Žan Kafol Aerial & cave photographer SL
Journal

Photo story

Victory is a State of Mind

CavesChess
Two helmeted cavers recreate a famous chess scene at a folding table deep inside a dark cave.

In the spirit of recreation's double meaning:

Tobija, Miha and I decided to climb to the bottom of Javorniško Brezno 2 (a.k.a. Jama pod Volčjim vrhom, KŠ 2716).

Right at the entrance we spotted the 3D-printed IZRK plates I had made, with Hobo temperature and humidity loggers, but unfortunately I did not know who had installed them; otherwise I would have collected the data as well. Next time :)

Two monitoring tags hang from rough pale limestone inside a cave, one displaying a small digital reading.

We also brought a chess set, of course not to play, but to recreate the famous pose from the photograph mentioned above.

Two helmeted cavers in red suits play chess on a yellow stretcher inside the dark, rocky Javorniško Brezno 2.
A red-clad caver moves through an immense striated chamber, dwarfed by sweeping rock walls and pools of artificial light.
Two helmeted cavers stand chest-deep in a dark underground pool beneath a low limestone ceiling.
Two helmeted cavers face each other over a chessboard set on a rock beside a dark cave pool.
A helmeted caver climbs through a steep, narrow passage illuminated against the surrounding darkness.
A caver in red climbs beside translucent blue ice in a steep, warmly lit underground chamber.
Helmeted cavers gather in a narrow vertical chamber of Javorniško Brezno 2, picked out by headlamps and warm side light.
A caver climbs across sloping rock in a vast dark chamber, illuminated by headlamps and carefully placed lights.
A caver's headlamp illuminates translucent blue ice and wet rock inside a steep, narrow underground passage.