Ogof Draenen Raiders trips 07/01/2024 and 21/07/2024
The intention was to visit and photograph the end of Raiders Passage. I have already extensively photographed the fossil proto-shark spines in this passage, and will not repeat it here, however, there were a few that I missed, so these will be added in this gallery.
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Pete Bolt and Steph Andrews.
A ground beetle on the cairn at Cairn Junction, which has a distinctive thorax shoulder, and reflective upturn at the edge of the wing casing. At only 7 mm long, it is too small to be a Carabeus, and is a much closer match for a young Calathus cf. rotundicollis, which is found in that area, and has the correct head shape. It could also be an adult Calathus micropterus, but that has brighter legs. It did not want to stay still for long enough to take a clearer picture.
Modelling by Gonzales
Historic sign at the start of the passage, which temporarily denied access between 1995 and 1996 while a bat study was carried out. While the passage contains massive guano piles, they are all historical, and the passage is hardly used by bats now, compared with other parts of the cave. Access to the passage is allowed, even if the signs might seem to say otherwise. The normal way on is to traverse over the cleft until a way can be found to climb down it. However, there is a very significant side passage beyond the historical tape as well.
Anastomosis and phreatic pendants in the Raiders Passage side passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Texured mud created by freeze-thaw action during the last ice age. The purple dusting is guano.
The Raiders side passage, which links back to Indiana Highway, and almost connects to Canyon West.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
A fossil near the first right bend after the climb down. As with most fossils in this passage, it is likely to be a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, which held up the shark's fin.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Fragment of a shark bone.
Fossil spine.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Immediately after the first crawling section of the passage, this fossil, which appears to be a Psammodus tooth plate, can be seen on the wall.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Detail of the tooth plate, which was used to crush shells.
The most highly textured fossil in Raiders Passage, which I had already photographed, but have not yet been able to identify. It is almost certainly a proto-shark, like Ctenacanthus, Psammodus or Gyracanthus, but I do not know exactly which proto-shark or which bone it is.
Modelling by Steph's finger
Perhaps they are tooth buds on a jaw.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Shell bed, which appears to be a dense collection of oysters, or given that a couple are C-shaped, perhaps they are brachiopods.
Possible Ctenacanthus tooth.
For scale.
Modelling by Tarquin's indexer
Giving scale to a beautifully detailed fossil tooth plate that I had already photographed.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Dorsal spine that I had already photographed, probably belonging to a Ctenacanthus. The blood vessel holes are visible, but the classic U-shape is not.
Probable Psammodus proto-shark tooth plate. The dimpled surface was used to grip and crush mollusk shells.
Two fossils that I had already photographed.
Modelling by Tarquin's hand
Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, identifiable because of the longitudinal lines in it.
Unknown fossils with very unusual cross sections. The ring is likely to be part of a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, though they usually have a U-shaped cross section, so it is perhaps at the end of the spine where it loses that U-shape.
Probable Psammodus tooth plate.
Another ring-shaped fossil, now beyond the fault in Raiders Passage. This one has very visible longitudinal ridges, showing that it should be a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine.
The passage now mostly loses its fossils, and continues as a beautiful phreatic rift.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
A final fossil. It is not clear exactly what this is, but it will be another shark bone of some kind.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Nearing the end of the walking section.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Wall patterns near the end of the walking-sized passage.
The passage then lowers to a flat out crawl, which is quite disappointing, considering how good the passage had been beforehand.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The passage then briefly enlarges to a much larger size, with an oxbow in the right wall. The mud lines on the walls show that this has suffered from severe ponding, and that is why the rest of the passage is so heavily silted. This is the last bit of good passage.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The passage enters a heavily dolomatised area, and turns into a rift that abruptly ends.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
A dig to the left has a side passage that breaks back out into open passage.
Modelling by Pete
The first dolomite chamber.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
A dig breaks back out into another chamber, which is taped off to protect the textured mud.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Half of the chamber has beautiful scallops, but this is the last time we would see that gorgeous white rock.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The way on is a lengthy crawl, but is reasonably sized.
The crawl ends in a rift with a blind alcove, which has been backfilled. The way on is a squeeze under the wall, which Pete could not manage, so I ventured onwards alone.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The squeeze reached another dig with some caver art.
Modelling by The Happy Caver
I followed the dig through a U-bend, to reach a second one. At this point, it is only about 35 metres away from crossing Beyond A Choke, but 20 metres higher than The Score and 45 metres higher than Beyond A Choke. As I was alone, I decided to stop, but there is apparently about 35 metres more, all of a similar nature, with a side passage being the furthest point reached in the passage, about 20 metres further away from where I got to. This is such a sorry end to what is an extremely fine passage.
