Application for Grant Aid
Submitted on: 31 Aug 2020Expedition details (GPF2020b-001)
Expedition Name (& Club): Mulu Caves 2021 (Numerous)
Destination country: Malaysia
Region: S.E Asia
Region: S.E Asia
Lat: 4.0691 Long: 114.8419 Elevation: 2000 m
MEF funding: Applying for MEF funding
MEF funding: Applying for MEF funding
Leader: Mr. Andrew Eavis
Total cavers: 36
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 2Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 8
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 2Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 8
UK/nonUK cavers: 31/5
Eligible for grant aid: 31
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Eligible for grant aid: 31
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 21st Feb 2021 - 25th Mar 2021
Expedition duration (days): 33
Field days: 720 Travel days: 72
Expedition duration (days): 33
Field days: 720 Travel days: 72
Brief Expedition objectives:
(1) Exploration
(2) Science
(3) Laser scanning
PLEASE NOTE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS THE DATES AND NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS COULD CHANGE.
THE NAMES OF THE EXPEDITION MEMBERS ARE NOW SET BY THE PERMIT APPLICATION.
List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.
This will be the next expedition by the Mulu Caves Project working in the Mulu National Park. This is a large expedition which will give a strong self rescue capability and will be split into three categories: -(1) Exploration
(2) Science
(3) Laser scanning
PLEASE NOTE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS THE DATES AND NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS COULD CHANGE.
THE NAMES OF THE EXPEDITION MEMBERS ARE NOW SET BY THE PERMIT APPLICATION.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:
1. Overall field support as this is an expensive expedition per individual.
2. It is hoped to particularly encourage a number of younger not so well-off members.
3. To support the scientists, particularly with post expedition expenses.
Please explain the aspects of the trip which make it eligible for Ghar Parau funding.
This will be the first expedition applying for money from the Merdeka award section of the Ghar Parau Foundation. Additional funds will be used predominantly in three ways; -1. Overall field support as this is an expensive expedition per individual.
2. It is hoped to particularly encourage a number of younger not so well-off members.
3. To support the scientists, particularly with post expedition expenses.
Detailed description of objectives:
(a) Connection of Clearwater Cave to Racer and Lagans Cave.
In 2019 a syphon was found and a torch light connection between Racer and Cave of the Winds established. This will be dived and fully surveyed to extend the Clearwater system.
(b) There are a lot of open leads in the Scrum Ring area of Clearwater. There will be a large underground camp established in this area and a number of objectives pushed.
(c) Cave of the Winds "long cut" and the far extremes of Clearwater in the Armistice series end abruptly with a 900 meter gap to Appi Chamber in White Rock Cave, this will be investigated from both sides.
(d) A host of other minor objectives all over the southern end of Mount Appi and the Deer Cave massive will be investigated.
2. The scientific work will be under the direction of Andy Farrant.
Particularly the secondary enlargement and modification of tropical caves.
The caves of the Mulu National Park are some of the largest in the World. Much of their size can be explained by normal processes by flowing water. Recent research, including that done on previous Mulu expeditions, suggests that tropical caves may continue to enlarge, even after abandonment by their formative river. The scientific objective of the Mulu Caves 2021 expedition is to assess the evidence for continued modification and enlargement of tropical caves, what drives this enlargement, and whether this is due to geological or biogenic processes or both??
Background: The Mulu caves display a wide variety of features that suggest they continue to develop long after they are drained. Many of the higher level relict passages, which are potentially several million years old have distinct passage morphologies such as large scallops, rock pendants, biogenic alteration crusts and weathering residues on the passage walls that indicate continued slow dissolution and enlargement, possibly by condensation corrosion, augmented by acidic aerosols from guano deposits. The floor of many caves have alteration crusts formed from the reaction of guano, cave sediments and drip water on the limestone bedrock. The hypothesis is that the deposition of guano by bats and swiftlets alters the chemical composition of the underlying cave sediments, and any drip waters leaching through it. The degradation of organic material can increase the acidity, enhancing dissolution, altering the underlying bedrock, forming new mineral deposits. These guano-alteration crusts are host to a number of unusual Al-phosphate minerals such as brushite, carbonate-hydroxylapatite and carbonate-fluorapatite. Guano deposition is believed to be the most important agent of phosphate enrichment of cave deposits and speleothems.
