Katie
Active member
Having been asked to help organize the Giants ? Oxlow connection 50th anniversary at fairly short notice I didn?t have the time to book myself a day off work. Therefore on the day itself I just had too much to do to manage to get underground. I was pleased that so many cavers had got underground in the system over the course of the weekend and that the talks had been so well attended ? more than 50 cavers ? who between them raised ?240 for Derbyshire CRO. Although interesting I believe 8 people over the course of the weekend had looked at the Chamber of Horrors connection but only 2 had made it through??
Tuesday evening a de-rigging trip was planned. For some unknown reason I felt drawn to return to the chamber of horrors. Looking in my caving log I last did it in August 2005 ? nearly 11 years ago! However on that occasion I did do it in both directions as we had not rigged Oxlow so I had never done the through trip.
Two other cavers were keen to have a horrific time with me. So we set off to Giants whilst other Tuesday cavers headed down Oxlow and Maskhill to do the exchange and de-rig Maskhill. In giants we quickly heading to the windpipe and through to Poached egg passage with only a few minutes wasted deciding where to climb out of the crabwalk. We crawled to the start of the ducks which looked worse than I had remembered! Tying a bag with two SRT kits to the middle a rope I removed my helmet and put on my wetsuit hood and small head light. I then headed into the first duck. From the Giants end the first duck has the most airspace but is the longest. Moving slowly on my back, trying not to create waves I managed to get through without having to hold my breath. My eyes did go under, but I managed to keep my lips out. Now ?comfortable? with my head out of the water I pulled the bag through ? with some help from the second caver on the other end of the rope. I left the bag submerged in a relative big bit of the duck. Then I headed for the second duck. Again I managed to keep airspace into a slightly more roomy bit where I could lift my head and look around a little. I could see possible airspace continuing to my right but couldn?t work out how to get my face into it. So I decided this must be the third sumped duck. I felt under the water and thought I could feel a lip where the rock begain to rise. Sinking low in the water and took some deep breaths, head my breath and push myself under. Moving under the rock it seemed a while till I could start to get my face out of the water but eventually I could look around. That?s when I saw the actual 3rd duck. Bugger I still had one to go!!!!! This one was also sumped and at this point I very seriously considered going back and giving up. However after some deep breaths I decided to continue. Reaching under the rock I thought I could hear an air surface if I flapped my hand about. So I lay on my back, took a few deep breaths and went under once again. With my eyes open I could see the rock, then I could see airspace! But not yet big enough to get my face into. Now aware this was quite committing, as I wasn?t sure about reversing this feet first STILL holding my breath, I sped up and got into the airspace. I was out! Lying in a flat out crawl with a small puddle in it was luxury.
I awaited the others?. Shivering a bit which I suspect was more to do with the adrenaline than the cold. I could hear voices but not clearly what was being said. It transpires Jess had a go at the first duck however water flooded her ears and disorientated her causing water swallowing issues! However despite this she had a second attempt! She then decided to give Rowan a go. Rowan took his time but made it through all 3 ducks. Very impressive considering he wasn?t in a wet suit! Luckily I had brought Rob?s wetsuit hood as a spare so he had that.
While Rowan was coming through I was still feeling nervous. If I could not pull the bag the rest of the way through the ducks I would have to go back through them again! On my way through the ducks I had used one hand to feel the way and the other clung tightly to my helmet and the end of the rope ? I did not want to lose that! I felt a huge sense of relief when the bag appeared on the rope ? I was going out Oxlow! I didn?t have to go back into the horror??. We did have two srts through, however not the right two but Jess and Rowan would just have to swap for the exits.
Both cold, Rowan understandably very cold, we started crawling. Much unpleasant rocky, wet, gravelling, bag grabbing, crawling followed. Eventually we reached the gravelly puddle squeeze which I tackled on my back, helmet off. Having now removed my wetsuit hood my hair kept getting stuck under my shoulders as I thrutched forwards. The bag also got stuck. Again.
Soon after we were at Mecca aven and I breathed a sigh of relief. Still lots of more crawling but easy going now. Reaching the pitch down we kitted up ? Rowan working out Jess?s kit as he went. At this point I realised my buff had disappeared from the bag ? somewhere between here and the Oxlow side of the wet bits. Pint if you get it back for me! I quickly derigged the pull through after us.
Now just needed to get out of Oxlow. I asked Rowan if I could de-rig however he was still very cold (having been hard core and done Chamber of Horrors in a furry) so suggested he rather I didn?t! So a steady trip to the surface was had.
Back on the surface I was surprised so many of the exchange trip crew had waited for us. And Jess was there having had a good trip out of Giants, de-rigging Garlands on the way. If we had all gone through I had planned to go back down giants after to de-rig. This extra trip was playing on my mind until about half way up Oxlow?s pitches when I suddenly realised that as Jess had gone back she would do! So I could just head straight home for a brew and a hot shower. The toddler slept through me getting home but the baby realised I was back and woke for a feed but I was quite happy to have a warm cuddle under the duvet with her!
