"Pellucidar or Bust! or Exploring the Uncharted: A Real-Life Adventure to the Earth's Core"

Delving into a real-life realm of fiction from a favorite book, I believe is a dream for most readers out there. Some of these dreams can come true in places like Disney World and Universal Studios. However, some are a bit harder to achieve. The Hollow-Earth tales by Burroughs have always fascinated me, and I've spent years seeking that feeling Innes and Perry expressed at first seeing the landscape at the Earth's Core.

“Together we stepped out to stand in silent contemplation of a landscape at once weird and beautiful. Before us a low and level shore stretched down to a silent sea.”

The Luray Carven was an absolutely thrilling experience that will forever be etched in my memory. The intricate network of caves is simply breathtaking, adorned with an array of stunning speleothems. Similarly, venturing into the Mark Twain Caves was like stepping into a whole new realm. These caves served as the inspiration for the iconic novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and being there made me feel like I had entered the pages of that beloved story. Both adventures transported me not only to the depths of the earth but more reminiscent of Jules Verne's epic Journey to the Center of the Earth, than ERB’s Pellucidar.

However, the real-life adventure that truly immersed me in the magical hollow world was when I ventured down into the depths of Craighead Caverns and set sail on the mysterious waters of The Lost Sea. It was a thrilling escapade that made me feel like I was exploring that world of literature hidden beneath the surface of the earth.

The reason why this adventure feels different from other cavern walks is the presence of a vast body of water waiting at the bottom of your descent. Situated 140 feet below ground level, this underground lake may not reach the depths of Pellicudar (500 miles), but it is still impressively deep. Spanning over 4 acres, this hidden gem is not only a marvel of nature but also holds prestigious titles. Recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a Registered National Natural Landmark, the underground lake has also secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as America's largest of its kind.

The air of the outer world was moist and muggy. This contrasting atmosphere to the world below made the tunnel I traversed (with its rounded structure resembling an iron mole) slippery, forcing me to grip onto the handrail tightly as I descended deeper towards the bowels of the Earth.

”For a full minute neither of us could do aught but cling with the proverbial desperation of the drowning man to the handrails of our swinging seats. Then Perry glanced at the thermometer.”

The temperature below the Earth's surface hovers at a comfortable 58 degrees Fahrenheit, adding to the mysterious allure of the experience. Among the earliest explorers of this cave was a colossal Pleistocene jaguar, whose footprints have been discovered deep within its depths.

“And now, as the two stood frozen in terror, I saw the author of that fearsome sound creeping stealthily into view. It was a huge tiger—such as hunted the great Bos through the jungles primeval when the world was young.”

It's believed that around 20,000 years ago, this majestic creature lost its way in the darkness and roamed for days before accidentally tumbling into a crevice, far away from the sunlight it yearned for. In 1939, some of the jaguar's bones were unearthed, and they now find their home on display at the prestigious American Museum of Natural History in New York.

When you embark on this underground adventure, you'll find yourself in a world quite different from the one David Innes and Aber Perry encountered. Instead of “trappings of tropical vegetation”, you are surrounded by rock and stone. The lighting here comes not from a central sun, but from LED lights, that create a gentle glow. The only signs of plant life are stone "cave flowers," delicate crystalline structures known as "anthodites," which can only be found in a few caves around the world.

These caverns have a rich history dating back to the days of the Cherokee Indians. From a small natural entrance, the cave expands into large rooms like "The Council Room," where Indian artifacts were discovered. Over the years, the cave has been used for various purposes, from mining saltpeter during the Civil War, to hosting various events such as moonshine dance parties (1915) and even cockfights.

As you descend, you have the opportunity to peek into numerous fissures, crevices, corners, and recesses. There are some openings that are spacious enough for daring kids and slender (younger) grown-ups to wriggle through and embark on an exciting exploration. The true excitement lies in reaching The Lost Sea. The underwater illumination casts a mesmerizing glow, and the deep blue hue of the water captivates you, evoking a sense of grandeur and enchantment.

 “Before me spread a small but beautiful valley, through the center of which a clear and sparkling river wound its way down to an inland sea, the blue waters of which were just visible between the two mountain ranges which embraced this little paradise.”

The visible portion of the lake measures 800 feet in length and 220 feet in width. You can explore more than just what's on the surface by boarding glass-bottomed boats powered by electric motors, which take you to the heart of the sea. Although fishing is prohibited, the lake is home to some of the largest Rainbow trout in North America, which were originally introduced to help uncover the lake’s source.  Initially tagged, it was thought that some of the fish would eventually make their way out of the underground pool, but it never happened. Today, these blind fish continue to thrive and reproduce. In addition, there is no natural source of food in the lake, so regular feedings are necessary to sustain the population.

I can tell you the trout are huge, and they are attracted to the boats vibrating through the water. Don’t dip your fingers or hands in the pool, because the fish bite. On my trip, the fish kept ramming or attacking our craft with terrific head blows to the point we rocked in the water. Their eagerness to be fed made for an exhilarating experience for everyone on board.

“Dian told me they were tandorazes, or tandors of the sea, and that the other, and more fearsome reptiles, which occasionally rose from the deep to do battle with them, were azdyryths, or sea-dyryths—Perry called them Ichthyosaurs. They resembled a whale with the head of an alligator. “

The ascent back to the surface was a challenging climb with multiple breaks needed for some in our group. (When you need an Iron Mole, you can’t find one.) Along the way, we encountered further noteworthy rock formations and learned more interesting historical facts, but I confess, once I’d left the sea, this devoted Burroughs enthusiast now imagined these towering caverns and tunnels as the dwelling place of the Mahar.

“We were approaching another range of mountains at the time, and when we reached them, instead of winding across them through some high-flung pass we entered a mighty natural tunnel—a series of labyrinthine grottoes, dark as Erebus.”

Although the concept of a vast hollow Earth may be confined to the realm of fiction, there are numerous chances in reality to explore a hidden underground realm. Personally, I discovered that The Lost Sea Adventure in Sweetwater, Tennessee provided me with the closest experience to a genuine visit to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Pellucidar, and I cannot recommend it enough.