Of particular interest is how nutrients (nitrogen and phosphate in particular) are incorporated into speleothems and how these records may help us understand nutrient dynamics in the soil and vegetation zones above cave systems. Speleothems are important records of past climatic and environmental change, and part of the expedition research will be to focus on understanding phosphate cycling within tropical caves. A key aim is to understand how they are incorporated into carbonate speleothems. This expedition is part of a wider research programme to characterise the phosphorus cycle within the cave and karst system. Understanding how the cycling of P isotopes in speleothem deposits is mediated by microbiological temperature-dependant processes this offers the potential for using them as paleo-environmental proxies. Such proxies can be linked to and tested with the speleothem paleoclimate research already undertaken in Mulu by Nele Meckler and others.
A second linked research theme is investigating the role of microbes on the formation of alteration crusts, and how this is linked to speleogenesis and speleothem formation. Studies of the microbial communities will help determine how the alteration crusts form, and what impact microbial activity has on cave formation.
3. Laser Scanning
Roo Walters and the team hope to laser scan from the Main Clearwater River entrance to the end of Revival, over 4 kilometres of enormous cave passage. This will give very useful information for the scientists and be helpful towards calculating an estimate for the total volume of Clearwater cave. It will also be of potential use in the Mulu visitor centre as a fly through and 3D model.
Give a more detailed account of the purpose of the trip, including any particular known caves you intend to visit, specific areas where you will explore for new cave, and scientific experiments you will attempt.
1. Major exploration objectives see attachments.(a) Connection of Clearwater Cave to Racer and Lagans Cave.
In 2019 a syphon was found and a torch light connection between Racer and Cave of the Winds established. This will be dived and fully surveyed to extend the Clearwater system.
(b) There are a lot of open leads in the Scrum Ring area of Clearwater. There will be a large underground camp established in this area and a number of objectives pushed.
(c) Cave of the Winds "long cut" and the far extremes of Clearwater in the Armistice series end abruptly with a 900 meter gap to Appi Chamber in White Rock Cave, this will be investigated from both sides.
(d) A host of other minor objectives all over the southern end of Mount Appi and the Deer Cave massive will be investigated.
2. The scientific work will be under the direction of Andy Farrant.
Particularly the secondary enlargement and modification of tropical caves.
The caves of the Mulu National Park are some of the largest in the World. Much of their size can be explained by normal processes by flowing water. Recent research, including that done on previous Mulu expeditions, suggests that tropical caves may continue to enlarge, even after abandonment by their formative river. The scientific objective of the Mulu Caves 2021 expedition is to assess the evidence for continued modification and enlargement of tropical caves, what drives this enlargement, and whether this is due to geological or biogenic processes or both??
Background: The Mulu caves display a wide variety of features that suggest they continue to develop long after they are drained. Many of the higher level relict passages, which are potentially several million years old have distinct passage morphologies such as large scallops, rock pendants, biogenic alteration crusts and weathering residues on the passage walls that indicate continued slow dissolution and enlargement, possibly by condensation corrosion, augmented by acidic aerosols from guano deposits. The floor of many caves have alteration crusts formed from the reaction of guano, cave sediments and drip water on the limestone bedrock. The hypothesis is that the deposition of guano by bats and swiftlets alters the chemical composition of the underlying cave sediments, and any drip waters leaching through it. The degradation of organic material can increase the acidity, enhancing dissolution, altering the underlying bedrock, forming new mineral deposits. These guano-alteration crusts are host to a number of unusual Al-phosphate minerals such as brushite, carbonate-hydroxylapatite and carbonate-fluorapatite. Guano deposition is believed to be the most important agent of phosphate enrichment of cave deposits and speleothems.
Of particular interest is how nutrients (nitrogen and phosphate in particular) are incorporated into speleothems and how these records may help us understand nutrient dynamics in the soil and vegetation zones above cave systems. Speleothems are important records of past climatic and environmental change, and part of the expedition research will be to focus on understanding phosphate cycling within tropical caves. A key aim is to understand how they are incorporated into carbonate speleothems. This expedition is part of a wider research programme to characterise the phosphorus cycle within the cave and karst system. Understanding how the cycling of P isotopes in speleothem deposits is mediated by microbiological temperature-dependant processes this offers the potential for using them as paleo-environmental proxies. Such proxies can be linked to and tested with the speleothem paleoclimate research already undertaken in Mulu by Nele Meckler and others.
A second linked research theme is investigating the role of microbes on the formation of alteration crusts, and how this is linked to speleogenesis and speleothem formation. Studies of the microbial communities will help determine how the alteration crusts form, and what impact microbial activity has on cave formation.
