I am in Lobatse cave #1
-Photo by Tom Inderkumbotswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavinglobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Ric examines an overhang- Mind the bats!
-Photo by Tom Inderkumslide botswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavingcaving lobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Group photo in Lobatse cave #1
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Group photo in Lobatse cave #1
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Group photo in Lobatse cave #1
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Karole Poses on the fig tree roots.
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Rock shelter with water filled sump/pool.
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There was a road here somewhere! Bill driving through tall grass at Lobatse, Botswana
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Even the landrover couldn't make it to Lobatse cave 2
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Small cave on hill top with nearby baboons.
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Ridge walking while searching for Lobatse cave #2, Botswana.
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Small cave on hill top
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Karole with a 'tree aloe' -Aloe marlothii(not a palm tree :) )
-photo by Tom Inderkumbotswanaafricaundergroundjohn hargreavescavingtreealoelobatsecavemappingexplorationspeleological
Sun set while we watch the bats exit Lobatse cave 1
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