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  3. CNMI ON LAND
  4. SAIPAN, 2013

JULY 14, KALBERA CAVE, PLUS

A journey to the floor of the First Chamber of Kalabera, thanks to our trusty guide Adam Baker.
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Before guiding us in the cave, Adam demonstrates how he holds his reading material when he sits on the toilet..<br /> <br /> No, actually he is acting like he is manning a gun, since this is a little makeshift fortification from WWII.<br /> <br /> Please feel free to leave comments (find the Add Comment button to your lower left).
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Before guiding us in the cave, Adam demonstrates how he holds his reading material when he sits on the toilet..

No, actually he is acting like he is manning a gun, since this is a little makeshift fortification from WWII.

Please feel free to leave comments (find the Add Comment button to your lower left).

aaaadambakerreadingtoilet

  • Before guiding us in the cave, Adam demonstrates how he holds his reading material when he sits on the toilet..<br /> <br /> No, actually he is acting like he is manning a gun, since this is a little makeshift fortification from WWII.<br /> <br /> Please feel free to leave comments (find the Add Comment button to your lower left).
  • Prior to heading down into the cave. I have been told that Kalabera is Spanish for skull. Can you see the "skull" it was named after in the background? (Actually, some sources say it was named after the skull in the background, others say it was named this because there were skulls of decapitated Chamorro people when the Spaniards first found the cave. From what I have been told, I believe the former).
  • Here you may see the skull better, toward your right, looking to your left. It's nose is just above the end of the catwalk.<br /> <br /> Notice the group heading down the path to the catwalk (on the other side of the boulder).
  • Ready to head down. You can see the skull quite well now, above Adam (Its right eye socket is a bit higher than is its left eye socket).
  • Hey, there's a newly hatching spelunker!
  • As you can see, several of the group are already at the bottom.
  • Notice the hole to your left. Keep in mind, compared to the people, how far across it appears to be. We will be down on the lip of that hole in just a moment.
  • The Eagle has landed!
  • Now, this photo may not show much, because there is no "known item" for size perspective. This is looking down into the hole you saw from above earlier. I have read that this is a vertical drop of about 100 feet, but I truly believe that is a conservative estimate. At any rate, it is totally vertical. I have also heard it referred to as a "lava tube," but I am tremendously doubtful of that; I see nothing to indicate that it is anything other than the same limestone that the rest of the cave is composed of. If any reader herein knows any facts about this, I would appreciate your comments (find the comment button to your lower left -- you may need to scroll down to find it). I have also heard that there are human bones and many artifacts on bottom.
  • That deep pit is behind the little outcropping to your right.<br /> <br /> As you can see, that is one tall ladder!
  • Go.......toward.......the........light.......
  • Time to climb back up.
  • Ancient Chamorro mortar (lusong) and pestle (which, I believe, is a falu, although it's possible that falu refers only to a wooden pestle). This was probably used to grind grain, rice, and fadang nuts (Frederico nuts: The seeds of a local cycad {So no, you don't have to feel sorry for Frederico}).
  • Entering into Laulau Cave. As you can see, it has a nice ramp. A LOT of this cave looks like it has been human-modified over time.
  • Thanks for joining us! Likely more to come!
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