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Drifting by moon milk ina cavernous world |

By SHIRLEY OLSEN GUTH

: a;
Vancouver Island’s
mysterious caves are about
tosurface. - ;
That’s because the famous
limestone caves,
considered off limits for the
average tourist, will emerge
as one of this year’s most
visible and novel tourist
attractions, according to
Karen Bischoff, secretary-
treasurer of th B.C.
Speleological Federation. — --

-undiscovered.

long .

probably thousands more,
Why not
follow the lead of other

countries lucky enough to~

have limestone deposits, and
make use of these caves for

tourism, recreation,
education and = scientific

study?”

t
Geological conditions are
ideal for cave formation on
Vancouver Island, and
limestone cogridors hun-
dreds of thousands of years

; ‘DEVIL'S BATW a The caves, “Devil's Bath”,
“Vanishing River” and
“Eternal Fountain”, are
located in a MacMillan
Bloedel logging area, and
are indicated on the com-

pany’s recreational maps.

The northern half of the
island, in particular, has
been called a cave explorer’s
paradise, and will be the
focus of this summer's
-tourist caving promotion... _

/ ! ~

Of particular geological
interest, Eternal Fountain is
an example of “exsurgence

- swallet”: water pours, from
the ground at the cave site,

With the Mount Wad-
dington Regional District,
which has sponsored a
survey of caves with tourist

RIVER DISAPPEARS _

At ‘Vanishing ” River,
tourists can stand on a

viewing: platform and watch -
the Benson River disappear:

into the ground.

The proposed cave park-at
Anutz Lake features a

-lime3Stone archway where

explanatory markers inform
tourists -how caves are
formed. A tour guide, lights
and helmets will be available

And at Gold River,
tourists can take a seven-
minute helicopter. ride to. a.

_mountain. named ‘Q-5” for a.

look at an underground
glacier.

YEARS OF DEBRIS .
Because the glacier dips

down 60 metres at one point,
tourists can see years of-—-

‘layering and debris buried

inside the glacier. The tour,
which costs about $25 and.
takes two hours, runs from

world of lakes, rapids, BCSF plans to erect markers — back under the falls into the at the cave, where you can late June ‘through August, ~~
Plans for tourists this football field sized halls,and and make educational cave. Tourists canfollowthe go in just far enough to tell with extra trips scheduled
summer include public chambers bristling with literature available at three water into the cave for 120 whether you get cave- ; :
education programs at formations. up-island caves. " mnetres, Bischoff says. CONTINUED.ON PAGE 63.
selected caves, the opening co, ;

claustrophobic.”

of a “cave park” at Anutz
Lake, and helicopter tours to
an underground glacier near . , _—
Gold River. ; - . ; ;

FASTER IS CHEAPER . |

And in the island’s future,
she says, is the opening of a
heavily decorated cave as a
major tourist attraction.
Properly managed, it would
have | tour guides and un-

Seater” | ON THE GREAT WEST.
A river cave near Port

McNeill on Vancouver

Island is typical of those

being considered.

“An underground river
would, be ideal for boat =
tours. As the boat moves,
through the cavern, the
guide could shine his light on
the glistening stalactites and
stalagmites.”

If you travel a lot on business, this will interest you.
Small cars run cheaper than full-sized models: 23¢ per mile versus 34¢ per

The Port McNeill cave mile on the average. Flying is cheaper still. About 17¢ a mile. So no mat-

also features waterfalls, ter what car you drive, it’s cheaper not to.

moon milk — soft shining It’s cheaper to fly. And the further you fly, the more you save.

limestone deposits —- and Money-wise and time-wise. 6 hours of hard driving is only 40
“even pigmented trout minutes relaxing above the clouds. Save over 5 hours and

pools.” = in one of the a lot of physical and mental wear and tear.

ei Pacific Western/Transair. We offer a full sched-
The decision to promote ule of flights to more than 50 destinations in
caves to tourists is an about- the 4 Western provinces, the Northwest
face for ithe B.C. Territories and the Yukon. Take
Speleologicl Federation, any one and prove it: in the
which represents six B.C. long haul, you're miles
caving groups. Past policy of ahe:
a majority of B.C.’s serious ahead to fly.
cavers, called spelunkers,
has been to closely guard
new cave discoveries and
keep cave locations a secret
from the public — “to
prevent rampant van-
dalism,” explains Bischoff.

GOLD MINE

But caving is a= sport
whose time has come, cavers : : _—— _ soul ginabe caso thallaap geal
say now. By opening caves ‘ - ee
to the public, they hope to
hasten much-needed
government legislation
aimed at protecting and
preserving caves. Vancouver
Island, they say, is sitting on
a tourist gold mince.

“The island has some of
the best available caving in
Canada,” says Bischoff.

“We've inventoried = more
than 650 caves, and there are

Greece

MAY 5
$1579.00

Escorted tour incl.

VANCOUVER to.

; Contact your travel agent orcall
Days of Operation

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