Aguas Buenas Caves

Another Puerto Rican Spelunking Adventure

We really weren’t planning to take a pday, but the elders in the Caguas district and the Wentzels wanted us to go with them on a district caving activity that they had planned. They also needed us to drive. We arrived at the Wentzels about 9 and had some waffles with them before driving to the church to meet up with the missionaries. Two members who live on the same road as the cave had volunteered to be our tour guides so we picked them up and headed up a dirt road to the cave.

After driving about 5 minutes to the cave area, we had to hike up a very steep hill to the cave entrance.It was pretty much climbing on hands and knees to get up. The cave had several big areas and some narrow tunnels.Like last week, there were a lot of bats. The last large area opened up to this sink hole that had a lot of vines and roots growing down that felt very Indiana Jones-like.

Then we found out that there were two more caves, but that the walls were covered with big spiders so John, one of the sister missionaries, and I decided to wait for the rest of the group. They were gone for two hours while we just sat there on the rocks in the sinkhole with an occasional few downpours! At least we could go in the cave for cover. The Wentzels went back after the first part of the first cave so they were just sitting and waiting in the parking area the whole time, too. We thought if the first cave only took 20 minutes, the other two Another Puerto Rican Spelunking Adventure would be similar.

When the group came out, they were covered in mud and reported that the walls were definitely covered in spiders so I’m glad I didn’t go. 

Four smiling missionaries heading to an adventures P-day activity.

Sister missionaries before entering the caves.

There was an abandoned house on the dirt road leading to the cave.

The whole district before entering the cave.

Inside the cave.

Is this our way out?

Maybe this way would be easier!

The end of the cave where it opened to the outside.

I wish I had a better flash. John wanted this picture because Elder Wentzel calls him Don Juan Guillam de Bayamon.

I'm glad this lovely sister missionary decided to stay outside and wait with me rather than confront the spider covered walls.

Waiting for the rest of the group to finish caving--a two hour wait!

Looking up from where we waited. The other side opened up to the hillside so we weren't really trapped in a cavern, but it looked like it from here.

We encountered a few downpours while waiting for the other missionaries. It has rained every day the past month.