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martinr
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« Reply #20 on: September 06, 2007, 10:21:54 am » |
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I went into UFS today and got as far as the rift that drops back into the streamway just after "Golden Chamber". I found the rift very tight, though I think I could have passed it with a bit more effort, or by taking a few clothes off. We didn't go any further as we had already left a mate at a squeeze before "Golden Chamber".
So my question is, is the rift I stopped at the tightest point, or does it get even tighter beyond that. If that is the tightest point, then I shall return with thinner friends; but if it gets even tighter I won't bother.
There is indeed a tighter squeeze further on. You were in the May 2006 part of the cave. The Sept 2006 breakthrough called easySqueeze - Julie Hesketh who was on the breakthrough had flown to mendip on easyJet - and another called Not Easy squeeze are both tighter. Not Easy Squeeze is 21cm sustained over a distance of 30cm and has been passed by maximum 41ins chest. We have made a mock-up of Not Easy Squeeze to take to Hiddedn Earth, so you can "try before you buy". |
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mrodoc
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« Reply #21 on: September 06, 2007, 12:37:02 pm » |
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I have maximum diameter 38 inch chest and am just under 6 foot tall weighing just under 14 stone. and am fit. I am planning to go next week and am still wondering if I can get in there. I am quite prepared to strip to underwear if necessary! I am now 56 so not as bendy as I used to be but can manage stuff like Longwood, Roundtrip, Blue Pencil etc. It always helps to know somebody my build has been through
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martinr
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« Reply #22 on: September 06, 2007, 03:01:26 pm » |
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I have maximum diameter 38 inch chest and am just under 6 foot tall weighing just under 14 stone. and am fit. I am planning to go next week and am still wondering if I can get in there. I am quite prepared to strip to underwear if necessary! I am now 56 so not as bendy as I used to be but can manage stuff like Longwood, Roundtrip, Blue Pencil etc. It always helps to know somebody my build has been through
If you are around on Mendip this weekend (8/9 Sept) the squeeze box should be at the MCG cottage if you want to have a test run! |
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mrodoc
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« Reply #23 on: September 06, 2007, 05:39:12 pm » |
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unfortunately am in Cornwall pursuing my other hobby of scuba diving. Looks like crunch time will be in the cave!!
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mrodoc
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« Reply #24 on: September 06, 2007, 05:39:55 pm » |
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alternatively i could try before I go down next weekend as am meeting up at the cottage!
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martinr
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« Reply #25 on: September 06, 2007, 07:50:30 pm » |
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alternatively i could try before I go down next weekend as am meeting up at the cottage!
Sorry, squeeze box is only on Mendip this weekend, then iti s coming home with me for final preperations before HE |
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mrodoc
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« Reply #26 on: September 18, 2007, 03:16:45 pm » |
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There was one at the cottage and I didn't fit. Worse than that I gave up at the first squeeze after the Red Room. Philipppa my daughter carried on with Julie H. and my camera and they went to the start of Neverland  . Some photos posted on www. darkanddeep.co.uk . what I want to know is what is stopping those squeezes being enlarged to let a larger proportion of cavers into the system? There's excellent access control so you won't suffer what happened to Otter Hole. A bit of lump hammer work on each trip would soon allow slightly bigger people into the cave. If the same thing had happened in DYO and St. Cuthbert's the systems would still be half explored! Cuthbert's entrance rift was originally only passable to a very small number of people and DYO's long crawl had to be enlarged considerably to permit exploration by more than a handful of cavers. I am quite happy to do some lump hammer work and photography! |
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cap 'n chris
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« Reply #27 on: September 18, 2007, 05:15:18 pm » |
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Many of the squeezes are comprised of poised boulders poising against other poised boulders; enlarging with a lump hammer could/would be very counter-productive! - also it would be a very brave/stupid/suicidal (delete as appropriate) person who would be banging around those parts with a lump hammer!
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"Nearly everything in modest amounts".
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martinr
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« Reply #28 on: September 18, 2007, 05:52:57 pm » |
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There was one at the cottage and I didn't fit. Worse than that I gave up at the first squeeze after the Red Room. Philipppa my daughter carried on with Julie H. and my camera and they went to the start of Neverland . Some photos posted on www. darkanddeep.co.uk . what I want to know is what is stopping those squeezes being enlarged to let a larger proportion of cavers into the system? There's excellent access control so you won't suffer what happened to Otter Hole. A bit of lump hammer work on each trip would soon allow slightly bigger people into the cave. If the same thing had happened in DYO and St. Cuthbert's the systems would still be half explored! Cuthbert's entrance rift was originally only passable to a very small number of people and DYO's long crawl had to be enlarged considerably to permit exploration by more than a handful of cavers. I am quite happy to do some lump hammer work and photography! I was supposed to pick up the squeeze box before your visit but was prevented by a pulmonary embolism and an enforced stay in Blackpool Hospital for a week. Sorry to hear you couldnt pass the squeeze. Nor can I! As for widening the squeezes, one of the diggers has written elsewhere "I would not want to spend my time widening something I can get through already when there is so much else of interest still to be done in the cave." So, if us fatties want to visit Neverland we will have to do our share of boulder bashing. This is why there is a lot of interest again in Blackmoor Shaft aka Stainsbys Shaft which is VERY close to Plank Chamber and ICBINC mine close to Pork Pie Passage. More about this at HE next weekend when, incidentally, the survey will be on sale. Martin |
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mrodoc
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« Reply #29 on: September 19, 2007, 07:45:21 am » |
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I think the issue of enlarging squeezes in chokes where there are jammed boulders relates to the force needed. Certainly the squeeze I was looking at would have been quite safe to gently chisel. I am not talking brute force and ignorance but slow steady work over a period of time as was done to get into Primrose Path in Eastwater etc. etc. It sounds as if there is not a strong anti brigade so much as a concern on cave stability. Wonder what Willie Stanton would have done? For those not aware he was the original joint digger of UF and was also responsible for the excavation of Waterwheel and Grebe. I would imagine that diggers looking for other sites in this area have picked his brain about possible entry points to UF further reaches.
