Caving Discouraged During COVID-19 Pandemic

Interesting . . . COVID-19 and caving

Caving in Virginia is being discouraged for two reasons. First, the conditions in a cave offer poor ventilation and overall space can make social distancing difficult for people. Second, there is some concern that people can pass the virus to bats and perhaps the cycle could begin anew.

Read about it here: Message from the Virginia Cave Board

Maddy

Caving Can be Dangerous - Practice Safety

In the county I live in there was a recent incident that could have turned deadly. Thankfully, both cavers were rescued and reunited with their loved ones.

The details directly from one of the rescued cavers are included in the story below. Cold, damp, and in darkness after flashlights died. Scary.

WDBJ 7 News

Planning and caution are absolute requirements when exploring caves. Preparation is key. Commercial and open to the public caves are legal, safer, and often trained and equipped guides are available.

Maddy

Explore!

The article linked below is from a few years back and is a great read on exploring caves with your kids.

How to Explore Caves With Your Kids: Spelunking Basics

100 Children's Books to Read in a Lifetime (an Amazon list)

Today's topic is books. BOOKS!

When I looked through this list I felt a certain sense of satisfaction, almost relief, that I've read most of these books since that means childhood has been good to me! Thanks Mom and Dad.

Amazon's List of 100 Children's Books to Read in a Lifetime

That's all for now.  Keep on reading.

Maddy

Phong Nha Caves in Vietnam

Here is another great article about a cave you can explore.

Phong Nha Caves in Vietnam

-Maddy

Excellent LA Times article on caves.

"With a cave you don't know

what the goal is.

I can see a mountain peak.

I can see the moon.

When I go into a cave,

I don't know what I'll find."

-George Veni, director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute

Here is a link to an excellent LA Times article on caves (2-29-2016). Click here to read.  It also includes information about caves managed by the National Park Service and the several that offer tours.

Geologists Discover New Layer in Earth’s Mantle

"Earth’s main layers are the thin crust 4 – 50 miles (6.4 – 80.5 km) deep, a mantle extending 1,800 miles (2,900 km) deep and the iron core.
But there are subdivisions."

Source: http://www.sci-news.com/geology/science-new-layer-earths-mantle-02631.html

Fascinating stuff!
Maddy