The Potomac Valley Audubon Society is offering a special opportunity to explore Berkeley County’s Whiting’s Neck Cave with an experienced guide on Saturday, Aug. 22.

The event will be the first in a new series of Audubon-sponsored “Family outdoor adventures” aimed at involving whole families in different kinds of outdoor activities that are interesting and educational.

In this instance, the Whiting’s Neck Cave is a fairly large cavern that is considered ideal for beginners because no special skills are needed to navigate its main passages and chambers, and it contains many interesting features. It is visited frequently by outdoor adventure companies and groups such as the Boy Scouts.

Participants in the Aug. 22 event will learn about the natural history of caves and their importance as habitat to bats and other wildlife.

The event will be led by GO-Adventures, a reputable, regional outfitter with over 14 years of experience. All participants will receive instruction in basic caving safety and technical skills before exploring the cave.

This will be an all-day event, lasting from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will include some strenuous physical activity. There will be some tight squeezes, crawling, climbing (up and down) and other physical challenges, so participants should be in good physical condition. Those who would like to participate must sign a waiver and medical history form. Children must be at least 10 years old and accompanied by an adult.

Space is limited, so pre-registration is required. Easy registration is available at the PVAS website at www.potomacaudubon.org.

There will be a charge of $40 per person to cover the guide’s expenses. Because of this cost, PVAS reserves right to cancel if not enough people enroll.

Go-AdventureSports will provide all special equipment needed but each participant will be responsible for wearing appropriate clothing and bringing their own lunch.

For more information contact Kristin Alexander at 304-676-3397 or Kristin@PotomacAudubon.org