3. Laser Scanning
Roo Walters and the team hope to laser scan from the Main Clearwater River entrance to the end of Revival, over 4 kilometres of enormous cave passage. This will give very useful information for the scientists and be helpful towards calculating an estimate for the total volume of Clearwater cave. It will also be of potential use in the Mulu visitor centre as a fly through and 3D model.
Previous work in this area:
Brook D.B. & Waltham A.C. (editors) 1978
'Caves of Mulu', Royal Geographical Society, London
Eavis A.J. (complier) 1981
'Caves of Mulu '80', Royal Geographical Society, London
Eavis A.J. (complier) 1985
'Caves of Mulu '84', British Cave Research Association, UK
Fogg P. (editor) 2000
'Benerat 2000 Expedition Report', Benerat 2000
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1989
'Mulu Caves '88 Expedition Report', Cave Science, Volume 16, No 2, British Cave Research Association, UK
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1990
'Mulu Caves '89 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves '88
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1992
'Mulu Caves '91 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves '89
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1993
'Hidden Valley '93 Reconnaissance Expedition Report', Hidden Valley '93
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1998
'The Caves of the Hidden Valley', Mulu Caves '96 & '98 Expeditions Report, Mulu Caves '96 & '98
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2008
'Mulu Caves '07 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2009
'Mulu Caves '09 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2010
'Mulu Caves 2010 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2011
'Mulu Caves 2011 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Meredith/Wooldridge/Lyon 1992
'Giant Caves of Borneo', Tropical Press Sdn. Bhd, Kuala Lumpar
Smart P & Willis R.G. (compilers) 1982
'Mulu', Cave Science, Volume 9, No 2, British Cave Research Association, UK
St John S 1862
'Life in the Forests of the Far East', Smith Elder & Co, London. Reprinted by the Oxford University Press, 1986.
Weight A. (editor) 1990
'Gunung Api Connection Expedition Report', Gunung Api Connection 1990
Willis R.G. (editor) 2003
'Benarat 2003 Expedition Report', Benarat 2003
Willis R.G. (editor) 2005
'Benarat 2005 Expedition Report', Benarat 2005
Willis R.G. (editor) 2012
'Mulu Caves 2012 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves 2012
Brown M.W. (editor) 2013
'Mulu Caves 2013 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves 2013
St Lawerence H (editor) 2014
'Mulu Caves 2014 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves 2014
Eavis R & Nixon D (editors) 2015
'Hidden Valley 2015 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project 2015
St Lawerence, H (editor) 2015
'Mulu Caves 2015 Expedition Report'
St Lawerence, H (editor) 2017
'Mulu Caves 2017 Expedition Report'
St Lawerence, H (editor) 2018
'Mulu Caves 2018 Expedition Report'
Mulu Caves October 2019 Expedition Report.
Mulu Caves January 2020 Expedition Report.
For references in cave microbiology, the reader is pointed Hazel Barton's academic page and cave science website:
https://www.uakron.edu/biology/faculty-staff/detail.dot?identity=a8592afd-3a50-4a0b-9196-ac9885f85333
http://www.cavescience.com/
Give details of any previous work in this area by your own and other teams. Include references to reports and articles published on the area, and the names of any local cavers or academics with whom you have discussed the Expedition.
There has been a massive amount of time and effort invested in Mulu over the years, and it is mostly summarised on the Mulu Caves Project website : www.mulucaves.org. Expedition reports are referenced below and all will be in the BCRA library.Brook D.B. & Waltham A.C. (editors) 1978
'Caves of Mulu', Royal Geographical Society, London
Eavis A.J. (complier) 1981
'Caves of Mulu '80', Royal Geographical Society, London
Eavis A.J. (complier) 1985
'Caves of Mulu '84', British Cave Research Association, UK
Fogg P. (editor) 2000
'Benerat 2000 Expedition Report', Benerat 2000
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1989
'Mulu Caves '88 Expedition Report', Cave Science, Volume 16, No 2, British Cave Research Association, UK
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1990
'Mulu Caves '89 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves '88
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1992
'Mulu Caves '91 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves '89
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1993
'Hidden Valley '93 Reconnaissance Expedition Report', Hidden Valley '93
Kirby M.J. (editor) 1998
'The Caves of the Hidden Valley', Mulu Caves '96 & '98 Expeditions Report, Mulu Caves '96 & '98
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2008
'Mulu Caves '07 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2009
'Mulu Caves '09 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2010
'Mulu Caves 2010 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Kirby M.J. (editor) 2011
'Mulu Caves 2011 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project
Meredith/Wooldridge/Lyon 1992
'Giant Caves of Borneo', Tropical Press Sdn. Bhd, Kuala Lumpar
Smart P & Willis R.G. (compilers) 1982
'Mulu', Cave Science, Volume 9, No 2, British Cave Research Association, UK
St John S 1862
'Life in the Forests of the Far East', Smith Elder & Co, London. Reprinted by the Oxford University Press, 1986.
