Frog pot North choke

[Goydenman]

Mark Robson and I went in Frog pot through to North choke. That's the first time he has been through to Toad Hall from that direction previously it has been from diving via Goyden. At the moment the 30m sump is staying low enough for easy access - I say easy it is dam right cold and horrid but does give quick access tothe dig. We drilled the dividing wall blocking progress and hope that the next visit we will find half of it gone. I was hoping it would all be gone but Mark thinks it likely it will remove just half. Hopefully in 1-2 trips we should be able to make progress along the open passage beyond.

 

[Goydenman]

Solo trip to see damage done by previous work on the boulder blockage. The chemical persuasion did not remove much from the boulder but it did seriously crack the left hand side. A bit or work with a crowbar and enough room was cleared on the left so that I could reach round and forward to drag back small boulders to get a better view ahead. The passage does as said before appear to bend to the right or it is a big alcove. The water is coming from straight ahead (not from the right) although the view on is blocked by a dam of material which was out of reach. Next trip we should be able to remove another slice off the left wall and get in to clear the dam and look both straight ahead and to the right.

 

[Goydenman]

Ralf and I went in and managed to take another slice off the wall to finally squeeze through. The water coming from straight ahead was from a miniscule passage. We then removed the dam of material to get into the passage round the bend to the right . Most of the water was in fact flowing along this passage but sinking into the boulders just before the bend. The passage started to open up with signs of development in the roof above although too restricted to climb into it. It looked like we had an ongoing passage but then were quickly halted by a loose choke with water cascading from it. A brief dig got us nowhere fast and it was late so we exited the cave. For some reason we were both a bit down surprising since we had gained another 10m of passage and reasonable dig to have a go at. I guess it was because the signs were it was opening up and expectations raised then dashed. Feeling better now though and can't wait to get back. Thanks go to Andy and Mark for the work they put in as well that meant we were able to get this small breakthrough.

 

[Roger W]

Looks like it's still going to be a little bit at a time, then.

Don't get discouraged!  The breakthrough is there just ahead waiting for you!

 

[Goydenman]

Not discouraged itching to get back now - just another obstacle.
Managed for a while that the passage is just a small inlet and will not give us a link with Goyden but thinking again I think it will give us both!

 

[RUSS B]

told you your in the wrong dig!! you need to be in dead dog....

 

[Goydenman]

Ralf, Andy and I went to attack the second choke. Although the choke is not highly compacted with plenty of gaps between the boulders it is loose and would need shoring work to push further. The passage is heading steeply uphill and on the surface there is a stream that we think is sinking at that point . So it does appear to be an inlet passage and a lot of work to only open up a new entrance, although that would mean we would not then have to go through the 30m duck every time :-\.
While they were working on the choke I was looking up at the devellopment in the roof. It was joint controlled crawling size passage but too narrow to get into. I followed it back to the breakthrough corner and there noticed going back towards the first choke was a blocked passage and a way up into the higher level development. A bit of digging half way along led to a point where another joint passage went sharp right with a view through to a void while ahead was too narrow but above was also a view through to a void. Both leads had boulders obstacles. Right seemed easier and I managed to drop the boulders into a convenient hole using the crowbar. Andy then took over and started work on tackling a slope of boulders and clay, precarious work . Either lead may providev a way over the choke so needs checking out. If neither of these are options then we may shift our attention to another lead in the system to find our link to Goyden. Work continues as they say!