CAVING IN MALLORCA

OCCASIONAL PUBLICATION NUMBER 9

A JOURNAL OF CAVING REPORTS AND
ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTIONS OF SELECTED
MALLORCAN CAVES VISITED BY THE
PEGASUS CLUB OVER RECENT YEARS

Compiled by Alan Steans and members
of the Pegasus Club Nottingham
Summer 2001

This book is dedicated to my late Father
Ray and my Mother Joyce.
My Mother still thinks I’m crazy after all these years
to go Caving and diving at my age.

APPERTAINING TO COPYRIGHT, DISCLAIMERS AND OTHER SUCH GOBBLEDEGOOK….

* I, Alan Steans have asserted my moral right, under the copyright, design & patents act of 1968 to be identified as author of this work.
* The views and opinions expressed in this publication, are for the most part mine and mine only. They do not necessarily represent the thoughts of the Pegasus Club Nottingham or it’s membership.
* It is OK for bona-fide cavers to copy any part of this publication for their own use, while caving in Mallorca, after all this was the primary reason for writing this book. This does not constitute an open invitation to rip-off either me or this journal. If any such caver sees fit to get me a beer, as a reward for my efforts, that is also OK.
* This “guide book” has been written for the use of sensible, big boys who (it is assumed), know what they are doing. The descriptions of the various caves detailed therein are as accurate as the information available to me allows. Whilst every effort has been made to verify this accuracy, and whilst warnings have been inserted wherever they were deemed to be appropriate, I am not infallible. Should any caver break any bones or attempt to drown themselves either through bad luck or bad caving practice, don’t blame me or my club.
* Acknowledgements and thanks are proffered to everyone I think merits them at the end of the book.

INTRODUCTION

The author in Fra Raphael

They say that everybody has a book in them. That may be so, I don’t know. In my case I think it’s most likely a comic. Years ago, Malc Scothon suggested to me that I ought to write a book. Although I was flattered that he considered me capable of such a daunting task, I never really attached much credence to the idea.

I mentioned Malc’s suggestion in passing to my family. They in turn gently badgered me. In particular my eldest daughter Pippa, and my youngest sister Jill, tried to convince me to give it a go. At the time Pip and Jill were engaged in earnest battle to see which member of the Steans clan could have their written work published first. Jill won by a short head. Holly, my youngest daughter and also the only one to have ventured underground caving, also offered her encouragement. She was not shy in offering her constructive criticism either. Thus the first hesitant ideas began to germinate in my head. My other daughter Jodi was also a great help from start to finish.

My initial intention was to write something while I was in hospital recuperating from my recent heart operation. Unfortunately I couldn’t think of anything worthy of putting pen to paper about, writer’s block I think they call it.

Later that year my wife and I, along with fellow cavers, Lee, Andy and Geordie went to Mallorca for a package style holiday, combined with some recreational caving. Lee had caved on the island before and had some sound background knowledge of the caves and potholes to be found there. We tried to supplement this knowledge by finding out as much as possible about the Mallorcan subterranean scene before we left the UK. We discovered that practically zilch had been written about the caves. Apart from Des Marshall’s short interim guide, there were no English books whatsoever.

On returning home, I thought that the club ought to pull together and produce a caving guide; I reckoned it would be a sure-fire bestseller. The initial plan of action was to cajole all the members of the club with experience of caving on the island to contribute articles. I would then edit these offerings and put together the finished article.

When it became increasingly obvious that such a course of action would take forever and a day, I decided to write the whole thing myself. I did however receive invaluable help from club members throughout the writing process; thanks are expressed elsewhere in this book.

So here it is, my humble effort, I hope you find it informative and entertaining. If you don’t, it’s still been one hell of an ego-trip for me. Since there is no intention of publishing it for general sale, it will never become a bestseller, but hopefully it will find a shelf to nestle on in the bookcases of a few privileged souls.

