Coles Cave


Useful Information

Location: St Thomas Parish, Barbados (Long: -59,56667, Lat: 13,18333) (59° 34' 0W, 13° 10' 60N)
Open: No restrictions.
[2010]
Fee: free.
[2010]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: A=225 m asl, L=1,000 m.
Guided tours:  
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography: M Buck (1981): The Florida Entomologist, 1981, 64 (4) plan.
E. Seeliger-Mander (1997): Barbados, Insel unter dem Wind, 264 pp Bielesfeld, (Reise Know-How). Coles Cave p 204 (Deutsch - German)
Address:  
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

used as a shelter by slaves running away from the sugar plantations.
1969 Shedith's Cave discovered.

Description

Next to Harrisson's Cave, in a natural jungle, entered via Jack-in-the-Box-Gully. It is not gated and there are no restrictions on access. It is said that a local person will show visitors around the cave but I have not been able to contact him.

The descent into Coles Cave is via a steep gully, this is the easiest of the three entrances. Inside there is a series of roomy passages c 3 meters high and up to 4 meters wide with some nice speleothems, which eventually lead down to the watertable. As this is the island drinking water please take care not to contaminate it. Coles Cave is undoubtedly part of the Harrisson's Cave System but to-date no connection has been found.

In 1969 a team of American and Danish cave divers, led by Ron Reil and Ole Sorrensen (see link below) passed a sump and found a dry series which they called Shedith's Cave after Ole's wife.

A bat, Brachyphylla minor, was found in Coles Cave. (Ref: Miller (1913): Coles Cave, St. Thomas Parish, Barbados, Lesser Antilles, Proc Biol Soc Washington Vol 26 32).


Text by Tony Oldham (2003). With kind permission.