The
Crystal Caves
8 Crystal Caves
Road
(441) 293-0640
Many people arrive expecting
to find formations of crystal rock. But
don't be surprised: the name for these
caves comes from the incredibly clear
turquoise water in the pools within the
caves, so clear in fact, that you can
easily see the bottom through 55 feet of
water.
There are, of course, plenty
of formations for you to see. Guides will
escort you along the pontoon bridges that
crosses the pools (primarily to make sure
you don't touch the formations, which
would interrupt their growth) and point
out the incredible formation that
resembles the Manhattan skyline. He or
she is also likely to remind you of the
difference between stalactites and
stalagmites: stalactites grow down from
the cave's ceiling, while stalagmites
grow up from the cave floor. Both grow
slowly (1 cubic inch every 100 years) and
depend on the remorseless dripping of
water on stone. When stalactites and
stalagmites meet and grow together, they
are known simply as columns.
The Crystal Caves history
goes back to 1907, when two boys
discovered the caves when playing
cricket. They immediately took a lantern
and a piece of rope to explore them.
Since then, these stalagmite and
stalactite formations have been open to
the public. Ask your guide to point out
the original entrance (you can see a bit
of skylight through it) -- and be amazed
at how brave (and agile!) the boys must
have been to climb down to find this
subterranean wonderland.
Be warned that visiting the
caves requires climbing lots of steps and
may not be appropriate if you're at all
claustrophobic.
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