Issue 145 - December/January 1998/99

(Click cover for full view).

Cover: Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bats in Drotsky's Cave, Botswana. Photo by Ben Lovett

Features:

A Speleologist's Southport

Cavers descended upon Southport for the annual caving conference, Hidden Earth. Here is the full report covering the lectures, competitions and the Tackle Bag Stuffing Woman!

The Exploration of Beck Head

The Cumbrian area of limestone near Witherslack has attracted the interest of cavers for many years. One site, Beck Head, called for an underwater dig.

The Most Southerly Caves on Earth

With 'new' caving areas such as Mulu, Papua New Guinea and the undiscovered limestones of China now firmly on the caver's hit list, are the karstic islands off Chile our planet's last virgin caving region?

A Giant Christmas Dinner!

Had your annual caving club dinner yet? No? Planned your Christmas festivities? No? Here's one group that celebrated with a slap-up meal - in the depths of a cave!

With a Little Skullduggery

Members of Derbyshire's Pegasus CC continue their downwards trend, and come up with yet more bones.

Dante's Inferno

'I stand up in a chamber where shadows race, huge against the dim walls. Sweat runs through my eyes to drip from my chin. The air, reeking of urea, sticks in my throat.' In Drotsky's Cave, in the heart of Botswana.

Plus the last chance to enter the latest caption competition and win one of five videos, and all the news from around the regions ...