Day: June 16, 1996

The Aqua Experience
Summer 1996
by Chris Anthony

If there is any corporate catch phrase for caving such as “Just cave it!” I am not aware of it. I will however propose a suitable phrase for soliciting visitation to Aqua Cave . . . “Just freeze your fucking ass off!” For those of you not acquainted with Aqua’s unique shrinkage factor, let the following tale unfold.

Over break, Myself, Alex, Bennett, Alison, and Vonny spent a beautiful summer day where else? Inside a cave, of course! The underwater entrance of Aqua was as cold as I wish I had imagined it. Vonny was intent on submerging herself in every body of water possible. Of course she was armed with an arsenal including polypro and a caving suit. Those of us in cotton garb were weary. Never-the-less the watery fun ensued and all were in the throws of excitement (not to mention hypothermia). I must note that the mineral formations in Aqua are some of my favorites. They include long white streaks of calcite that travel down the passages. Other areas of interest are a few passages which contain swirled potholes and an area which has a high ceiling and a large deep lake. At times the lake is clear to the bottom and is reminiscent of the caverns and lakes beneath The Misty Mountains in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (you know . . . where Bilbo cleverly riddles away Gollum’s preciousness . . . work with me people!)

If you don’t already know what I am talking about, I guess you’ll just have to find out for yourself . . . . . .