The Deadlist Cave

In 1938 a farmer in southeastern australia decided to bring his horses to a watering hole on the other side of his large property as he was leading the horses across this big wide open field one of his horses suddenly just collapsed to the ground the farmer ran over to see what was going on but as soon as he got over to it the horse had stood back up again and seemed totally unhurt.

The farmer was perplexed as he had no clue about the reason behind the horse's initial fall. Consequently, he glanced downwards to check if the horse had stumbled upon something. To his surprise, he noticed a small hole directly beneath the horse. Swiftly, he relocated his horse and returned to examine the object again.

He realized that the opening was roughly a foot in diameter. However, as he leaned forward to examine it more closely, he discovered that it extended to a significant depth. Intrigued, he lowered himself onto his hands and knees in order to gain a better view. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he was astounded by the sight that greeted him. Approximately 10 or 15 feet beneath the surface, there lay an expansive pool of crystal-clear water. The horse had inadvertently stumbled upon the roof of an underground cave. Filled with anticipation, the farmer hastily rounded up all his horses and led them back to the stable, eager to explore the size of this remarkable cave.

He acquired a lengthy measuring rope with a weighted end he swiftly returned to the hole, inserted the weight into it, and proceeded to unravel the rope. The weight descended deeper and deeper, progressing in increments of 10 feet—10, 20, 30—until it finally made contact with solid ground at the impressive depth of 120 feet. The farmer was awe-struck by the vastness of the cave he had stumbled upon. Believing he had reached the bottom, he began to retrieve the rope. However, to his surprise, it continued extending downward for nearly 300 additional feet. Unbeknownst to him, the farmer and his horse had serendipitously discovered one of the world's most enchanting and treacherous freshwater caves, known as The Shaft.

The underwater cave, known as "the shaft," earns its name due to the sole entrance and exit point through a hole in the center of a field, created by a horse. This hole serves as a literal shaft, extending 18 feet downward until it reaches the surface of a vast underground body of water. The opening of this shaft is so narrow that cave divers cannot enter with their gear on their backs. Instead, they must be lowered into the cave alone, while their equipment is lowered separately and put on while treading water. Previously, the farmer had mistakenly believed that the solid ground he touched at 120 feet was the bottom of the cave. However, he had actually reached the top of a structure called the rock pile, which resembles a large underwater pyramid. Located at the bottom of the cave, the rock pile offers various pathways downward from its peak. Once at the bottom, divers face a choice between two tunnels. One tunnel, heading west at an angled descent, leads to a dead end at 260 feet. On the other side of the underwater pyramid lies the eastern tunnel, which presents a more perilous journey with a steeper decline to a depth of 400 feet.

The handful of elite divers who have ventured into the deepest corners of this cave describe it as having three distinct stages. Stage one extends from the surface to a depth of 120 feet, which marks the top of the rock pile. During this initial stage, divers enjoy clear and beautiful water, with sunlight filtering through a hole. It's a relatively easy section of the cave, and there's a safety line anchored from the surface down to the top of the rock pile, providing divers with a secure point to hold onto as they descend and ascend.

Stage two is where things become more challenging. It commences at the top of the rock pile and continues all the way down to either the dead end of the westerly tunnel at 260 feet or down to the 200-foot mark of the easterly tunnel, leading to a feature known as the 'drop-off ledge.' This ledge, situated in the middle of the tunnel, represents a steep drop beyond it. Stage two is distinct because there is no longer a safety line to guide the diver's path. Once divers reach the top of the rock pile, they navigate down in any direction they choose to access these tunnels. However, upon entering these tunnels, visibility diminishes rapidly, as sunlight can't penetrate deep into them. Divers become increasingly reliant on their flashlights, and they must exercise caution to avoid contact with the tunnel walls. Bumping into the walls dislodges limestone silt, creating a blinding cloud that renders them practically blind. It's akin to navigating through thick fog, where a flashlight can't penetrate. Divers must either wait for the silt to settle, which can take a considerable amount of time, or swim blind. Furthermore, anyone entering stage two and stage three cannot breathe regular air from their tanks. Regular air contains too much nitrogen, and as divers descend deeper, their bodies absorb more nitrogen. Excess nitrogen can lead to a condition known as nitrogen narcosis, which is comparable to being inebriated. In extreme cases, individuals have been known to remove their mouthpieces and inhale water, believing they are at the surface, or they may confuse the direction of up with down, inadvertently swimming deeper until it's too late to return to the surface.

Divers preparing to enter stage 2 or stage 3 of this cave undergo specialized gas mixture training with reduced nitrogen content. Stage 3, the final segment of the descent, spans from the 200-foot mark in the easterly cave, continuing down to the bottom at 400 feet. This stage is exceptionally perilous; once you pass the drop-off ledge, all natural light vanishes, plunging the tunnel into absolute darkness. The passageway narrows significantly and remains exceptionally tight throughout. Divers often find themselves squeezing through sections where the rocks are closely spaced. Given the inherent contact with the walls in stage 3, silt is a constant concern. Even with the use of a low-nitrogen gas mix, nitrogen narcosis is a near certainty at these depths. Divers must remain vigilant and be prepared to abort the dive at any moment if they experience symptoms. When a diver turns back and begins the return journey while still in the third stage of the cave, they should exercise caution when encountering false domes. These are unique formations found only in this third stage, which can resemble exit points. In challenging conditions where visibility is compromised and oxygen levels are low, panic can set in, making it easy to mistake false domes for the way out. However, these false domes are exactly what their name suggests – they are deceptive dead ends, leading nowhere. Stage 3 is exclusively reserved for exceptionally skilled cave divers who have obtained special permission."

Today divers have to get permission to dive into any stage of "The Shaft" because previous death already occurred.