Ain Heet Cave, Kharj

 

24 February 2012

Another exploration we have plan quite some time already.  Alhamdulillah, after a long break of exploration due to hectic days of hubby’s work, now we are able to continue our family activity. 

We have plan to explore Ain Heet cave maybe two years back but keep on delaying it.  As this time around we want to find a place nearby, we decided to go ahead with cave exploration.  At about 2 pm, we moved from home.  It takes about an hour for us to reach the destination.  Actually, this is the second attempt our family went to the place.  Last week we were already near the place but as we went out quite late from home, it was nearly dark when we want to find the cave.  So, we decided to move out earlier this time.

Getting to the destination wasn’t that hard actually.  The area is easily accessible except the rocky and uneven desert makes the journey quite bumpy when you go offroad.  Still, the landscape never bored our eyes though the numerous time we’ve been to deserts.  The cave wasn’t far from where we last stop last week.  We only need to go up further of a few hundred metres. 

We try to park our car as near as possible to the cave.  There was a destructed block of one unit ‘house’ as a landmark which we can see from afar.  Not sure why it was there and left unattended.  We can see another car reached a few minutes earlier than us.  Once we park our car, another taxi arrived with 5 Pakistani guys. 

Getting nearer to the cave…

In front of the cave.  The locals said that the hole caused by lightning and  the water tunnel that runs over 300 km to Al Ahsa!

We were astonished to see the hole!  We never imagined it would be that deep to climb down and very big hole as well.  The rocks atop of it was wide and high!  How great is His creation!  Looking around up to the top already makes us spinning!  We never thought that it would be this challenging to climb down the cave.  From pictures that we’ve seen from others who have been there posted over the internet, it doesn’t seem that challenging.  However, looking it in real much more different than pictures.  The name Ain Heet gets from the shape of the opening of the cave which looks like an eye.  ‘Ain’ means eye in Arabic.

Going down not even quarter to reach mouth of the cave.

The cave is called Ain due to the shape of an eye..’Ain’ is eye in Arabic.

Challenging steps to climb down and up back on entering the cave..

Look at the layer of the sedimentary rock..mom learn from  kid grade 4 science book .

Everyone was eager to go down especially thinking about having water down the cave.  Possible that we could play with the water.  The kids had fun listening to the echo of their voice.  However, when we were 1/3 down, we though of bringing the smaller kids back up.  It is quite risky for them to continue down as there were many uneven rocks and its a 45 degree down which the kids might take a wrong step and fell.  Hubby and the bigger kids continue going down.

Going up with the smaller kids and a baby was a challenging as well.  Afiq did manage to go on his own though many times he had to crawl.  Don’t mention the dirt on their pants!  We sure need to get fitter as we easily went short of breath.  I can’t see hubby or any voices anymore.  There sure must be further down. 

About 20 or 30 minutes later, hubby and the bigger kids were up back.  They didn’t continue their way in.  It’s goes deeper and deeper inside and they were tired already.  Moreover, they didn’t bring a flashlight. 

Once everyone was up, there were another car came with the locals.  They were happy to know that we are Malaysians.  It was a good coincidence to meet them as the Saudis must know much better of their place.

What astonished us is the facts that they shared with us.  They told us that the cave exist due to a lightning that struck the place many many years back.  The cave even create an underground lake, sink hole with water tunnel that goes 300 km to another province in Saudi which is Al Ahsa!  Wow..just imagine a water tunnel that goes for 300 km. 

These wonders has fascinated cave divers for their exploration.  Just read the articles from this link… http://www.saudicaves.com/cavedive/index.html.  Just looking at the pictures, you can already imagine what it is like down there.  Wish we could also swim under the water like them!

Still,  we had pleasure looking at another beauty of the deserts wonders and hope to explore more.  Thanks to the Saudi’s that willing to share their knowledge with us as well.  We were fortunate to meet friendly people where you get the opposite feedbacks most of the time when mentioning about Saudis. 

Kids exploring the beauty of Wadi Al Sulayl in this Heet Village..

Last but not least….picnic!!

After we fill in our stomach, we head home with another memory to be treasure. – &tw