I wanted to report my cave trip from this last Saturday. The cave is located in Colorado Bend State Park in Texas and. This cave will probably seem boring to some of the experienced cavers on this site, but for me it was the start of a new and exciting journey. The tour was guided and is available every Saturday at the park.
The Circurina cave entrance is a hole in the ground, approximately 2-1/2' in diameter that descends about ten feet into a room about ten feet in diameter. From there a sloping passage goes down about 30 feet. The passage is fairly narrow in spots, maybe 18 inches wide and it was quite a gut check for me. I have never really been in such a tight area and even though I thought I was prepared for it, I had to stop a moment and calm myself. The feeling was intense and exciting and once I broke past that mental barrier, I was hooked. The cave contained lots of crawling passages and after about 130 feet it opened into a larger chamber. There was a second entrance that was located above the chamber that come out into a dry creekbed but it would take equipment to enter or exit. There were several bats in this chamber, I counted maybe 7 scattered around. From that chamber the guide pointed out several passages and described them and then let the group, total of nine, explore the cave. I think the total length of the cave is around 600 ft. and we were about 40 ft depth. There were not any formations to speak of which was disappointing, but overall the experience was amazing. For being a guided tour, the cave was clean and appeared undamaged by vandals or guests.
I really can't explain why I have waited this long to experience this, especially since I have always had an interest in caves and climbing. The trip back up the narrow slope was tough. The passage was slick and muddy and I was exhausted from the rest of the journey at that point. I was in the cave about 2 1/2 hours and totally wiped I was muddy, sore, cut, sweaty and entirely happy.
Several sections of passages tested my resolve and I think overall all it was a great beginner cave. The feeling I had while in the cave was one of wonder and peace. It was something I don't think I have felt in all of my outdoor adventures and I can't wait for my next cave! I have been thinking of that cave and the trip since I climbed out ot it I hope to share many more trips with you all.
Jase