Just to say hello

[Pickle McPickwick]

I have been caving for about a year. I have just joined the forum, and wanted to say hello!

 

[Brains]

Hello and welcome. Where do you normally cave, and can you travel to other areas easily enough? Have you got all your own kit together yet?
Look around, have fun, and go caving!
B

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

I am pretty lucky really, I work at an outdoor activity centre, went caving with the instructors one day for a giggle, and loved it! They asked me if I would go as second when we take groups out. I have no gear of my own, but can borrow it very easily. I mnostly cave at Llanymynch, which is a nice gentle experience for children (and me), other than that, only White Horse and Christmas cave, (where I had my birthday). Not caving at the moment, as our season has ended, the instructors are all away doing exciting stuff, and I do not feel I have enough experience to take a beginner on my own.

 

[graham]

Hi Pickle and welcome to caving and to the forum.

Just one question; if you do not feel that you are up to taking a beginner by yourself, what makes you think that you make a suitable second? What would you do if the leader was the one to have a problem?

 

[Peter Burgess]

Hi Pickle and welcome to caving and to the forum.

Just one question; if you do not feel that you are up to taking a beginner by yourself, what makes you think that you make a suitable second? What would you do if the leader was the one to have a problem?

Naughty Graham! Pickle didn't OFFER to be the second, Pickle was ASKED to be the second, so you should direct your question at the LEADER.

 

[Peter Burgess]

Oh, and hello McPicklewick. Excuse my friends. You will get used to them.

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

It is one thing to second a highly experienced and qualified leader in a cave I have been in so often I can do it with my eyes shut, another entirely to take a beginner to a cave I did not know. My reluctance comes more from caution than any lack of ability.

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

and I just noticed your other question...in the event of any calamity, I would leave the leader with the group, go to the cave entrance (only about 2 mins from the deepest part of the cave, even including the little squeeze) and ring emergency services giving them the OS reference of our location (which we keep in Colin our emergency bag)....for a snail you are very forthright! Thanks for being a Knight in a boiler suit Mr Burgess.

 

[graham]

Hi Pickle and welcome to caving and to the forum.

Just one question; if you do not feel that you are up to taking a beginner by yourself, what makes you think that you make a suitable second? What would you do if the leader was the one to have a problem?

Naughty Graham! Pickle didn't OFFER to be the second, Pickle was ASKED to be the second, so you should direct your question at the LEADER.

Apologies, Pickle for highjacking your thread, but thank you for your reply to my subsidiary question. I shall not pursue that point at the moment.

Peter, maybe I should be directing such a question at the leader as well but that does not lessen the second's responsibility in accepting such a role.

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

You are absolutely right Graham, and if I had felt that the cave we always use was beyond my capabilites, I would never have accepted the offer. Llanymynch, where we  and other outdoor cebtres take their groups is a walk in and out with no drops, water or nasty surprises. Most of my time is speant coaxing frightened children through the little squeeze, and telling stories.

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

I also have to say that I was not expecting such a spiky welcome. I was so looking forward to joining this forum, and now I am wondering why I did it. I am off to cry and listen to Iron Maiden

 

[Peter Burgess]

Horses for courses, Pickle (no, you are not a horse). Graham, stop pontificating.  

 

[graham]

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

666 the number of the beeeast

 

[ttxela]

Llanymynch, where we  and other outdoor cebtres take their groups is a walk in and out with no drops, water or nasty surprises. Most of my time is speant coaxing frightened children through the little squeeze, and telling stories.

I think I was due to visit there during the 2006 NAMHO but had to cancel due to an unexpected illness    Isn't it actually a mine?

 

[Peter Burgess]

I was told it was an ancient copper mine when I went there. Tony Jarratt wrote much the same thing in his log book Vol.1.

 

[Pickle McPickwick]

It is in fact a naturally formed cave to a degree, but was mined out for copper priginally in the bronze age, then the Romans mined there (the human remains foumd in the Burial Chamber date from then), after that, it was mined for silver during the crusades, to raise the ransom for some prince I cannot remember the name of, then it was finally mined by the Victorians 

 

[Rhys]

http://www.ukcaving.com/wiki/index.php/Ogof_Llanymynech

It was my local "cave" when I was a kid.

 

[caving_fox]

Welcome to the forum! We're normally a bit more  :hug: so Graham gets a  :spank: !

If you are feeling uncertain about your own abilities one of the best ways to improve is to join a club, the SWCC is possibly the biggest one in the area, but there are plenty of others as well. That way you get to learn form watching everyone else doing it wrong rather than experiencing it yourself!

 

[Peter Burgess]

and I just noticed your other question...in the event of any calamity, I would leave the leader with the group, go to the cave entrance (only about 2 mins from the deepest part of the cave, even including the little squeeze) and ring emergency services giving them the OS reference of our location (which we keep in Colin our emergency bag)....for a snail you are very forthright! Thanks for being a Knight in a boiler suit Mr Burgess.

Forgive me for asking, but why is your emergency bag called "Colin" ?