On a second note I was sorry to hear about MartinR's dvt and pe. Worth getting your Leiden factor V levels checked but I would expect that will be done. Glad you are recovering.
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Ship-badger
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« Reply #30 on: September 19, 2007, 08:25:37 pm » |
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suffer what happened to Otter Hole What happened to Otter Hole? |
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Going down in the woods today!
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whitelackington
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« Reply #31 on: September 20, 2007, 07:22:23 am » |
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I think the issue of enlarging squeezes in chokes where there are jammed boulders relates to the force needed. Certainly the squeeze I was looking at would have been quite safe to gently chisel. I am not talking brute force and ignorance but slow steady work over a period of time as was done to get into Primrose Path in Eastwater etc. etc. It sounds as if there is not a strong anti brigade so much as a concern on cave stability. Wonder what Willie Stanton would have done? For those not aware he was the original joint digger of UF and was also responsible for the excavation of Waterwheel and Grebe. I would imagine that diggers looking for other sites in this area have picked his brain about possible entry points to UF further reaches.
On a second note I was sorry to hear about MartinR's dvt and pe. Worth getting your Leiden factor V levels checked but I would expect that will be done. Glad you are recovering.
Has anyone offered Willie Stanton a trip into the further reaches ? |
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cap 'n chris
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« Reply #32 on: September 20, 2007, 07:24:41 am » |
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Not sure he'd be up to that nowadays.
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"Nearly everything in modest amounts".
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mrodoc
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« Reply #33 on: September 21, 2007, 07:32:33 am » |
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suffer what happened to Otter Hole What happened to Otter Hole? It was trashed! I know people don't realise it but I went in on one of the first trips into the extension and did some minor exploration after. I went back several years later and was horrified at the damage to some major and minor features such as the Volcanoes, Jaws and the curtain suspended from a broken straw. If you have been in Otter take a lot at one or two of my pics on www.darkanddeep.co.uk. Some of those formations are no longer visible. |
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whitelackington
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« Reply #34 on: September 21, 2007, 08:56:48 am » |
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suffer what happened to Otter Hole What happened to Otter Hole? It was trashed! I know people don't realise it but I went in on one of the first trips into the extension and did some minor exploration after. I went back several years later and was horrified at the damage to some major and minor features such as the Volcanoes, Jaws and the curtain suspended from a broken straw. If you have been in Otter take a lot at one or two of my pics on www.darkanddeep.co.uk. Some of those formations are no longer visible. Some of Golden Chamber has already been damaged but this small chamber is on the main route through very tight, undecorated "passage" I don't think any stall would be damaged by enlarging the route other than Golden Chamber but I do not know as I am too big to know as are most people. |
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I also fear not the wrath of the politically correct
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cap 'n chris
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« Reply #35 on: September 21, 2007, 03:23:05 pm » |
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The most vulnerable stal IMHO at UFS Extensions is the superb long/fine stalactite just downstream from the low watery crawl beneath the flowstone ceiling section between the Departure Lounge and Walk the Plank - on our trip I specifically pointed it out as being easily taped off to alert cavers against standing up prematurely and knocking their helmets into it and thus snapping it forever but it is probably a forlorn case since some clumsy shitewit is bound to break it sooner or later.
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"Nearly everything in modest amounts".
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whitelackington
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« Reply #36 on: October 08, 2007, 10:07:21 am » |
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I have heard a rumour  whilst I was whooping it up @ The M.C.G. ceildh that some more tight passage has been entered in Upper Flood Swallet weekend just gone.  |
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I also fear not the wrath of the politically correct
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j4nny
regular
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« Reply #37 on: October 08, 2007, 11:55:39 am » |
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extremely pleased   :clap2:to have got down to the royal icing chamber at the weekend (thanks Mike/MCG) and can confirm that there are several tight bits! Personally I felt that some of the restrictions were more awkward in shape than easy/not easy squeeze to pass through, though these have been measured as the tightest bits.  Will wear my T-shirt with pride.  |
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whitelackington
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« Reply #38 on: October 09, 2007, 06:34:25 am » |
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extremely pleased :clap2:to have got down to the royal icing chamber at the weekend (thanks Mike/MCG) and can confirm that there are several tight bits! Personally I felt that some of the restrictions were more awkward in shape than easy/not easy squeeze to pass through, though these have been measured as the tightest bits. Will wear my T-shirt with pride. WET TEE ShIRT   |
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