Many people entertain the false belief that, to have a shot at cave exploration, they would first have to climb mountains or trek through forests and ranges. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Some caves require diving into the ocean, too.
There are many underwater caves all over the world, but the Bahamas has the highest number of them. Like caves found on dry land, underwater caves are defined by their dark orifices. The darker its shade, the deeper it plunges. The substrata of the caves trap the incoming light, causing the waters to appear a darker shade of blue. It is a sight to behold from above, especially now, in the day and age of drones.
See Rare Formations in Lechuguilla Cave
Lechuguilla Cave, located in New Mexico is by far the most special cave in the world. Interestingly, up until 1986, it was considered a rather small and insignificant cave; however, recent exploration proved it to be otherwise, as the discovery of its massive chambers along with some of the rarest formations ever seen.
At 138.3 miles (222.6 km) is actually the longest limestone cavern in the United States. Lechuguilla is named for the canyon it goes through, which is named after Agave lechuguilla, which is a species of plant found there. Access to the cave is limited due to scientific research constantly taking place there.
The Spider from Baja
If you cringe upon the sight of a large house spider, the Baja spider might just be too much for your mind to take in. Unlike the common spiders, we are accustomed to seeing (that still make us leap in fear), the Baja spider is just as deadly as it looks.
But they can’t be found just anywhere, so there’s no need to fear them… unless you plan on exploring the caves up in the Sierra Cacachila mountain ranges. Baja spiders like to spy on their prey, waiting for the right time to pounce and take them out. They lurk in the darkness of the cave walls. Their dark color perfect for melting, unseen, into the shadows. Despite their mammoth four-inch diameter (the average length of a smartphone), these little devils are practically invisible. The Baja spider is closely related to the Brazilian wandering spider, a.k.a. the most poisonous spider in the world.
The Largest Cave in the World
The Sơn Đoòng Cave in Vietnam is the largest known cave in the world to date by volume. This massive cavern is full of countless wonders including its own weather systems, ecosystems, and geological formations. It's believed to be around 2-5 million years old.
Sơn Đoòng means 'cave of the mountain river' in Vietnamese, after its internal, fast-flowing underground river.
An Endless Hole
Some rocks weather in time, causing them to break and leave voids and treacherous crevices, extending down into the depths of the Earth. While this sounds ominous, it is most likely how many of today’s caves were born. Some of the results of this process, though, are truly terrifying. This bottomless pit in Ellison’s Cave is something else. It is not bottomless, per se. But if you plan on throwing a rock and waiting for it to reach the bottom, you might want to consider setting up camp.
Ellison’s Cave (which extends vertically for 1063 feet) is actually dotted with more than one pit. The big daddy of them all, suitably named “Fantastic,” is estimated to stretch down 586 feet. That’s about half the height of the Empire State Building, around 51 stories. The hole is deep dark space, filled with meandering offshoots and alien-like subterranean creatures, making it a perilous spelunking site. Ellison’s is the 12th deepest cave in North America, but the Fantastic pit takes the top prize as the deepest unobstructed pit on the continent.