cap n chris
Well-known member
Wonder whether anyone can help elucidate, following receiving this email this evening:
(text begins)
"I am mystified over a conflict I have with the descriptions of cave features and passages/routes within this cave system. Let me explain:
In the mid to late 1950s I visited the cave with my brother and a Mr X, the latter wishing to overcome his fear of enclosed spaces (Claustrophobia).
As my memory serves me, when on entering the cave I witnessed a dry passage to the left at floor level and dipping. However, it looked unsafe and with fresh broken rock. As I believed it was on a bedding plane I cautiously entered on my belly for a short uncomfortable distance and then withdrew believing nothing would come of it but disaster. Proceeding down an incline into the main chamber I perceived straight ahead what appeared was a blocked off extension to the chamber using brick work thus deigning further exploration.
Casting my eye around the ceiling and the right hand side (west side) of this chamber there was, if my memory allows a ledge and 'frozen' formation and a passage above it. Climbing up into this passage I found on going further along it a circular passage dipping down on the left. I looked of sufficient size that with care I could explore it. So with my brother holding a long rope I proceeded down head first down this passage with the rope underneath me. On reaching the bottom I arrived into a small wet chamber on a mud Ledge with what appeared, in the poor light of my torch a pool of crystal clear water. I noted that the walls were very wet but not noticing any movement in the water chose to encourage our friend to come down. On his arrival I noted the fear on his face and asked him how he felt. This question was stopped short by the observation that the water was during my "plumbing" it's depth deeper that it was and also it began rising and falling. It was obvious that it was a sump and with the wet walls was not the best place to be in. So I told my friend to make tracks fast! but in doing so his Jacket 'balled up' around his waist, effectively jamming him in the passage He, being aware of the rising water panicked and me feeling also quite anxious told him, with my help to get the Jacket off 'pronto'. Needless to say that as my feet left the sump chamber my lower legs were in the rising water. As his progress was slow even with me pushing him back up the passage we arrived back into the top section with my brother, both very frightened, and me very chastened (by my brother). Had we not placed that rope in the passage down to the sump chamber' I believe even now that I would not be telling you this story.
Now, having recited our experience I am still trying to link my visit description above with the many write-ups of the cave but while my mind is clear on our detail above it seems to differ somewhat descriptively from those write-ups seen 'online'. Because it would seem no other person had experienced our plight!
So from my write up are you able to form in your mind the correct terminology of the passage and sump chamber I described in the narrative above. Also was the 'man made passage blockage. in the back of the first entrance chamber real and that there was a passage / passages behind and beyond it?
Note: I have recently traced Mr X and now like, me he is old and lives in Y. He says he has never forgotten nor forgiven me for the frightening experience I gave him those many years ago not withstanding his intial desire to overcome his fear of closed spaces.
Cap'n Chris: If you think there are discrepancies in my story and there are better caving systems terms for the passages described then please avail me of your authoritative knowledge".
(Text ends)
(text begins)
"I am mystified over a conflict I have with the descriptions of cave features and passages/routes within this cave system. Let me explain:
In the mid to late 1950s I visited the cave with my brother and a Mr X, the latter wishing to overcome his fear of enclosed spaces (Claustrophobia).
As my memory serves me, when on entering the cave I witnessed a dry passage to the left at floor level and dipping. However, it looked unsafe and with fresh broken rock. As I believed it was on a bedding plane I cautiously entered on my belly for a short uncomfortable distance and then withdrew believing nothing would come of it but disaster. Proceeding down an incline into the main chamber I perceived straight ahead what appeared was a blocked off extension to the chamber using brick work thus deigning further exploration.
Casting my eye around the ceiling and the right hand side (west side) of this chamber there was, if my memory allows a ledge and 'frozen' formation and a passage above it. Climbing up into this passage I found on going further along it a circular passage dipping down on the left. I looked of sufficient size that with care I could explore it. So with my brother holding a long rope I proceeded down head first down this passage with the rope underneath me. On reaching the bottom I arrived into a small wet chamber on a mud Ledge with what appeared, in the poor light of my torch a pool of crystal clear water. I noted that the walls were very wet but not noticing any movement in the water chose to encourage our friend to come down. On his arrival I noted the fear on his face and asked him how he felt. This question was stopped short by the observation that the water was during my "plumbing" it's depth deeper that it was and also it began rising and falling. It was obvious that it was a sump and with the wet walls was not the best place to be in. So I told my friend to make tracks fast! but in doing so his Jacket 'balled up' around his waist, effectively jamming him in the passage He, being aware of the rising water panicked and me feeling also quite anxious told him, with my help to get the Jacket off 'pronto'. Needless to say that as my feet left the sump chamber my lower legs were in the rising water. As his progress was slow even with me pushing him back up the passage we arrived back into the top section with my brother, both very frightened, and me very chastened (by my brother). Had we not placed that rope in the passage down to the sump chamber' I believe even now that I would not be telling you this story.
Now, having recited our experience I am still trying to link my visit description above with the many write-ups of the cave but while my mind is clear on our detail above it seems to differ somewhat descriptively from those write-ups seen 'online'. Because it would seem no other person had experienced our plight!
So from my write up are you able to form in your mind the correct terminology of the passage and sump chamber I described in the narrative above. Also was the 'man made passage blockage. in the back of the first entrance chamber real and that there was a passage / passages behind and beyond it?
Note: I have recently traced Mr X and now like, me he is old and lives in Y. He says he has never forgotten nor forgiven me for the frightening experience I gave him those many years ago not withstanding his intial desire to overcome his fear of closed spaces.
Cap'n Chris: If you think there are discrepancies in my story and there are better caving systems terms for the passages described then please avail me of your authoritative knowledge".
(Text ends)
