Sea Caves
Sea caves are a coastal cavern chamber or system of chambers connected to the sea or coastal area. They may be part of coastal cliffs. Fictional sea caves may be small, hidden chambers perfect for stashing smuggler’s loot or may be large enough for ships to enter (and potentially transit to other locations). They may lead to underground towns, shipwreck towns, or other subterranean elements. They may have chambers that flood with the tides or may only be accessible during especially low tides. They may lead to underground seas or be home to leviathans. They are often used during treasure hunts and are frequently found on treasure islands.
| Synonyms: coastal caverns |
| Example Mythonyms: Drowned Man’s Cave, Flotsam Caves |
Designing Fictional Sea Caves
Archetypes
Overview
Sea caves will share many of the same fictional elements as regular cavern systems, with a few major exceptions. Designers should immediately determine the degree to which the cave is underwater. Sea caves may be full of flooded chambers and portions of the space may only be accessible after swimming through dangerous underwater areas. In fact, fictional sea caves may be the mouths to underground rivers or lead to subterranean lakes or seas.
The tides and how the change in tides impacts the degree of flooding is something else that should be considered. Rising and lowering water levels offers worldbuilders the opportunity to insert elements of danger in narratives (escape from a quickly flooding room) or interesting characteristics of the cave itself (entry may only be possible during low tide). As water erodes the cave, the roof may collapse, creating a cenote or cavernous space that is open to the surface.
Hidden Things
Fictional sea caves often are the sites of buried treasure or entire shipwrecks waiting to be discovered. They are also frequently a component of secret routes leading from the sea to more inland locations. They may be used by sea smugglers to ferry illegal goods or to bypass blockades. If they are being used in this manner, a dock may be present as well as crates and barrels full of trade goods waiting to be transported.
Reference Image Gallery
