Cave expedition Tlemcen 2011 (Algeria)
Exploring Tafna cave ( Ghar Boumaaza) et Kaf El Kaoues cave
It is not fortuitous that Tlemcen was chosen to be the capital of Islamic culture in 2011. This region of western Algeria holds nearly 70% of Algeria's Islamic heritage, it is also known for its natural wonders, beautiful beaches as Ghazaouet or Agla, the heights overlooking the sea and its vast and mythical caves like the show cave of Beni Aad, the cave of "Kef Elkaoues" and the famous underground river "Tafna". Tlemcen, the rich heritage city, both cultural and geological heritage.
After a first contact, during the expedition “ Anu Boussouil 2010”, with our friends Algerian cavers, and responding the invitation of the caving and Mountain Activities Association of Bejaia, the caving club of Zaghouan representing the youth center and the Caving Association of Zaghouan newly created, participated from September 29 to October 3 in exploration of two mythic caves in western Algeria more precisely in the wilaya of Tlemcen. The expedition to these caves, long time remained accessible only for foreign cavers, aims to explore the Tafna up to 4000m where a siphon (80m length) ; exploring the unexplored parts of the southern network of the cave "Kef Elkaouss" and the search for the transition to the northern network and the famous window that overlooks the sea.
Tafna Cave
The Tunisian team had landed to Algiers on sunday to be recovered the next morning by the Algerian team, the reunion was warm after a year of absence. We tooke the new East-West highway, destination Tlemcen. We were 11 cavers, including two lovely ladies Fériel and Karima. After 5 hours of driving, we stopped for some purchases in Tlemcen, then we followed the road to Sebdou through Terni to reach our destination at sunset.
A panel on the road indicate "Ghar Boumâaza", named after a martyr fell near the cave. The karst area is situated on a hill covered with sparse vegetation. In the left side of the road 22, connecting Sebdou to Tlemcen, is located a huge hole in the rock that gives toward the interior of an underground river called the “Tafna”.
We installed the base camp above the entrance of the cave. The next morning things are getting serious, everyone prepared his wetsuit and checks the swelling of the buoy in addition to the canoe of Hamid, Douli volunteered to remain on the surface. Exploration was designed to meet the unique siphon in the cave located 4km from the entrance.
Clic ont the picture to see the panoramic view 360°
We entered the cave early in afternoon. The entrance consists of a watertable about 7 meters wide that overlooks a rock hard limestone outcropping almost in summer, except a point on the left side where the level difference is deeper and reaches forty centimeters. Narrow or wide, high or low ceilings, the galleries of the cave offer a varied spectacle: corridors, chambers, pools, basins with stalactites and stalagmites. The first section of the gallery was 470m in length along a broken line where alternate parts submerged and dry parts. The lake entrance is followed by the "bat gallery ", the "corridor of debris" and "hall of pillars." Elbow Lake is followed in turn by a gallery littered with rubble. The second section explored is the real underground river almost uninterrupted over 3.4 km from the "Lake of the islands" to the "gallery Tantalus."
The first exploration of the cave of Ghar Boumâaza dates back to 1931 by Henry MARCEL, who was in looking for water supplies for power generation and irrigation. From 1931 to 1959, other expeditions are made by explorers who successfully passed the main drain and covered a distance of 4 km. expeditions were taken in 1982 with more specific objectives for the study of the topography, water chemistry, geology, etc. ...). The current topography reported over 18 km of development and according to Mr. Bernard COLLIGNON, one of the last cavers to enter the cave, it continues surely.
Our move was fast thanks to Alaanka who came in recognition last May with Rédha ATTIA and have done few hundred meters. The first lake, which is about a hundred metres long and in widths from 4 to 8m and a depth reaching up to almost 6m in some places (the same maximum is found in the second and the third lake) is located in a vault with a height between 40 cm and 10m.
It is followed by a tunnel about 700m long and 4m high and average vault strewn with sliding blocks.
The second lake has the same length as the first, but the width is about 15m and the height of arch between 10m and 15m. The water of these lakes is very clear. We could distinguish perfectly every detail of the rocks from the bottom through the light of Hamid who was progressing under water fitted with its diving equipment. After this second lake, the second tunnel, about 200m long and 12-15m height of the vault. The limestone boulders are still larger than the first. The third lake can measure 2000m long with a width of 4 to 6m and a height of vault 3 to 4m.
After the third lake, the third tunnel, extremely rugged and which is about 250m long. Finally, for the fourth time, only water until the siphon. Indeed it is no longer a lake, but a big watertable cut of two falls, one of which is very beautiful.
After climbing the first cascade, the transition is particularly difficult, the roof lowered to 80 cm or more. Then again the river is deep, always against a light current, thousands of stalactites hanging down to the water, and between them it was difficult to navigate.
A second cascade occurs, blocking the river at an angle of 45 degrees to its axis. After that, there were new forests of stalactites.
Then appears a spacious chamber and the river takes an average width, the vault is bristled, instead of stalactites we found spikes of very sharp rocks arriving almost at water level.
Finally, after one last passage similar to that of the entrance, the siphon. It measures about 10m wide. The water had an absolute clarity and a beautiful blue color.
The depth does not exceed 6m. The team came out at 2 am, it was up 8 hours to reach the siphon 4 km and 6 hours on the way back. At the end everyone was happy and satisfied.
Kef Elkaouss cave
The Tafna objectives achieved, destination "Kef Elkaouess." Morning departure for Honain, 50 km from Tlemcen on the side of the sea, we choose to spend the night on the beautiful beach of Agla. Arrived early in the afternoon on the tableland below the cave with a wonderful view over the cliff on the beach of Agla with large rocks out of the sea as mermaids. we install the camp, and a small meeting is required before attacking the cave. A first team composed by Fériel, Karima, Kamel, Fateh, Alaanka, Abid, Hanafi, Meher and Ghassen attacks the descent of the cliff which was not simple at all and even a little bit dangerous in some places to reach the entrance of the cave. The first difficulty of "Kef Elkaouess" was to be located, already from the beginning, we must know on which entrance we came.
The second difficulty was to know in which part of the cave we are, fortunately the survey is very well detailed.
We moved, survey in hand, in the labyrinth of the southern network of the cave while heading to the question marks on the survey, we came across a small chamber not reported on the survey (premier !!!!) but otherwise it usually ends up on narrow passages. Formations of this cave are white and enormous and we saw that majority was formed under water. We proposed during the break to give names to the various chambers of the cave and in that moment the Vice-President of the Association of Bejaia, Fateh, announced the visit of Mr Bernard COLLIGNON tomorrow, the French caver who started 25 years ago the exploration and the survey of the southern network and discovered the northern network. At this moment we decided to name this chamber "the Surprise ".
After 7 hours of exploration, the team came out at 1 am by another entrance in the southern network.
The next morning we were joined by Rédha Attia, Mr Med BELAOUD, Mr Malek, a geologist and Mr Rami, a geologist and former caver, accompanied by Mr. Bernard COLLIGNON, who explained the conditions under which he began the exploration of "Kef Elkaouess" sometimes alone. We enter the cave from another entrance not far from the main entrance, Mr Collignon tried, survey in hand to remember where to go to the northern network of the cave. After an hour of research, Meher came to locate a narrow passage at ground level that matches the description of the French caver and it was the famous passage. This was composed of a succession of several narrow passages to finally find the large volumes of the magnificent northern network which is also a maze. We came across a strange crystalline formation resembling gypsum, but after examining Mr Rami tell us that it is not because the gypsum is easily scratched by human nail and this is not the case. We were moving in this wonderful maze. Towards the end of the exploration we were able to reach our final objective which was to find the small window that overlooks the sea, and it was not easy.
When we were out, everyone was exhausted and we slept like babies. The next morning we said goodbye to our friends cavers overnight. The time has come for the great departure, a small closing meeting of the expedition was organized on the camp. Then head for Algiers (580 km), to be arrived at 8pm. We, the Tunisian delegation as always says Karima, said goodbye and thank our Algerian brothers for their hospitality, friendliness and organization, while wishing them good road to Bejaia. Last night in Algiers, we return back the next day by plane to our beloved country after five days of intense caving in mythical caves in western Algeria. A successful expedition at all levels, goals achieved and North African cooperation strongly increased. well done and the next.
Meher Melaouhia
