040 Cueva del Comellantes (Cueva del Comediante)
South Vega VN5079(4)9575(1) at centre of resurgence Alt. 170m Length 532m + 140m

Updated 19th February,18th April 1999, 31st July 2000; 7th October 2001; 20th January, 24th October 2002; 16th October, 8th November 2003; 27th October 2007; 20th December 2008; 3rd May 2009; 1st October 2010; 6th January, 23rd June 2011

The resurgence cave for much of the water sinking on Beralta (south Vega) and the water seen in Cueva-Cubio de la Reñada (048). Water sinking near Alisas (in Torca del Hoyón - 567) has also been tested to here, but the test needs repeating. (A water test shows a total hardness of 110ppm at 0.12cumec). A hydrology diagram for the South Vega System can be seen here.
Three entrances lead to large phreatic passage with the a sump pool down a muddy slope on the left. The main route continues down a calcite slope into a chamber with a stal curtain. It is also possible to wriggle around in phreatic arches linking this chamber with the internal sump pool.
On the left, around the back of the chamber, a phreatic tube with mud floor and hading wall splits: down to the left chokes in mud and rock; to the right continues stooping to a small chamber which was the original end, a few metres from Cubio de la Reñada with a small crawl having some possibilities.
In the summer of 2001 a small rift was entered from here (previously hammered open by Spanish cavers) and about 80m of walking-size new passage was surveyed. This is well decorated, passes through a 5m high chamber with a small slippery climb out at the far side, and ends at calcite and a clean, stoney choke which must be very close to the surface.

The sump pool nearest the resurgence, with a pipe and pump extracting water, has also been dived. The submerged passage is up to 10m wide and 20m deep with visibility up to 20m. Ripple marks occur on the sandy floor. The passage rises to 15m where the route from the internal sump pool appears to enter. The passage drops steadily to 28.5m at a point 140m from the entrance. The passage then rises to -12m and becomes small. There are still possibilities in the roof. A full diving account and survey from 1989 appears in the file; this is now on the 2001 survey. On a poor visibility dive at Easter 1999, the sound of running water was heard. In 2003, the sump was described as "very complex and large". At Easter 2009, the end of the diving line with reel was described as not the way on, and the diver noticed black spaces on the right hand wall as he made an effortless exit with the strong current. (Dive logs can be found here.)

Notenboom (AX) found Pseudoniphargus and Cantabroniscus in gour pools inside the cave, and the following fauna at the resurgence: Echinogammarus/ Gammarus, Cyclopoidea, Prosobranchia/ Hydrobioidea, Theodoxus (Prosobr.). Meijide recorded the bat Myotis myotis in 1982.

According to Quin (BU pp59-62), in his magnetic susceptibility studies, sediments from Comellantes show similar k values to sediments in Cueva del Arenal (035), indicating that the sites may have had (or have) a common morphogenic agent and are connected.

JCFG suggests that Comediante is the correct name and that there is local confusion over the names Clarin or Clarion to name the river.

Pieces of Bronze Age and Iron Age pottery have been found in a groove on the sloping right hand wall at the western entrance leading to the first chamber and higher up where a small route exists through to the chamber from the main passage. (Ruiz Cobo Jesús et al, 2008). The same publication also mentions a fragment of ancient mill wheel found in daylight, among limestone blocks, at the back of the entrance.

References: Puig et al, 1896; Madoz Pascual, 1848; Fernández Gutiérrez et al, 1966 (survey and photo); Cox G, 1973; Ullastre-Martorell J, 1975 (survey); Fernández Gutiérrez J C, 1975; Mills L D J, 1981; Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; anon., 1981 (logbook); anon., 1982 (logbook); Corrin J, 1983a (survey); Corrin J, 1983c (photo); anon., 1983a (Easter logbook); anon., 1985b (logbook); anon., 1987 (logbook); Notenboom J and Meijers I, 1985; Meijide Calvo M, 1982; Corrin J, 1990; anon., 1992b (logbook); Corrin J, 1992b (survey); Corrin J and Quin A, 1992; material in file; Quin A, 1993b (survey); Quin Andrew, 1995 (survey); Fernández Ortega F, Valls Uriol and Maria del Carmen, 1998; anon., 1999a (Easter logbook); anon., 2000c (Summer logbook); anon., 2001c (Summer logbook); anon., 2002b (summer logbook); pers comm (Skorupka R), 2003; Corrin Juan, 2003a; Corrin Juan and Smith Peter, 2007; Ruiz Cobo Jesús et al, 2008 (survey); anon., 2009a (Easter logbook); Corrin Juan, 2010
Entrance picture : entrances
Underground picture(s): resurgence  diver1   diver2 (both in middle entrance pool) diver 3 (inside cave)
main entrance  main passage   stal curtain in main chamber  passage at back of main chamber
formations on left of route through
2001 Extensions: photos by Juan Corrin and Jenny Corrin. Click to enlarge.

choke at end
		exit from extension
passage between middle and western entrances	end

Detailed Survey : from 1965: low res  high res.
1:1000
Line Survey :
On area survey : South Vega System
Survex file : download South Vega System   standalone file
Passage direction rose diagram (Patrick Warren): yes