BAT CAVE
Barangay WAWA, MONTALBAN
RIZAL PROVINCE,
LUZON

Surveyed Length: 848m (survey data incomplete)
Surveyed Depth: 65.5m Surveyed To: BCRA Grade 5c

INTRODUCTION

In Contrast to Japanese Cave, which is mainly developed horizontally. Bat Cave provided the Expedition with a number of entrances at different levels with inter-connecting shafts where members were able to practice abseiling and more advanced cave surveying. Unfortunately, there was not enough time to complete the exploration and survey of this system. Furthermore, when it came to plotting the survey back in Manila a number of errors were readily apparent. It was not until the field sketches had been erased that we realised that the error was with the programmable calculator and not our field readings. The passage details that accompanies this report has therefore been sketched from details recorded at survey stations alone.

CAVE DESCRIPTION

It is a hard, steep ascent to the various entrances of the Bat Cave in the limestone pinnacle overlooking Wawa. The most westerly of the horizontal entrances is the Main Entrance and provides the most convenient access, though our original entry was via one of the high skylight entrance which provide good facilities for training in vertical cave techniques. From the Main Entrance, a steep clamber down over boulders, with an alternative entrance to the right, leads via comfortable walking passage up to 50m high to a crossroads with Cockroach Chimney ahead (see later) and a skylight opening about 20m overhead. The main passage continues down to the left lowering in height to about 2m for a brief spell continuing as comfortable walking passage about 7m high before terminating to a mud choke about 300m from the Main Entrance.

Returning to the crossroads, and ignoring Cockroach Chimney for the time being, a short scramble up ahead leads to a low crawl over debris to a descent into an airy and nicely decorated passage with an exit in the cliff overlooking Wawa. Just before the exit, a comfortable passage on the left leads parallel to the cliff to a three-way junction. To the right, a short low passage ascends to yet another exit. Ahead, a short passage doubles back on itself to pass beneath the main route which ascends steeply to the left and terminates to a mud choke.

Back at the crossroads, the ascending Cockroach Chimney is on the right opposite the entrance passage. The 65m climb is exposed in places and short sections can be graded “Very Difficult”. The best climber should go first to rig a hand line for the less experienced. A tricky short scramble at the top gives access to Crazy Boys’ Passage

Ka Felix, our python-hunting guide, claims to have taken more than 2,500 snakes from this part of the cave. He regularly carries more than 50kg of them to the market in Manila, wrapped around his torso and alive so that they are fresh on arrival. His largest single specimen weighed in at more that 32kg.

At the top of Cockroach Chimney the surveying team followed Crazy Boys’ Passage to the left along nearly 100m of easy going, nicely decorated passage containing a few pits which were explored by the climbing team. One of this pits yielded a further 80m of well decorated passage. The survey ended at a T-Junction with the chamber or passage continuing invitingly to the left and right. Further work remains to be done in this system which should also be re-surveyed.

The upper galleries was initially explored and again visited in August 1998 (by Me, Boy Ross Delos Santos and Celso Nuñez) but no survey has been conducted.