Vietnam Caving Expedition, first trip out

A view, in the jungle, that's something you don't see everyday!

The Expedition is here, it comes once every two years. I managed to get a bit of time off and so was able to go out for the first eight days.

What's for lunch, My Tom of course

The first six day trip started off on familiar territory, we walked to Hang En! We camped just short of the cave and the next morning we went to the entrance and turned left, we then walked uphill for over 4 hours.

Jungle scrambling, it's steeper than it looks, sharp too

A long hard slog in the heat (one of the few hot days so far) with some nasty sharp rocky sections. At the top there was a rare view and then we continued over slightly easier ground for another four hours to camp.

Weird tree

The next day we were up early and off to the first cave, Hang Bang. This was essentially just one large sloping chamber, very pretty but with no way on. We surveyed 700m  (three ways down) before concluding that the cave was finished.

Hammock wars

Next up was Vuc Xuong Khi, a nearby shaft. As we had been told not to bring too much rope, we ran out before we got to the bottom. It was a nice small shaft with no draft, and continued down for at least another 30m, probably more. One to go back to if we're ever back in that area to visit other leads.

The entrance of Vuc Xuong Khi

That was the end of all leads in that area so we walked out over the next two days before spending the night in Phong Nha, and leaving the next day for a twp day trip to a shaft visited on the previous expedition.

Looking down the final 80m drop of Hang 13 Shaft

The shaft was 130m deep and previously the team had got to the bottom of the shaft and left it with a long swim to go at. The first day we walked up to the entrance and set up camp next to it. The entrance is completely hidden from view and you can't see the shaft untill you are stood right next to it. The pitch was rigged as a number of 20m drops before a final free hanging drop of 80m.

Prussiking back up Hang 13 Shaft

At the foot of the shaft was a large chamber (about 60m x 60m and 80m high) with a lake. We swam, surveying as we went, for about 500m, then hit a blank wall. Cave over. The next day was spent photographing before de-tackling and walking out.

Hang 13 Shaft