Spelunking

That's right. I went spelunking (you know, one of Carmen Sandiego's interests). Boy, I never thought I would be able to use that vocabulary word again!

On my recent visit to the tri-state area of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. I explored Luray Caverns located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Luray Caverns are the largest and most popular caverns in Eastern America. Luray Caverns began to form more than 4,000,000 centuries ago. Stalactites in Luray Caverns continue to form at a rate of one cubic inch every 120 years.

Okay, so it wasn't exactly spelunking: Luray Caverns have paved, well-lighted walkways winding through 1.25 miles of Luray Caverns. And as the website says, "Comfortable paved walkways lead visitors through inspiring chambers magnificently sculpted with countless stalactites and stalagmites."

Here are some of the photos I took of the exploration:

All coloration in Luray Caverns is natural, caused by the mineral content of the seeping ground water. The formation of Luray Caverns began after the limestone of the Shenandoah Valley was formed as a result of the inland sea. The enclosing rocks consist of granular crystalline dolomite belonging to the lower part of the Beekmantown dolomite of Early Ordovician age. The entire cavern is confined to a zone only about 100 feet thick and occurred in coarse-grained crystalline dolomite.

DREAM LAKE:
This is the largest body of water in the caverns. However, its deepest point is not more than 18 to 20 inches. This sparkling lake reflects a myriad of fantastic forms and creates a mirror image of the abundant stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

PLUTO'S CHASM:
Pluto's Chasm was the main horizontal channel in the caverns as water dissolved and eroded layer upon layer of limestone during the formation of these huge chambers over 400,000 years ago. Different solution levels left by the seeping water remain visible along the far wall. Acidic reactions from these accumulations of water will dissolve up to one-tenth of an inch of limestone per year in some caves. This chasm is over 500 feet long, and is 70 to 90 feet in depth.

SARACEN'S TENT: (with a fallen stalagtite)

Appearing as smooth and flowing as a curtain folded by hand, this formation is one of the most perfectly formed stone drapery structures in the world. The translucent sheets appear to have been parted, tent-like, for an entranceway.

STONE DRAPERY (close-up)

From the Smithsonian report of July 1880 – “there is nothing more beautiful in the cave than these scarfs, shawls, lambrequins of translucent calcite, some white as snow, others impregnated with the impurities of the soil above, falling in graceful folds, fringed with a thousand patterns, and so thin that a candle held behind one of them reveals all the structure within.”

TITANIA'S VEIL:
This shimmering white formation is pure calcite, the result of spreading crystalline deposits. These deposits, commonly called flowstone, spread laterally coating walls or ceilings. The Smithsonian Institution commented, “Here in this studio of nature are reproductions of all those objects which are wont to fill the mind with pleasure, wonder – objects whose multiplicity, variety and splendor would exhaust the whole literature of mythic and fairy lore in providing names for their infinite diversity of beauty.” Titania's Veil was named for Shakespeare's Fairy Queen from his play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

TOTEM POLES:

This cluster together is said to resemble totem poles. The poles illustrate how variable water and growth patterns can create gravity defying shapes. Many visitors see other objects within the shapes including an old-fashioned barber's shaving brush.

STALACTITE STRAWS:
Every stalactite begins with a single mineral-laden drop of water. When the drop falls, it leaves behind the thinnest ring of calcite. Each subsequent drop that forms and falls deposits another calcite ring. Eventually, these rings form a very narrow, hollow tube commonly known as a "soda straw" stalactite. Soda straws can grow quite long, but are very fragile.

CALCITE (close-up):

All formations in the caverns are calcite, a crystalline form of limestone, the result of limestone dissolved in water then re-deposited in the hollowed-out underground chambers as stalactites and stalagmites. Calcite in its purest form is naturally white.

SHAGGY DOG/WOOLLY MAMMOTH:
Like the totem poles, this large formation draws attention because many visitors see a resemblance of a shaggy dog or woolly mammoth. His head is to the left.

FRIED EGGS:
Thousands of natural curiosities and irregularly shaped objects can regularly be observed along the tour route like the "Fried Eggs." The audio tour said they weren't sure how these formed, but they think wear the "eggs" sit used to be two stalagmites that broke off and tourists would rub them for good luck (of course, now, you are not allowed to touch anything in the caverns).

STALACPIPE ORGAN:
Located in the Cathedral is the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the world's largest musical instrument. Stalactites covering 3 1/2 acres of the surrounding caverns produce tones of symphonic quality when electronically tapped by rubber-tipped mallets. This one-of-a-kind instrument was conceived by Mr. Leland W. Sprinkle.

Today, the organ, featured on Ripley's Believe It or Not, plays a variety of songs, many chosen for their range and deep, resonate tones. Visitors stand enthralled as haunting melody and chords reverberate throught the vaulted ceilings. Listen to it now: