Black Chasm Cavern

I am the cave,
So cool and dark,
Where time, unending, leaves its mark
As natural forces build and hone
A crystal world from weeping stone.


I am the cave,
And at my core
A sea once was that is no more-
A sea alive and sunlight-warmed
Where limestone, born of death, was formed
As sediment of shell and bone,
Compressed, became a floor of stone.
But shifting continents brought change;
This floor, upthrust, became a range
Of mountains that displace the sea
And held the limestone heart of me.

My ceilings cry their endless tears
That fall throughout the endless years,
Each droplet leaving just a trace
Of sparkling crystal in its place.

--Excerpts from Cave by Diane Siebert

Yesterday the kidoodles, Amanda, and I visited Black Chasm Cavern National Landmark in Volcano.  The cavern was designated a national landmark in 1976 after recommendations from the National Speleological Society.  The Society acted to protect the natural wonders of the cave after a local rock quarry expressed interest in acquiring the cavern.  The vertical cave, around 4,000 feet long, contains a display of rare helictite crystals which according to our guide is found in only 5% of caves worldwide.  Helictite crystals are unusual in that they seem to defy gravity and grow in any direction.

We arrived at 0930 and as the next tour didn't start for 30 minutes, I picked up 3 small bags for the kids to use for gem mining in the flumes right outside the gift shop.  They loved it!! 

They found a lot of nice stones.  When you buy a bag they also give you a small card for identification of your gems.  The kids had fun lining the stones up on each square when we got home last night.

When 1000 rolled around, the 45-minute tour turned out to be perfect for the kids.  They oohed and aahed over all of the various speleothems.  We saw stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, angel wings, cave bacon, soda straws, flowstone, columns, and of course the helectites.

 Cave bacon

 Flowstone and draperies

 I think these were some of the angel wings near the top of the picture.

 We even had a glimpse of the lake in the depths below.

It's fun to try and make out images inside the cave.  The guide pointed out "Lady and the Tramp" to us in the rock on the wall.  Can you see it?

Lauren had a hard time making it out so I outlined them for her when we got home last night.  The tour guide pointed out Lady on the right and the Tramp right above her but when she first pointed to the wall I saw Lady on the right and the Tramp in the form of a great dane on the left touching Lady's nose with his.

Our kids love to eat and they think about food....a lot.  Even though we had just eaten breakfast they were asking for more food before we even made it to Black Chasm.  I asked our tour guide for lunch options in the area and she recommended Mr. Beefy's.  When we arrived I wasn't sure what to expect but it turned out to be a gem.  Everything is made fresh and by hand, and was delicious.  The girls also had their first milkshakes ever.

It was a fun day and we were home by early afternoon.  The kids slept all the way back and are still talking about how cool they thought the cavern was!