Nomad in Junee Cave

Junee has gained a reputation for being tight, dirty, cold and sharp, with many a drysuit torn during its exploration. Junee Cave is part of the Junee-Florentine Karst system located in SW Tasmania, Australia. The cave is the main resurgence for the area and the water from Growling Swallet emerges here with great force. An incredibly beautiful air chamber called 'For Your Eyes Only' divides Sump 1 and 2. The main aim of this jaunt was to reach this air chamber and do a reconnaissance mission into Sump 2.

The permanent line is laid to avoid the worst of the flow and the razor sharp rocks. At times this meant going through the tightest part of the cave. The line was a great help as our cold numbed fingers (6 degree Celsius (43 F) water!) made for clumsy line work.

In contrast to what previous expeditions who pushed this system experienced the conditions in the cave were relatively clear - we were lucky. Several years of drought had not only cleared the visibility but also dropped the flow considerably. The silt on the other hand was still there and there was no way to keep out of it at times as the roof lowered straight into silt mounds. The Nomad was at its best going through the silt mounds and low flatteners so characteristic of this cave, we were streamlined and uncluttered allowing us to glide through unimpeded - and avoid those sharp rocks!

The air chamber is spectacular and untouched, due to the difficulty of accessing this cave, its remoteness and the logistics involved. The roof is bulging with long straws and stalactites hang from just about everywhere. The breathtaking beauty of this chamber made all the effort worth it; the gear hauling, weathering the cold, the swim in. Carrying gear was simplified by using a sidemount system, as was the exploration of the dry chamber. The Nomad system stayed on my back and made it easier to carry torches, strobes and other equipment for taking photographs. Life was made easier too when it was time to leave we simply clipped on the tanks and off we went.

A return trip is the works, this time to have a more thorough look at Sump 2, the end of which is yet to be reached...

Dean Chamberlain

Photos:
1. Liz Rogers and James Arundale inside 'For your eyes only'
2. James Arundale outside the Junee Resurgence