FOREWORD

Torrent de Pareis ( looking from the sea)

Since the advent of the package holiday abroad in the 60’s, Mallorca has justifiably become somewhat of a Mecca for the sea, sun, sand and sangria brigade. The island is close at hand, relatively cheap, and has particularly clement weather. On top of this the tourist resorts all sell English beer and fish and chips, the inhabitants knowing their role in the true shape of things all try to speak the worlds only real language, English. For the more adventurous there is also available San Miguel Lager, Sangria and Paella. Over the last decade the island has become increasingly popular as a venue for recreational caving, along with associated sports such as canyonning, climbing, diving and hill walking. Although there are some excellent publications available detailing recognised walks and climbs in the area, very little has been written about Mallorca’s caves. The promotional bumph issued by the island’s show caves, account for about 90% of the English language material on offer.

A superb comprehensive guide ‘501 Grutas Del Termino De Pollensa’ by J.A.Encinas was published in 1994, good though undoubtedly it is, it only covers a minute portion of the island and is in Spanish. In the same year the somewhat less comprehensive ‘Mallorca caves; an interim guide’ was brought out by Des Marshall. At the moment this is the only available English written guide. If you search hard enough, information can be gleaned from back issues of Descent , Caves and Caving, assorted club journals, and mainland Spanish Universities clubs’ publications. But by and large the only way to get first hand information is by visiting the island, caving there yourself, and by speaking to other cavers who have done the same.

The purpose of this Pegasus occasional publication is twofold. Firstly to provide a record of the club’s various caving activities on the island, and secondly to furnish an informative and accurate guide to the caves themselves. As the years progress it is probable that this publication’s function as a useful guide will become redundant since further complete English guide books are already in the publishing pipeline. However, it is hoped that as future visits are made to the island by club members, the publication’s primary purpose as a club log will be enhanced and increased, while continuing to serve as a treasured personal reminder to good times and good caving in Mallorca.

LIST OF CONTENTS

Frontispiece
Introduction
Foreword
List of Contents
Index of Caves

CAVING IN MALLORCA PART 1 (Miscellaneous)

General Background
Travel & Accommodation
Personal equipment & Clothing
Tackle, Access, Rescue & Insurance
Other activities
Rogues Gallery
Pegasus in Mallorca

CAVING IN MALLORCA PART 2 (Showcaves)

Caves of Drach
Caves of Hams
Caves of Arta
Caves of Campanet
Caves of Genova

CAVING IN MALLORCA PART 3 (Caves & Potholes)

Escorca
Arta
Manacor
Pollensa
Alcudia
Caves & Potholes >50m deep in Pollensa area
Caves of Pollensa & Alcudia; Map Index
Pollensa Maps

CAVING IN MALLORCA PART 4 (Cavern Diving)

Manacor Map
Cavern Diving in Mallorca
Mallorcan Sea Caves
Cave descriptions & dive reports
Descent & CDG references
Diving terms explained
Gas consumption tables
Acknowledgements
Thanks

INDEX OF CAVES FEATURED IN PARTS 1 - 4

Avenc de S’Aigo
Avenc del Canal de Coma Freda
Avenc del Far
Avenc de La Font
Avenc de Fra Raphael
Avenc des Llorer
Avenc de Sa Miranda
Avenc del Pi de Pla Les Basses
Avenc des Travessets

Caves of Arta
Caves of Campanet
Caves of Drach
Caves of Genova
Caves of Hams

Cova dets Ases
Cova de La Base
Cova den Besso
Cova de Bassa Blanca
Cova de Cal Pesso
Cova de Sa Campana
Cova Camp des Pou
Cova de Can Sion
Cova des Coll
Cova dets Colom
Cova de Cornavaques
Cova des Diners
Cova dets Estudiantes
Cova de La Font
Cova de Sa Gleda
Cova de Llanaira
Cova Sa Marti
Cova de Mina Petit
Cova del Pirata
Cova des Pont
Cova de Les Rodes
Cova de Rotja
Cova de Serral
Cova des Pas Valgornera

Debbies Well
Es Pontas
Font D’Algaret
Font de Verger
Isle of Dragonera
L’Avenc den Xim
Nazil del Drach
Skylight Cave
Stonefish Cave
Torrent de Pareis
Unnamed Well (North of Porto Colom)

Part

Continue to Part 1

Back To Mallorca Main Page