What better than a trip down Swildon's to start the New Year?
It's been pretty wet lately, so various trips I'd been planning were put on the back-burner and I opted for a deliberately aquatic alternative, straight down the streamway, to the end...
An hour of fiddling and cursing the previous day, saw the zip of a tatty old wetsuit repaired and ready for it's first outing since I was given it over a year ago. Batteries charged, cylinders full, regulators tinkered, all set for a good day out!
Underground for just after 10am and a slow steady slog down to sump 2, taking care not to get washed off all the climbs! It's obviously been very wet recently, with foam on the roof through large sections of the cave, but today, though a little lively, all was ok so far.
A short break at sump 2 to kit up before immersing myself in the dirty water. Visibility was no more than a foot, but at least the wetsuit seemed pretty warm
Nearly lost my footing a couple of times in the white water of Swildon's 4 as the smell of Cowsh Aven got stronger.
The foam marks were about a foot above the water at Sump 4, despite it already being considerably above its usual level.
Beyond, to my amazement, there was no sign of foam or increased water level in the low sections leading to Sump 5 and right through to Sump 6.
Visibility was less than 6" in Sump 6, but at least the high water levels did seem to have cleared up the air beyond, which is often a bit thin, but nice and fresh today!
Up and down the boulders, up and down again and along to Sump 7, which is usually bypassed via a slot to the left, a right hand corner and scrabble up a gravel slope to a window back into the streamway beyond.
Today though, the water was a good 18" up on its usual level and the bypass was well under water. I followed the dive line in 6"viz to the left hand turn into the slot which seemed pretty snug with a pair of cylinders on. I thought for a moment, I could hardly see my hand in from of my face, I've never demounted a cylinder underwater before, was now the time to try?
Sense prevailed, I'd had a good trip so far, so carefully, I backed out against the flow of water. Better to quit while you're ahead!
The return upstream was a battle in places and a slog elsewhere; I was more than relieved to see the sun shining outside as I dragged my knackered body out of the blockhouse and back across the fields after 5 hours underground.
A good start to the year and here's to plenty more as the year goes on