“A grand collapse” that’s what comes to mind standing before Avenc des puig de sa Coma Fosca. This isn’t just any hole in the ground. It’s a gateway into Mallorca’s geological story.
Avenc des puig de sa Coma Fosca sits on the border between Calvià and Palma. More precisely it is nestled in the Serra de Son Camps. You can reach Avenc des puig de sa Coma Fosca by car. Take the Ma-1041 from Establiments-Calvià. At kilometer 8.5, turn onto the Ma-1016. Past the Son Camps estate at kilometer 9.27, you’ll find a track on the left. This leads to the Serra de Son Camps, passing through Sa Coma Bella. Alternatively, from Palma, head through the Son Vida urbanization. Drive up Albercuix street. Park and follow the path to Puig de sa Coma Fosca. The wall marks the boundary between Palma and Calvià, separating Son Vida from Son Camps.
From Son Vida, it’s a short walk. Behind the dividing wall, you’ll spot a large depression in the ground. That’s the mouth of Avenc des puig de sa Coma Fosca. It’s about a five-minute walk. The distance is only 240 meters.
The depression measures 11 by 6 meters. To descend, secure your rope to one of the trees on the northwest side. The base expands to 21 by 16 meters. The maximum depth is about 9.5 meters. Don’t expect elaborate cave formations here. Instead, admire the large blocks fallen from the ceiling. Look closely at the flowstone draped overhead. The center is a cone of rubble and stones. Down below, notice remnants of a dry-stone wall. You might even spot traces of soot.
Avenc des puig de sa Coma Fosca is a small sinkhole. Its depth reaches 13.5 meters. It is located at the head of Sa Coma Fosca. Two entrances lead into it. The larger opening stretches over three meters long and one meter wide. The smaller one is just over a meter deep. It leads to a steep ramp. From there, an eight-meter drop gets you to the floor. The orientation runs north to south.
Whether you use either entrance, you’ll land on a pile of debris. It’s a collection of various-sized blocks and stalactites. Some are quite large. You may also see bone fragments from goats and dogs. The cave’s structure resulted from a collapse. The chamber is roughly oval. Its dimensions are 11 by 14.5 by 8 meters.
Reconstructive processes are abundant here. Admire the beautiful parietal flows. Look for botryoidal speleothems. Fine coralloids develop on these. Notice the considerable ornamentation on the ceiling. Also spot the massive stalagmite beneath the entrance.
In the deepest part of the chamber lies a sink. Water marks are visible on its walls. They reach about a meter high. This suggests a possible continuation deeper into the earth.
There are two ways to access this chamber. One is directly above the sink in Sala de S’Entrada. The other involves climbing a couple of meters to the right. You’ll find a narrow hole where some clearing work was done. This passage is tight and not for everyone. The chamber itself measures 4 by 4.5 by 2 meters. It’s beautifully decorated. Moving without risking damage to the speleothems is tricky. Highlights include numerous columns, stalactites, eccentric formations, and fistulas. There are also stalagmites. A pretty dry gour is filled with stalactite fragments. The gour’s edges are well-developed and in good condition.
Avenc des puig de sa Coma Fosca is more than just a cave. It is a testament to time, collapse, and the slow artistry of water. It is nature’s hidden masterpiece.