!Kids cave
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agk's diary 
20 February 2024 @ 04:17 UTC
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written on GPD Win 1
in bed after work
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After taking my 2-year-old along on a 4-hour caving
trip last fall, I really wanted to try taking more
young kids on a challenging cave trip.

I organized and led a kids caving trip on Saturday,
to Pine Hill. It was a blast. Our crew of ten
included my daughter, another adventurous 2-year-
old, a 6-year-old, a 10-year-old, me, Evy, and four 
other adults. We all got as far as the main fork. I
took the older kids on to the right toward the
tower domes to chimney around before we headed out.

The water was high. It was -4C at the entrance. We
turned off our lights at snack breaks. The 6-year-
old got scared the first time, then couldn't wait
for the second chance to get scared in the dark.
The other 2-year-old almost fell asleep in the
dark. I hoped to see no bats, based on my trip to
Pine Hill during Wormfest, but there were a few.
The kids were good about whispering when adults saw
bats til we told them they could talk normally.

On the way out into the cold, my daughter and the
6-year-old girl cried. They got cold changing out
of soaking wet clothes before the hike up to the
cars. Hot chocolate, fleece blankets, and snacks
revived them. The 6-year-old and 10-year-old are
cave crazy now. I'll take them in more caves.

Possibly the most sore I've gotten caving. Carrying 
18 kilos of child through wet crawls will do that. 
Elbows, knees, forearms bruised as always. Another 
adult and I talked about safety and conservation on
the way in and out. Getting the next generation
started young!