Originally uploaded by Mic2006.
You would almost expect gollum to come flapping around the corner. My son, about the size of a hobbit back then, would have been left to deal with him as I bolted for the surface – an exercise in character building. Actually, this picture was taken about 13 years ago when Joshua was still young. We had visited Dewdney’s and spent the day beneath the ground exploring its many pristine tube-like passages. The local rock is amazingly white and clean.
Dewdney’s is a classic cave, well known to Ontario cavers. it is one of the better examples of an northern cave along the edge of the Canadian shield. Marcus Buck theorized that the tunnels had formed more rapidly than one might normally expect because of the effect of the especially acidic water on the exposed Ordovician age limestone. In Ontario it is largely limestone of this age that is exposed at the edge of the Canadian Shield.
The cave had developed beneath a plateau that is surrounded by swamp. It is for this reason that a visit is best done with a liberal dose of bug juice (mosquitoe repellant). A number of streams pass under this limestone table and because the water table has varied quite drastically over the last several hundred years, the tunnels though once suspected to have formed entirely beneath the water table have now taken on a flat bottomed – keyhole shape. The industrious beaver, a scrouge of the local farmland has had a significant effect on this land drainage war. No sooner do locals empty the swamp than those dastardly critters sneak in again and begin their damming activities.
The Toronto Cave Group (TCG) have arranged for a trip to Dewdney’s this month under the very excellent guidance of that most capable caver – Lori Nichols. By all accounts the trips that she leads are very enjoyable. She conducts the outing with a view to the capabilities and enjoyment of all. There are a great many “newbies” (new cavers) registered for that outing. They are in for an exciting day!
AMAZING photo…probably my favorite of yours.
Great work.
-Zack
Hey Zac, thanks for dropping by again. I’ll make a caver of you yet! As for the photo, I took it with a tripod that I had laboriously hauled down there. It is a slow exposure using incandescent light for the orange background and a portable fluorescent light for the whiter foreground.
Hey there, thanks for your comment on my blog (I replied btw). Inspires me to pick it up again…
Your descriptions of land and cave scapes illicit beautiful and enticing imagery for me. No doubt, having read them, they’ll influence the settings of my novel plot(s). Thanks again, I hope someday to move to Canada actually…
Cheers
That’s a neat picture. Great lighting and reflection
where is this cave nither your article nor the book tell it’s whereabouts???
I am unable to reveal the whereabout for reasons of landowner privacy but there are lots of other amazing places in the province. Mick
Hi there, do you know of anyone going to this cave in may or june as I am planning to attempt a trip but the book does not give a clear description of the location of the cave enterence.
thanks
-James
Today I picked up your book in Algonquin Outfitters and I got really excited about visiting Dewdneys Cave it looks beautiful. I too wondered why there were no directions. So let me get this straight you published information about a beautiful cave in a guide book but you can’t tell us where it is? Isn’t that a little cruel? Come on my life was fine until I saw that picture and read your Tolkien description. It would have been better if you had not mentioned it at all. Ok seriously do I need to join a club pay for a guide or what? This cave looks amazing.
yes where is this cave
I know the feeling, somebody had mentioned an Ontario cave to me and provided a map and occupied at least 3 years of my time looking on and off for it – does it even really exist? I am beginning to wonder that. I always say that there is no easy way to learn about Ontario’s caves. Begin by joining a caving club. You will make personal contacts there who will share info with you once they know you well. There is lots to see, but Ontario is not the only place. Next time you plan a holiday, go somewhere that you already know has caves and hire a guide or something. Thats an easy way to see some spectacular caves quite fast.
Are you all aware the caves are to be dug up when they start harvesting the limestone at this area if it gets a quarry permit? Sad that such a natural wonder will disappear perhaps forever.
Well, you could make the public aware of the caves or you could delete my comment.
Either way, I’ve contacted the stop the quarry association and provided them with the location. This cave is the key to stopping that quarry, and its time we share this natural gem instead of selfishly squandering it away.
As you know, I’m not about publishing the location of a cave – nor do I think it would help preserve the cave to do so. Enough cavers read this site that if something is happening, they will know by your stating generalities (exact locations are not necessary). Discussion on sensitive topics can be taken off-line by interested parties.
http://www.galwaycavendishharvey.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=CdygrB3Uchs%3D&tabid=77
This is the groundwater assessment. From the looks of the map, the quarry will be well away from the caverns. However, it will likely prevent future public access to the site as the road will be privatized.
If a blast from the quarry goes through the water table these beautiful caves will be flooded and the water will go dear knows where…………….is there not the possibility of sink holes with these caves???
did you know that the site is slated to be a quarry with blasting. township of galway cavendish & harvy just passed an amendment to o.p. Jan 18th 2013
went out to the caves yesterday and the land owners refuse to let anyone on site due to the proposed quarry.