The entrance to the main Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves. To the right leads to the main cavern while to the left (in the photo) is a very tight passageway that carries on about 70 feet and then drops. Further in the cave, is another passage way that visitors are permitted to explore.
Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves
By Corey Lablans
If
you are an individuals interested in exploring earth's greater depths,
living in the Kingston doesn't provide you many opportunities. If you
head towards Peterborough you will come across Warsaw conservation
area, an area well known for recreational caving with their many unguided caves. It is a fun place if you want
to squeeze through cracks and push yourself, finding out how
claustrophobic you are. The only issue is that it is a good 1.5 hour
drive to reach the conservation area.
Closer to Kingston is Hell Holes
just north of Napanee. If you like going
deep and exploring, it isn't the place to go, as the cave their is one ladder that leads to a small cave. The most interesting
aspect of Hells Holes is the grotto, very beautiful.
Today
I explored another location just a bit further from Hell Holes, the
Tyendinaga Caverns and Caves. I wasn't sure what to expect, as many of
the caves/caverns around this area are usually not that large. The tour
guide was well informed, explaining about karst topography, glaciation
and sink wholes, and how they are all important in forming or destroying caves. If you are
interested in learning about karst topography check out this link: http://paddleasia.com/karst-topography.htm
it has some good visuals near the bottom of the site. Karst topography
is important, it is the product of chemical weathering, as the
limestone is dissolved by rain water, leading to the production of such
caverns.
As the tour guide
explained, many of the caves were crushed during weight of the last
glaciation, the the larger cavern at Tyendinaga Caverns is an example
of one that survived. If you explore Warsaw caves, those caves are
likely the aftermath of such larger caverns collapsing, meaning that
you are crawling thorough the openings left behind in the rubble.
If
you want something very fascinating to explore and to see something not
to common around the area, I would explore the Tyendinaga Caverns and
Caves. For more information check out their website: http://tyendinagacaves.blogspot.ca/
Drapery or flowstone line the walls of the main cavern at Tyendiaga Cavern and Caves. Calcite has percipitated out of solution along the wall faces to create these formations.
Cave mushrooms, popcorn or coral, depending on who is explaining these formations are present along the walls.
Looking into the narrow passageway in the cavern in which visitors can explore. Doesn't go to far back but still fun to squeeze your way through.
Looking back to the main cavern after walking through a narrow passageway in which visitors can
explore.
One can see how large the main cavern is, as three individuals stand throughout the cavern. On a hot day like these past days it is a really comfortable place to be with average temperature around 10 degrees Celsius.
Corey Lablans Photography
