Sarawak chamber
Encyclopedia
The Sarawak Chamber is a huge chamber in Gua Nasib Bagus (Good Luck Cave), which is located in Gunung Mulu National Park
, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak
on the island of Borneo
. It is considered to be the largest known underground chamber in the world.
jungle in Sarawak
, in the north of Borneo
, in an expedition led by fellow Englishman Ben Lyon. While they were surveying some of the newly found caves in the region, they stumbled into what seemed to be a huge cavern. Even with their powerful lamps, the explorers could not see the other end of the chamber; they had entered the largest known enclosed space in the world.
Later named the Sarawak Chamber, it was three times the size of the Big Room in Carlsbad Caverns National Park
, New Mexico
, previously thought to be the largest underground chamber. The Sarawak Chamber measured 700 m (2,300 feet) long, 400 m (1,300 feet) wide and at least 70 m (230 feet) high. The chamber is now firmly situated as the largest in the world.
The cave was in a region filled with at-that-time newly-discovered caves in the Gunung Mulu National Park
, and this particular one is called Lubang Nasib Bagus or Good Luck Cave. To reach the Sarawak Chamber, one must follow the river upstream from the cave entrance. This long passage has a roof of at least 60 metres high, and does require some swimming and a traverse along a ledge. The story of how it was discovered is told in a 1985 book Underground Worlds by Donald Jackson
and also in Giant Caves of Borneo by Meredith, Wooldridge and Lyon.
in the soil, occurring between 2 and 5 million years ago. The second is the erosion of the soft limestone and other rocks, and coupled with high rainfall of the surrounding rainforest
, these processes made the chamber we see today.
Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
on the island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. It is considered to be the largest known underground chamber in the world.
Discovery
The chamber was discovered by three Englishmen in January 1981. Andy Eavis, Dave Checkley and Tony White (all experienced cave explorers) had been exploring the dense, unpopulated area of the Gunung Mulu National ParkGunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
jungle in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, in the north of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, in an expedition led by fellow Englishman Ben Lyon. While they were surveying some of the newly found caves in the region, they stumbled into what seemed to be a huge cavern. Even with their powerful lamps, the explorers could not see the other end of the chamber; they had entered the largest known enclosed space in the world.
Later named the Sarawak Chamber, it was three times the size of the Big Room in Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show cave, Carlsbad Caverns...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, previously thought to be the largest underground chamber. The Sarawak Chamber measured 700 m (2,300 feet) long, 400 m (1,300 feet) wide and at least 70 m (230 feet) high. The chamber is now firmly situated as the largest in the world.
The cave was in a region filled with at-that-time newly-discovered caves in the Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
, and this particular one is called Lubang Nasib Bagus or Good Luck Cave. To reach the Sarawak Chamber, one must follow the river upstream from the cave entrance. This long passage has a roof of at least 60 metres high, and does require some swimming and a traverse along a ledge. The story of how it was discovered is told in a 1985 book Underground Worlds by Donald Jackson
Donald Jackson
Donald George Jackson, CM is a retired Canadian figure skater. He captured four Canadian titles and a bronze medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics...
and also in Giant Caves of Borneo by Meredith, Wooldridge and Lyon.
Geology and formation
The chamber is due to two main factors. The first of which is upliftTectonic uplift
Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by plate tectonics which increases elevation. The opposite of uplift is subsidence, which results in a decrease in elevation. Uplift may be orogenic or isostatic.-Orogenic uplift:...
in the soil, occurring between 2 and 5 million years ago. The second is the erosion of the soft limestone and other rocks, and coupled with high rainfall of the surrounding rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
, these processes made the chamber we see today.
External links
- Description of the Hidden Valley cave complex at Mt. Mulu, of which the Good Luck Cave with the Sarawak Chamber is a part.
- Short description at www.showcaves.com