Balincaguin Conservancy Grotto

During Charley Nelson’s annual pilgrimages in-country, we would go caving in the country side looking for both horizontal and vertical voids. The latter would be more exciting, for it will improve our on-rope skills especially rigging, which requires intensive material analysis to where we would place padded webbing and even the rope itself on trees. Rigging usually takes more time than it is to do the pit since most of the drops we saw are no more than 70 feet, the deepest being the Bentanilya drop.

This year Paul and Jojo were both unavailable for vertical caving and Charley agreed to be an advisor of the Balincaguin Conservancy (BC), so we decided to train some BC members on vertical works. Charley only have 3 sets of rigging that include my set and his; this is where the fun and complication begins. Using Edwin’s tricycle, some member’s motorbike and Charley's good old Revo we would find our way every weekend in Cacupangan Cave System. With its amenities, vegetation and the open canyon it is a perfect place for an introduction to single rope technique and advance classes.

With Charley having all the vertical training and practice in the Southern California Grotto and having been a full time vertical instructor of the San Joaquin Valley Grotto, both of the National Speleological Society (NSS), we are honored having him as the conservancy’s instructor. I acted as a part time spotter and translator with my not so enhanced vertical skill. Session started out smoothly with knot tying and ropemanship as the first topic. Charley discussed different knots , their safety applications aswell as the dangers of tying them the wrong way. We concentrated on the figure eight family as the primary knots in rigging, butterfly and figure nine knots were also discussed.

Afterwards, we showed the members the principles of rigging and got them directly involved in working with the actual knots. Under our favorite mango tree while I and Charley supervised, we let them do the rigging. A bombproof rig using tensionless hitch, wrap twice around the tree trunk was first tied were the other end was tossed over a big tree limb to be used to rig a pulley using another rope, the other end has been attach  to a mini rack as a treadmill. In this manner, we could always lower somebody in case he got stucked on rope. Next we introduced them to the frog rig; its advantage over other rigs and its principles. Then the actual climbing practice were we allowed them to go on ascending, change over and descending after Charley discussed the correct use of each frog rig components and after we let them do it on a bunny slope. Using just three frog rigs, they took turns climbing the treadmill while I do the spot and Charley instructs, always reminding them the safety of maintaining at least two points of contact, to concentrate on form and efficiency rather than speed, and staying cool on rope.

Though "changing over" was a bit confusing to them, as always for beginners, Charley was more impressed than disappointed on how the members easily picked up the basics in no time. Often, when a shorter member would use my rig, they find it hard to do a change over since my cowstail is longer than any of the rigs used. A manifestation that a frog rig should be adjusted to a person's body size. Sting suffered the same fate during a vertical practice up north, he got jammed on rope 15 feet off the ground so I have to talk him over doing a change over until I finally figured that is arduous or even impossible for him to disconnect his chest ascender on my long cowstail. We have to let him climb all the way to the top instead of descending. To solve the problem, we usually tie a knot on the cowstail to make it shorter for the members to be more effecient.  Charley decided to let them do the canyon later in the afternoon, after they had sufficient practice on the treadmill and are confident enough on rope. One by one they did the canyon slowly but safely with a redirect to complicate things, but things went well. Derigged, and everyone did have a grand time.

Charley gave more sessions including one at the bridge over Mabini River that caused traffic to curious by passers and motorist; this was to be a prerequisite before doing Bentanilya drop for their graduation.  Plans chanced due to the concerns of doing it again at the bridge, so we agreed to do it instead at the Ice Cream Cone Room in Cacupangan to get a little taste of doing it in the dark, just in time for Daniel Veelik and Betty Farfan’s visit in the country who both helped supervised the session of two redirects on a 50 foot drop. Everyone but one member of the conservancy did the drop safely that even Betty and Daniel, who was a record holder of a frog rig climbing competition, were also impressed. The two even bought the beers after the class, and together with Charley pledged their support for the common cause of speleology. Unfortunately, it was also a farewell for Daniel and Betty, so exchange of goodbyes and thank yous were made.

Graduation was excitedly anticipated in Bentanilya, but torrential rains started pouring for days. Charley decided to return to the states earlier than planned because of the weird weather, so the big one would have to be postponed during Charley’s next visit.

In behalf of the members of the Balincaguin Conservancy, a big thanks to Daniel, Betty and Charley for graciously sharing your technical know how in caving.

Salamat guys... CHEERS!

By Rawen