Swoosh, flushed down! This cave makes me feel like going down the drain.
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(TGR version)
(Suomenkielinen versio)
August 2018, Saubachlhöhlen, Yspertal, Austria
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic, Swimming); Swimming (Outdoor, Underground, Nature, Water, Waterbody-River, Cave)
This week some of us Finnish cavers are attending Eurospelo in Austria. The first session for Jukka, Tor, me, and our Canadian friend Andrew turned out to be cave photography, learning to use backlight with Philippe Crochet and Annie Guiraud. Amazing stuff, very happy that we were able to join.
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(TGR version)
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August 2018, Gassel-Tropfsteinhöhle, Ebensee, Austria
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Training); Photography
You have to feel sorry for this little museum, as their resources are probably tight. But seriously... cave stalactites made of urethan without painting... bears with zippers... all-white plastic giraffes.
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August 2018, Museo di Zoologia, Rome, Italy
Caving (Man-Made, Research)
Evening exercise, drive to Nuuksio and visit Sikalammen Luola ("Cave of the Pigpond"). I found it, although the forest in the area is difficult going.
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July 2018, Sikalammen luola, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)
I had a free afternoon on an otherwise busy business trip in Montreal, and I wanted to visit Caverne de Saint-Léonard, a famous cave right under a city park. While this is a small cave, what I found was not your typical touristy show cave, but an adventure.
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July 2018, Caverne de Saint-Léonard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)
This week I'm on a tour through Italy with Janne. I had mentioned this to Tero, who suggested that we visit Grotta di Frasassi east of Ancona. He had made a visit earlier, and saw an incredibly large cave hall. Still, I had not realised how big it was. Over 100 meters in free height, and 240 meters to the natural opening at the top.
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July 2018, Grotta di Frasassi, Italy
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Showtour)
Went to see the Vesuvius crater with Janne, quite interesting and of course the source of many sad fates in destroyed cities around. Overdue for eruption, too.
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July 2018, Vesuvius, Naples, Italy; Small cave at the Vesuvius, Naples, Italy
Climbing (Mountain); Caving (Rock, Rock-Volcanic, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
Catacombe di San Gennaro is one of the underground burial sites in Naples. Janne and visited this on a tour, and were surprised.
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July 2018, Catacombe di San Gennaro, Naples, Italy
History; Caving (Man-Made); Urban-Exploration (Catacombs)
I had an opportunity to interview Bo Lenander, Swedish Speleological Society, about cave electronics and communications equipment. In this video he explains the equipment that he has built and what it can be used for. And then we try it out in the Gotland's Lummelunda cave!
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
June 2018, Lummelunda, Gotland, Sweden
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Boating, Swimming, Equipment); Swimming (Indoor, Underground, Water, Waterbody-Cave)
This weekend I was at Tero's cottage in Särkisalo, and decided to check out local caves, if any. It turned out that there's quite a nice set of cracks, roofs, and boulders in Utö, at the Vårdgasberget.
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June 2018, Vårdgasbergetin luola, Utö, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)
Helsinki's recreation islands are interesting, also from the point of view abandoned military structures and ruins. Today's excursion was to Sirpalesaari.
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June 2018, Pihlajasaaren öljysäiliön rauniot, Helsinki, Finland; Pihlajasaaren bunkkeri, Helsinki, Finland
Urban-Exploration (Ruins, Bunkers); Caving (Man-Made)
While on my way to a conference, I wanted to do a small detour to visit a bunker that I had read about. A Stasi bunker.
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June 2018, Stasi bunker, Machern, Germany
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers); Caving (Man-Made)
I spent the last five days on the beach in Gotland, camping with Swedish cavers in their yearly meet-up. A lot of fun, sunshine, grilling and old and new friends. And caving... more about that later. Heading home now.
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June 2018, Lummelunda, Gotland, Sweden
Caving (None, Social)
For the last two days, I've had the opportunity to be trained for techniques that are needed to traverse vertical cave shafts.
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June 2018, Myllypuron Urheiluhalli, Helsinki, Finland
Caving (Man-Made); Climbing (Mountain)
While in France, I happened to get a number of brochures for tourist caves. One of these brochures was about the Chauvet Cave, the cave with earliest known paintings from 30 000+ years ago. But, that cave is off limits to visitors, so they built a replica of the cave nearby!
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May 2018, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (None); Travel
More after-work bunker scouting. I thought I had already explored all the underground structures in the northern Korvlinjen, but apparently not. This "batteri" as they called it is a set of defence structures for guns, with small tunnels going from one structure to the next.
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May 2018, Karby batteri 1, Täby, Sweden; Karby batteri 2, Täby, Sweden; Karby batteri 3, Täby, Sweden
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers); Caving (Man-Made)