Liverpool University Expedition to Jamaica

During summer 1977, five members of the Liverpool University Potholing Club spent six weeks working and exploring in the caves of Jamaica. The team consisted of Don McFarlane, John Dye, Malcolm Macduff, Mike Roger and Barry Williams, all of whom contributed to this report. The expedition base was at Troy, where the villagers are owed a debt of gratitude for their hospitality. This placed the expedition in the heart of the cave region, and a number of new caves and shafts were discovered and explored. The main discovery was the Still Waters Cave, located near Accompong, where 11,800 feet of passages were explored during the second half of the stay in Jamaica. Studies were carried out not only in the cockpit karst around Troy, but also in the Hellshire Hills and Portland Ridge karsts on the south coast of the island. In addition, a flying visit was paid to the John Crow Mountains near the eastern end of the island. A single stalactite adorned cave (Hog House Hole at Map Ref. 763 445) was discovered. Though only 30 feet long, this is significant, as it is one of the very few caves known in the John Crow Mountains, even though they consist of massive limestone in a high relief terrain with a high rainfall