Blink

Squeeze!

I received word Friday that a cave, sealed for a while, after an accident that left one explorer dead, was open. Plans were drawn together to pay a visit as soon as possible.

When we arrived it had just finished snowing. We set out to hunt for the cave's entrance with only an approximate coordinate to give the location. It turned out the be just under 200 ft where we had expected to find it. Outside the opening a small marker stood bearing the inscription:
"J. Redmond
Aug.3"

The interior of the cave was considerably warmer than outside and we shed our coats. As we moved through the passageways and rappelled down shafts, we eventually found ourselves in the lowest reaches of the cave. Here there was standing water in a small pool. Through the murky water a tunnel streching further was just visible. This is where one explorer died in an attempt to reach dry land on the other side of the flooded tunnel.

Rocky shelf-like outcroppings stuck out here from which dangled a profusion of snow-white mold. As we passed by, stirring up air currents, the mold seemed to dance and quiver in the humid air, like some alien life form; it lent a sense of un-earthliness to our adventure.

Don't leave without me!

Mold grew prolifically in the lowest sump chamber.

J. Redmond's marker.

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-2016-
bayou goula towhead

-2015-
the sea test

-2014-
the circumnavigator pt5
the circumnavigator pt4
the circumnavigator pt3
the circumnavigator pt2
the circumnavigator pt1
falling dream
the darkness
one hell of a mile 3&4
he will return
the believers
the horror pt2
the horror pt1
traces
death valley
whiteout

-2013-
paradise of outlaws
the mountain climbers 1&2
brought to surface
one hell of a mile 3
primordial
the lost world
inner gorge
a ghost story
the riddle
slaying the minotaur
heart of darkness
bayou
public lands
organ music
two sought adventure
the virgin river
the road north
preparations

-2012-
steal the world
the end of the world
el dorado
the valley of the kings 2
the valley of the kings 1
one hell of a mile 2
one hell of a mile 1
the mountain climbers rr4
heroes rr3
rainy roadtrip 2
rainy roadtrip 1
the transgression
sandstorm
sinister 2
sinister 1
dehydrated
anatomy
sleepwalking
new chapter

-2011-
like sedona?
torn in two
blink
bridge to nowhere
the door
hitting the wall
elusive 2
elusive 1
harquahala
hole
pick up lines

-2010-
revisited 2
revisited 1
which way?
lost mines
chute
monolith
freeze
slice
in their footsteps
a dance with death

-2009-
goodbyes
undercurrents
casting the bones
mountain thief
the deer hunter
strange temple
sanctuary
burial pt. 3
burial pt. 2
burial pt. 1
the apparition
return to hell
forsaken
the lower depths
underground lake
stretch sewer
the hidden lab
shadow movements
meager rations
sw8: the conclusion
sw7: lost gold mines
sw6: the big tubes
sw5: gold!
sw4: el calderon
sw3: redondo
sw2: ghosts
sw1: westward bound
leviathan
formaldehyde dreams
the underdark
in the beginning