Cormorant Cave
Length: 50m | Grade: 5D | Surveyed: 1999-10-10
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Surveys | Survey (gif), Survey (pdf) (8.4 Meg) |
| Dimensions | Length: 50 m; Box: Length 5 m, Width 15 m, Height 16 m |
| Rock | Table Mountain Sandstone |
Cormorant Cave is a 50 m long crack in a well stratified sandstone cliff, and has the typical profile of a sea cave. At the dripline, the entrance is about 16 m high and 15 m wide, and the cave tapers in both height and width to a narrow, rounded, boulder-filled alcove at the back of the cave. As the sea widened a vertical crack to form the cave, the horizontal shale beds eroded more than the harder sandstone. This has left the cave entrance alcove surrounded by numerous ledges, most of which are well above the sea. These ledges are home to a colony of cormorants, which makes wading into the cave an interesting experience. Not only does one have to keep an eye on the waves rushing in from behind, but one also has to dodge the rain of seaweed and guano from above.
As the main entrance to the cave is open to the sea even at low tide, the easiest access to the cave is via a window in one of the cave walls. There is little caving potential in this very active sea cave.
Survey
Survey — Cormorant Cave — click image to open PDF