Cave Save
‘Cave Save’. That would be an excellent slogan for a campaign to safeguard our caves. But, have it ever crossed our mind to even bother about caves? Actually, is there a need to preserve our caves? Considering Malta being an island, the number of caves is quite large. Many Maltese citizens and even tourists visit different caves throughout the year, mostly during the Summer season were many people prefer to take a swim in a rocky seashore, rather than head to sandy bays. However, people should be asking… ‘Is this cave safe?’
One of our caves situated in the South West of Malta is Ghar Lapsi. It is taken care of by the Siggiewi Local Council. It is also close to Dingli and Qrendi. It is situated 1 Km North-West of the Blue Grotto and very close to the historical sites of Hagar Qim and Imnajdra. At Ghar Lapsi one can find a few restaurants and boat houses around a small rocky inlet. One can also discover a cave, as the word ’Ghar ‘in Maltese implies. The cave is shallow but very beautiful, in fact diving trips are very popular here for people who seek sealife and caverns. Like other bays and caves, in the Maltese Islands, Ghar Lapsi’s water is very clear. Ghar Lapsi is also used by a few fishermen and in summer it is visited by tourists and locals.
On Sunday 20th November 2011, it was reported that part of Ghar Lapsi had collapsed. This was caused by coastal erosion which is natural process. The collapse might have formed because of joints and bedding plains which are cracks in rocks. These are formed over the years by surface run off of water from the land, by wave pounding or by abrasion (corrasion) which is the weathering away of cliffs by sand, shingle and boulders. Another cause might be corrosion (solution) which includes the dissolving of limestone by carbonic acid in sea water. It was reported that the downfall has been caused by the stormy day that took place on the day before. This might have given erosion the last push, resulting in the vulnerable rocks to break down.
Luckily there weren’tany people in the area and no one got hurt.Such destruction will lead to less tourists and locals to visit the area. This decrease will probably start to materialise and this will appear mostly during the next summer period. The Siggiewi Local Council is in contact with the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs and has already posted an application with the EU for funds to make a project to stopping the falling of the rocks at Ghar Lapsi. It is very importantto protect the remaining part of the cave from collapsing as well. Solutions to this might be expensive but are worth considering.
A sea wall which runs parallel to the coast will be able to shift the problem to an adjacent part of the coast. A disadvantage might be that the coast will be stabilized. Sand and even dirt might accumulate which will lead to increase filth in the area. Ghar Lapsi is very popular for its cleanness, which as stated previously with this solution this might be lost. This wall will be eventually eroded by time but as it has no actual value it might be easily rebuilt.
Another similar solution is to build an offshore breakwater. These are submerged structures that are also parallel to the shore. Offshore breakwaters absorb wave energy and serve as artificial reefs for marine life.
A recent technique is living shorelines. These are coasts in which shellfish are planted. The shells attract aquatic life, preventing erosion naturally. Moreover, since this technique includes only natural structures it won’t be an eyesore like the other methods mentioned above. This is a very reliable technique as apart from protecting the coast itself this can increase the tourism rate. The diving industry might even increase as the habitat will have more differing species introduced. As Ghar Lapsi is an inlet, the living shoreline will be more sheltered. Consequently, the species would be more able to survive. This solution will be able to make the area safer for humans to visit.
It is very important to take an approach towards this problem as the rest of the cave which is still upright might break down any time. If nothing is done Ghar Lapsi will be forgotten by tourists and locals. As a matter of fact even right now it is avoided because of its clear danger to visitors. It will be a shame if a place of such beauty which can attract tourism easily is left on the side.
Sources for photographs: