Bewleys Caves
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Location
Along North bank of Finisk river, near Clashnadarriv village
Description
Entrances to Beleys Cave 3 - The Cave of Glowing Green Lake
Previous records
Irish Speleology no 13, 1989.
Accounts of two exploratory trips in 1988 by Peter F. Ryder
No previous record of diving in any of caves in the area.
Notes
Recent dives
27.02.2009
Diver: Artur Kozlowski
Support: Brendan O'Brien
1. Bewley Cave III - Cave of Glowing Green Lake
20m from cave entrance party found 3x3m in diameter...glowing green lake. In crystal clear water shaft could be seen descending to at least -4m. Diver went down and on -3m shaft opened to 4x5m . He continued to -10m where line has been leaded and some low section passed and kept on descending to silty bottom at -21m. From there way on started ascending but unfortunately at -17m passage seemed to be blocked by mud. Vis at this stage was very bad, diver started ascending and checking for side passages. Two has been found: one was connected to sumped hole near the entrance while the other connected to two much smaller lakes inside the cave. Bit disappointing from exploratory point of view but great and unexpected cavern dive anyway. Line left in place - diver felt that site should be rechecked as he could easily have missed something in limited visibility caused by disturbed silt.
2. Bewley Cave IV - Barrel Trap
Sumped hole in big depression. Diver went in for about 7m, depth -3m only to find himself in 2x3m submerged chamber with no way on. Quick return in no vis but somehow way out became uncomfortably small. Finally diver broke to the surface, water at this stage turned to muck. It turned out that as soon as he descended, rusted barrel followed him swiftly partially blocking the exit.
3. Bewley Cave West - Measureless Cave
Entrance needed a bit of redigging but eventually A.K. fitted in without diving gear. After 30m or so he arrived to The Piranha Pond named after plumbing line dropped by exploring party had been caught and had had to be cut ("something grabbed the end of tape and wouldn't let go" ). He jumped in bravely with drysuit and mask only as it didn't seem to him to be worth of bringing bottles. Passage didn't seem to continue under the water in any reasonably passable way. In the meantime B. O'B. had engineered the entrance so exit was somehow easier.
On the way down we spotted some promising undercuttings and overhangs in river bank so they decided to investigate them on the way back. Apart of some impenetrable openings nothing interesting has been found.