A ground beetle on the cairn at Cairn Junction, which has a distinctive thorax shoulder, and reflective upturn at the edge of the wing casing. At only 7 mm long, it is too small to be a Carabeus, and is a much closer match for a young Calathus cf. rotundicollis, which is found in that area, and has the correct head shape. It could also be an adult Calathus micropterus, but that has brighter legs. It did not want to stay still for long enough to take a clearer picture.
Modelling by Gonzales
Historic sign at the start of the passage, which temporarily denied access between 1995 and 1996 while a bat study was carried out. While the passage contains massive guano piles, they are all historical, and the passage is hardly used by bats now, compared with other parts of the cave. Access to the passage is allowed, even if the signs might seem to say otherwise. The normal way on is to traverse over the cleft until a way can be found to climb down it. However, there is a very significant side passage beyond the historical tape as well.
Anastomosis and phreatic pendants in the Raiders Passage side passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Texured mud created by freeze-thaw action during the last ice age. The purple dusting is guano.
The Raiders side passage, which links back to Indiana Highway, and almost connects to Canyon West.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
A fossil near the first right bend after the climb down. As with most fossils in this passage, it is likely to be a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, which held up the shark's fin.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Fragment of a shark bone.
Fossil spine.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Immediately after the first crawling section of the passage, this fossil, which appears to be a Psammodus tooth plate, can be seen on the wall.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Detail of the tooth plate, which was used to crush shells.
The most highly textured fossil in Raiders Passage, which I had already photographed, but have not yet been able to identify. It is almost certainly a proto-shark, like Ctenacanthus, Psammodus or Gyracanthus, but I do not know exactly which proto-shark or which bone it is.
Modelling by Steph's finger
Perhaps they are tooth buds on a jaw.
Lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Shell bed, which appears to be a dense collection of oysters, or given that a couple are C-shaped, perhaps they are brachiopods.
Possible Ctenacanthus tooth.
For scale.
Modelling by Tarquin's indexer
Giving scale to a beautifully detailed fossil tooth plate that I had already photographed.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Dorsal spine that I had already photographed, probably belonging to a Ctenacanthus. The blood vessel holes are visible, but the classic U-shape is not.
Probable Psammodus proto-shark tooth plate. The dimpled surface was used to grip and crush mollusk shells.
Two fossils that I had already photographed.
Modelling by Tarquin's hand
Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, identifiable because of the longitudinal lines in it.
Unknown fossils with very unusual cross sections. The ring is likely to be part of a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine, though they usually have a U-shaped cross section, so it is perhaps at the end of the spine where it loses that U-shape.
Probable Psammodus tooth plate.
Another ring-shaped fossil, now beyond the fault in Raiders Passage. This one has very visible longitudinal ridges, showing that it should be a Ctenacanthus dorsal spine.
The passage now mostly loses its fossils, and continues as a beautiful phreatic rift.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
A final fossil. It is not clear exactly what this is, but it will be another shark bone of some kind.
Modelling by Tarquin's finger
Nearing the end of the walking section.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Wall patterns near the end of the walking-sized passage.
The passage then lowers to a flat out crawl, which is quite disappointing, considering how good the passage had been beforehand.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The passage then briefly enlarges to a much larger size, with an oxbow in the right wall. The mud lines on the walls show that this has suffered from severe ponding, and that is why the rest of the passage is so heavily silted. This is the last bit of good passage.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The passage enters a heavily dolomatised area, and turns into a rift that abruptly ends.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
A dig to the left has a side passage that breaks back out into open passage.
Modelling by Pete
The first dolomite chamber.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
A dig breaks back out into another chamber, which is taped off to protect the textured mud.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Half of the chamber has beautiful scallops, but this is the last time we would see that gorgeous white rock.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The way on is a lengthy crawl, but is reasonably sized.
The crawl ends in a rift with a blind alcove, which has been backfilled. The way on is a squeeze under the wall, which Pete could not manage, so I ventured onwards alone.
Modelling by Pete, lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The squeeze reached another dig with some caver art.
Modelling by The Happy Caver
I followed the dig through a U-bend, to reach a second one. At this point, it is only about 35 metres away from crossing Beyond A Choke, but 20 metres higher than The Score and 45 metres higher than Beyond A Choke. As I was alone, I decided to stop, but there is apparently about 35 metres more, all of a similar nature, with a side passage being the furthest point reached in the passage, about 20 metres further away from where I got to. This is such a sorry end to what is an extremely fine passage.