![]() His teammates were thinking about food too. ![]() Night thought about his party, about everyone waiting for him, about the delicious food his mother had been cooking all afternoon and, of course, the cake. They retreated to a section of sandy ground. But when they returned to the junction, there was only swirling water.Ĭoach Ek calmly told the boys the water would surely recede and they should find a place to sleep for the night. They wriggled through tight spaces and tromped up and down gravelly slopes, their bare toes, toughened by years of shoeless soccer matches, gripping slippery rocks.Īfter a few hours, they decided to head back. They kicked off their sandals, dropped their backpacks, and kept going. But there, deep in the cave, they fell into the allure that cavers know well: What if we go just a little farther? They knew they should turn back if they were going to make it to Night’s party. The boys weren’t deterred by darkness and tight spaces, though.Ībout one mile in, they came to a junction. If you are claustrophobic, this is where you turn around. Without a flashlight, the darkness is complete. Here, cavers are well beyond the “twilight zone,” the part of the cave where light from the outside world reaches. Some sections force visitors into a crouch and then a crawl. Thick stalactites hang down like dragon teeth. The first 2,000 feet of the cave system is made up of big, airy rooms. They breathed in the smell of wet, mossy limestone. Then the boys stepped inside Tham Luang’s impressive entrance chamber. She is a princess from an ancient story for whom the cave is named. On the way into the cave, the boys and Coach Ek stopped to bow and pay their respects at a shrine to Jao Mae Nang Non, the Sleeping Lady. They could leave behind their stacks of homework and spend time in the fresh green hills. Pineapple fields gave way to thick jungle. Birds swooped through groves of banana and lychee trees. Soon they were winding through farmland and into the mountains. Neighborhood dogs trotted out to greet them. As they pedaled through the town of Mae Sai, paved roads gave way to dirt ones. Assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawong, nicknamed “Coach Ek,” often organized outdoor trips for them, like this one to the Tham Luang cave.Īfter soccer practice, the boys ate some snacks and hopped on their bikes. Though they went to different schools, the Wild Boars were a close group. ![]() It was only late June, after all, and the heavy rains were still weeks away. They walked past a faded sign warning visitors not to enter during the rainy season because the cave floods. When they arrived at the mouth of the cave, the boys set down their bikes and swapped their cleats for flip-flops. The Wild Boars loved these trips, when they could leave behind their stacks of homework and spend time in the fresh green hills. Soon, they were winding through farmland and into the mountains. As they pedaled through the town of Mae Sai, paved roads gave way to dirt ones and neighborhood dogs trotted out to greet them. Assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawong, nicknamed “Coach Ek,” often organized outdoor trips for them, like this one to the Tham Luang cave.Īfter soccer practice, the boys scarfed down some snacks and hopped on their bikes. Though they went to different schools, the Wild Boars were a tight-knit group. When the day had begun, no one could have imagined it would end in disaster. ![]()
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