Peter Swart, December 2001
| Boomslang cave is a relatively easy, safe cave that offers a good introduction to caving. Although there are two entrances to the cave, the one that faces Fish Hoek valley is traditionally known as the entrance, and the one that faces Echo Valley is known as the exit. Next to the entrance to Boomslang, is another low entrance to White Dome Grotto. While the exhausted members of your group rest outside, and prepare for the trip through Boomslang, the ones who still have some energy left can crawl around in White Dome Grotto, and explore the sandy passages a the back of the cave. This will give you a good idea of just how dark a cave can be, without having to venture deep inside a cave. White Dome Grotto and Boomslang Cave are actually different parts of the same cave. The passage that links the two caves is very narrow, so its best to go around the outside to get from one cave to the other. |
 Spider in the entrance of Boomslang Cave. |
The graffiti on the rocks around the entrance to the two caves is an example of just how destructive and discourteous some people can be. The entrance to Boomslang Cave is at the back of a high narrow crack in the cliff. A short scramble up the damp, mossy boulders in the crack will bring you to proper entrance to the cave. Duck under the boulder, and drop into the twilight zone of the cave. Sit here for a few minutes to let your eye get accustomed to the gloom. Turn around and look back towards the entrance, and you may see where a spider placed her web in breeze, ready to catch any passing insects. |
|
During winter, the next part of the cave fills with about 30cm of water, and you have to tread very carefully across the stepping-stones in order to get to the other side without getting your feet wet. A short scramble up a boulder slope will take you into the cathedral-like main passage of the cave. This part of the cave has a rock formation known as The Pulpit. During late summer, and for most of winter, a colony of Schreiber’s Long fingered bats uses this area of the cave as it roost. While the bats are in cave, it is their home, and you should not really be in the cave at all. Disturbing the bats while they rest during the day is extremely detrimental to their health, and may even kill them. If you do come across bats, do not shine your torch on them, or make a loud noise. Just move through the passage quickly and quietly, and on to the next part of the cave. |
|
|
Bat Chamber near the exit of the cave. |
Just past the Pulpit the passage narrows and the ceiling drops from the lofty cathedral like heights. In places, the walls of this part of the cave are covered in a bright yellow lichen, that captures water droplets, and glistens in your torch light. Pass the S bends, turn right, and you enter a low, round chamber known as Bat Chamber. If you are lucky, you may see one or two Cape Horseshoe bats here, but due to all the human visitors, the bats roost here less and less. Spend some time here exploring all of the low sandy crawls around the back of the chamber. This will get you ready for the next part of the trip, the crawl to the outside. |
|
On the left of the place where you came into the cave, is a passage that leads to the outside. As you start the last part of your journey through to the other side of the mountain, you will notice that the low ceiling soon forces you to crawl, but before long you should be able to see light coming in from the exit of the cave. If you have not yet had enough of crawling, instead of turning right towards the light, turn left and explore the low, sandy passage of Wessel’s Grotto. If you have had enough, crawl out into the open air, and congratulate yourself on going right through the mountain ridge. |
Bat Chamber near the exit of Boomslang cave. Note the yellow lichen on the walls. |
