The entrances are located nearby on the same property. The tour guide was great.
These caves were just discovered in 1907 and 1909 - about 300 years after the arrival of permanent residents. And about 2 minutes after their discovery, tours began.
The water level in the caves does rise and fall with the tides. The caverns were big enough that I didn't have any claustrophobic issues. You walk down a series of ramps and stairs and then you arrive at the pool level.
Just a word of caution - there is no wheel chair access. You walk down 80 something steps and you walk those same steps back up. There are benches along the way for those who need a rest. However, if you can do it, it's worth a little huffing and puffing,
The water reflects a beautiful turquoise hue when the electric lights are switched on. Sunlight does not reach these depths. The water by the walkway averages 35 feet but the plunges to 300 feet past the ledge. I firmly gripped my cell phone and camera. Anything dropped into the water stays there.
Here are some photos of Crystal Cave:
Here are some photos of Fantasy Cave. It's a little closer to the surface so there is more color to the formations whereas the Crystal Cave formations are whiter.
Watching the slow drip of the water from the cave ceilings as stalactites and stalagmites are forming molecule by molecule puts some perspective on time. Many of the formations are the product of hundreds of thousands of years of drip, drip, drip. Just amazing.
No comments:
Post a Comment