Pictures are aproximately 533 x 800 pixels in size. Numbers in front of the photo descriptions are the serial numbers of the original images. Photo and copyright (c) Primož Jakopin 2014.
20180. View east from the viewpoint above the bridge - Rak river valley turned into one big lake.
20181. View from above the bridge to Tkalca jama cave. Ice from freezing rain broke down many branches and entire tree trunks into the river which brought them to Tkalca jama, the ponor, and sealed it. As the water could not drain out fast enough the river valley started to fill into a lake of unprecedented height. The enormous entrance of Tkalca jama, over 15 meters high, is now completely under water.
20181. The wall above the northern entrance to Tkalca jama cave - cropped and gamma corrected (2.0) previous picture
20182. The record-high water closed the entrance - partial view of the entrance funnel with Ivan Petkovšek commemorative plaque, above center (born 14. 9. 1948, died 23. 8. 1974 in Tkalca jama)
20183. Full view of the small lake, now the upper entrance to the cave
20184. The standard trail from the parking lot to the cave is uncleared, so the access is by car to the yard of the hydro power plant at the riverside, and on to the cave upstream. Here are the ivy overgrown tree trunks in the flooding river, as seen from the yard.
20185. Water from the power plant supply channel is overflowing through the side opening in the building
20197. In the old times the building used to be a water sawmill - the architecture if its main room is still preserved, yet now full of water.
20196. The bridge over Unica is less than a meter above water.
20186. The wooden floor of the trail on the bridge survived, the fence will need repair.
20195. Clearing of the supply water channel and of the trail along it will be a substantial work.
20194. Just before the entrance the trail is still snow and sleet covered.
20188. Torrential flow of the river at the cave entrance
20192. Cave entrance from the inside
20189. Water level metering pole in the entrance hall
20190. The trail from the entrance hall to the inner parts of the cave is now only about a meter above the water.
20193. The bridge over Unica after the cave gate
20198. View of Laze across the lake
20199. End of the road, below the graveyard
20200. As seen on the rim the water is still rising.
20201. Clouds above Ivanje selo and their reflection in the water
20202. The lake and the late afternoon sky with Planina and the graveyard chapel
20203. Two apple trees, badly battered by the sleet, Jakovica hill across the lake
20204. Broken forest at the foot of Planinska gora mountain
Rakov Škocjan, Feb 8
Vranja jama and Mačkovica caves, Laze village, Feb 20