Weight A. (editor) 1990
'Gunung Api Connection Expedition Report', Gunung Api Connection 1990
Willis R.G. (editor) 2003
'Benarat 2003 Expedition Report', Benarat 2003
Willis R.G. (editor) 2005
'Benarat 2005 Expedition Report', Benarat 2005
Willis R.G. (editor) 2012
'Mulu Caves 2012 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves 2012
Brown M.W. (editor) 2013
'Mulu Caves 2013 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves 2013
St Lawerence H (editor) 2014
'Mulu Caves 2014 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves 2014
Eavis R & Nixon D (editors) 2015
'Hidden Valley 2015 Expedition Report', Mulu Caves Project 2015
St Lawerence, H (editor) 2015
'Mulu Caves 2015 Expedition Report'
St Lawerence, H (editor) 2017
'Mulu Caves 2017 Expedition Report'
St Lawerence, H (editor) 2018
'Mulu Caves 2018 Expedition Report'
Mulu Caves October 2019 Expedition Report.
Mulu Caves January 2020 Expedition Report.
For references in cave microbiology, the reader is pointed Hazel Barton's academic page and cave science website:
https://www.uakron.edu/biology/faculty-staff/detail.dot?identity=a8592afd-3a50-4a0b-9196-ac9885f85333
http://www.cavescience.com/
Expedition Finances
Travel
Travel plans: |
| # from UK: | 31 | Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK): |
| Total costs from UK: | £31,000 | Flights from London to Mulu approx. £1000 per person. |
| # from outside UK: | 5 | Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK): |
| Total costs from outside UK: | £5,000 | There will be 2 travelling from the US and 3 from Europe. The best estimate at this time is £1000 each. |
| Travel total: | £36,000 | Travel p.p. from UK: | £1,000 |
| Travel p.p. from outside UK: | £1,000 |
Subsistence
| Total: | £14,400 | Comments: |
| Subsistence p.p.: | £400 | It is estimated that the average number of days people will spend in Mulu is 20 days, 20 days x 36 people = 720 man days Estimated total cost of food and accommodation is £20 per person, per day, giving a total of £400 per person and total subsistence cost of £14,400 |
Gear
| Total: | £2,250 | Comments: |
| Gear p.p.: | £63 | Medical and first aid £250 .Miscellaneous equipment particularly bolt climbing £1000, tackle bags and underground camping equipment ,another £1000. |
Special 1
| Total: | £5,000 | Comments: |
| Special 1 p.p.: | £139 | Porters £3000.00 Foreman £1000.00 Boat hire £1000.00 |
Special 2
| Total: | £5,250 | Comments: |
| Special 2 p.p.: | £146 | All expedition members will take out full expedition insurance, an estimate of this is £150.00 per head. |
| Exped Total: | £62,900 | Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: | £1,747 |
| Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: | £1,747 | ||
| Mean Exped cost per person: | £1,747 |
Other Funding
| Total: | £0 | Comments: |
| There are no definite funders at the time of application, but it is hoped a number of companies will help with modest amounts of sponsorship, including Malaysian Airlines, it is unlikely however to materially affect the overall finances. |
| Total shortfall: | £62,900 | Mean shortfall per person: | £1,747 |
Referees and Report
Please give the names, addresses and phone numbers of two suitably qualified people whom the Committee can contact. You should ensure that they are aware of the objectives of your trip, and that you have their permission for the Committee to contact them.
Referee 1: Dr. Tony Waltham
Affiliation: Retired University Lecture
Affiliation: Retired University Lecture
Reason: Mulu veteran with many years of expedition experience
Referee 2: Mr. Ben Lyon
Affiliation: Owner of caving equipment whol
Affiliation: Owner of caving equipment whol
Reason: Mulu veteran and knows many of the team very well
Expedition report author: Hugh St Lawrence