The Lost Sailors of Kents Cavern: A Tale from the Depths

Among the many stories whispered about Kents Cavern, few capture the imagination quite like the legend of the lost sailors. It is said that, many years ago, a group of seafaring men (thought to be naval officers) came ashore in Torbay. Drawn by curiosity and perhaps a dash of bravado, they wandered up from the harbour to explore a strange and ancient cave system known locally at the time as Kent’s Hole (now Kents Cavern).

At first, their expedition was filled with wonder. They marvelled at the glistening, mineral-rich walls, winding their way deeper through narrow passageways and echoing chambers. But the light in the cave is deceptive, and soon the daylight from the entrance faded to a dim glow, then to nothing at all.

Armed with only a single candle between them – a risky choice in a place where shadows swallow you whole – they pressed on. The further they ventured, the more the darkness closed in, until a portfire they used for a little more light was extinguished and with the puff of smoke that came with it, snuffed out their fragile flame. Instantly, they were plunged into absolute darkness. The kind of darkness where you cannot see the hand in front of your face; the kind of darkness our modern visitors experience for a few seconds during our famous cave blackout… but for these sailors, it was no temporary thrill.

The cave became a labyrinth. Voices echoed strangely, distances became impossible to judge, and every surface felt the same to their trembling hands. Time must have stretched unbearably before, by luck or instinct, one sailor stumbled back towards the entrance. Gasping in the daylight, he raced to find help.

A local labourer soon brought the others to safety – shaken, disoriented, and utterly convinced never to enter those tunnels again. Yet, before leaving, the men left their mark on history – and on the cave itself. In the chamber now known as the Bear’s Den, the very spot where our guides plunge visitors into total darkness, they etched their names into the rock, we think, with chalk. Those names remain there to this day, forever part of Kents Cavern’s story.

And so the tale ends with a final twist of romance. They say one of the rescued sailors, overwhelmed with gratitude, asked for the hand of his rescuer’s daughter. For ten years he kept in touch with her family. Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared in Torbay, all news of him ceased. Whether he was lost at sea, taken by duty, or simply vanished into history, no one can say. 

Today, Kents Cavern is safely lit and expertly guided, but the legend of the lost sailors serves as a reminder of the cave’s mystery, and of how quickly adventure can turn to peril when the light goes out...