Today I have sore elbows, knees, and strangely outside of my hips so I have used a special crawling technique. I am also reminded why it has taken me 11 years to go back there. I might leave it another 11??.
I wonder if the Eldon?s club motto ?Semper in excreta? came about before or after they had dug the Chamber of horrors connection?
Tuesday evening a de-rigging trip was planned. For some unknown reason I felt drawn to return to the chamber of horrors. Looking in my caving log I last did it in August 2005 ? nearly 11 years ago! However on that occasion I did do it in both directions as we had not rigged Oxlow so I had never done the through trip.
Two other cavers were keen to have a horrific time with me. So we set off to Giants whilst other Tuesday cavers headed down Oxlow and Maskhill to do the exchange and de-rig Maskhill. In giants we quickly heading to the windpipe and through to Poached egg passage with only a few minutes wasted deciding where to climb out of the crabwalk. We crawled to the start of the ducks which looked worse than I had remembered! Tying a bag with two SRT kits to the middle a rope I removed my helmet and put on my wetsuit hood and small head light. I then headed into the first duck. From the Giants end the first duck has the most airspace but is the longest. Moving slowly on my back, trying not to create waves I managed to get through without having to hold my breath. My eyes did go under, but I managed to keep my lips out. Now ?comfortable? with my head out of the water I pulled the bag through ? with some help from the second caver on the other end of the rope. I left the bag submerged in a relative big bit of the duck. Then I headed for the second duck. Again I managed to keep airspace into a slightly more roomy bit where I could lift my head and look around a little. I could see possible airspace continuing to my right but couldn?t work out how to get my face into it. So I decided this must be the third sumped duck. I felt under the water and thought I could feel a lip where the rock begain to rise. Sinking low in the water and took some deep breaths, head my breath and push myself under. Moving under the rock it seemed a while till I could start to get my face out of the water but eventually I could look around. That?s when I saw the actual 3rd duck. Bugger I still had one to go!!!!! This one was also sumped and at this point I very seriously considered going back and giving up. However after some deep breaths I decided to continue. Reaching under the rock I thought I could hear an air surface if I flapped my hand about. So I lay on my back, took a few deep breaths and went under once again. With my eyes open I could see the rock, then I could see airspace! But not yet big enough to get my face into. Now aware this was quite committing, as I wasn?t sure about reversing this feet first STILL holding my breath, I sped up and got into the airspace. I was out! Lying in a flat out crawl with a small puddle in it was luxury.
I awaited the others?. Shivering a bit which I suspect was more to do with the adrenaline than the cold. I could hear voices but not clearly what was being said. It transpires Jess had a go at the first duck however water flooded her ears and disorientated her causing water swallowing issues! However despite this she had a second attempt! She then decided to give Rowan a go. Rowan took his time but made it through all 3 ducks. Very impressive considering he wasn?t in a wet suit! Luckily I had brought Rob?s wetsuit hood as a spare so he had that.
While Rowan was coming through I was still feeling nervous. If I could not pull the bag the rest of the way through the ducks I would have to go back through them again! On my way through the ducks I had used one hand to feel the way and the other clung tightly to my helmet and the end of the rope ? I did not want to lose that! I felt a huge sense of relief when the bag appeared on the rope ? I was going out Oxlow! I didn?t have to go back into the horror??. We did have two srts through, however not the right two but Jess and Rowan would just have to swap for the exits.
Both cold, Rowan understandably very cold, we started crawling. Much unpleasant rocky, wet, gravelling, bag grabbing, crawling followed. Eventually we reached the gravelly puddle squeeze which I tackled on my back, helmet off. Having now removed my wetsuit hood my hair kept getting stuck under my shoulders as I thrutched forwards. The bag also got stuck. Again.
Soon after we were at Mecca aven and I breathed a sigh of relief. Still lots of more crawling but easy going now. Reaching the pitch down we kitted up ? Rowan working out Jess?s kit as he went. At this point I realised my buff had disappeared from the bag ? somewhere between here and the Oxlow side of the wet bits. Pint if you get it back for me! I quickly derigged the pull through after us.
Now just needed to get out of Oxlow. I asked Rowan if I could de-rig however he was still very cold (having been hard core and done Chamber of Horrors in a furry) so suggested he rather I didn?t! So a steady trip to the surface was had.
Back on the surface I was surprised so many of the exchange trip crew had waited for us. And Jess was there having had a good trip out of Giants, de-rigging Garlands on the way. If we had all gone through I had planned to go back down giants after to de-rig. This extra trip was playing on my mind until about half way up Oxlow?s pitches when I suddenly realised that as Jess had gone back she would do! So I could just head straight home for a brew and a hot shower. The toddler slept through me getting home but the baby realised I was back and woke for a feed but I was quite happy to have a warm cuddle under the duvet with her!
Today I have sore elbows, knees, and strangely outside of my hips so I have used a special crawling technique. I am also reminded why it has taken me 11 years to go back there. I might leave it another 11??.
I wonder if the Eldon?s club motto ?Semper in excreta? came about before or after they had dug the Chamber of horrors connection?
