Trying out my old Photobucket which seems to be working now though I cant find my latest album.

A quick post flood recce yesterday.



Flood debris at Helectite Corner. Water was 2m deep here.



Ahh. Cant use the upload tab but can use the upload box in the album so still not fixed,



Two taken below the water surface.





Leaf debris on tape in the main streamway.



Leaf half a metre off the clean washed floor at G.P. Junction.



New scour in stream sediments and thin stal.



Further erosion at the gravel bank. The pillar was suspended when the cave was discovered.



More flood debris on the helectites. Happily no damage just a minor clean needed. In all my time caving here I have not seen the flood level this high before.



In many places the floor has been scoured clean and gravel re deposited. Actually beyond Broken Curtain Chamber the main passage has had a good clean up as far as the junction to Glistening Pool Series. Did not go up the branch leading to the chokes. I wonder what has happened up there. Clearly the deluge came in via Withybrook Slocker. The silt traps seem to be working well.

I was beginning to think you'd retired.  :

just to be a little bit provocative and not necessarily my point of view but are'nt you changing the NATURAL progression of the cave. if it floods and leaves or(leafs) deposits and debri  should the cave  not be left to it's own devises and let nature take it's coarse . after all the cave was formed this way millions of years before WE interfered  with them  just an alternative point .

An interesting point of view Cavemanmike. Technically Withyhill is a fossil system and it seems likely this sort of flooding has been caused by its dislocation from the Hillwithy - Hilliers route and the probability that the active stream routes below the quarry floor have been affected by quarrying. Add to that the enlargement of the cave and rebuilding of the silt traps up at Withybrook which means torrential run off now enters Withyhill much quicker. Withybrook was derelict 40 years ago and possibly some of the stream stayed on the surface to run down the valley. So what I am saying is that this flooding to a degree is man made and in a recent sense not natural. Certainly when first discovered there was no sign of silting or flooding in Withyhill. Movement of the shingle is good as it gives the impression that the cave is back in its state from 40 years ago. Removing dead leaves and the odd spot of mud seems sensible to me restoring formations to their pristine whiteness. ( Others may differ ). I have known the cave since it was found by quarrying and in fact gave it it's name - Withyhill. That relating to it's connections at Withybrook and Hilliers. The other detached section of cave got it reversed to Hillwithy. Its still a wonderful place and I have to say that the warden system under which the major quarry caves are accessed has done a huge amount to retain the natural splendour of these unique systems.

Laurie. Me retired from caving ! Not likely. I still go every week and have done four trips in a fortnight. Mostly I am digging in Vurley. Now at 64 trips in 18 months. We have a new landowner up there so for a while, until we know him better, we dont post much on the media. For a couple of months Photobucket has been pi$$ing me off so I havnt used it until this week. I am 70 next year but see no reason to cut back on caving in the near future. 

I so wish I could. I'm only a few years older than you but am currently still building some muscle after last year's back op and am currently fitted with a catheter (short term I hope).