Crete 2009

Katie

Katie

Active member
For all those who may be interested I have had an update on the Crete 2009 expedition to push Colosuss - the going cave we had to leave at 213m deep last year through lack of time.

Rob say
Cave is going well, hit a 90m pitch with some cool horizontal stuff and more pitches.Depth so far 375m - stopped at another pitch still with a draft. 14h pushing trips. Good fun caving.
 
Katie

Katie

Active member
Heard from Rob today - Unfortunately Colosuss has finished at 560m deep.
Stopped in a large chamber with a big boulder choke. They are now photographing and de rigging.
Katie
 
S

seddon

New member
Bad luck on that - but a good effort to get the depth at that speed.

Still, tell Rob not to bring his cave - killing habits to Spain!
 
Rob

Rob

Well-known member
Yup, we finished the derigged and photographed out on the 7th July.

The valley that we have worked in for the last 3 years has now been completed to a realistic level. Shame really because the next valley along has two caves below 1000m. There are however many other areas in the mountains still to have a concentrated effort on them. I'd estimate that there are 6-8 expeditions there every year, from the British, French, Italians and of course the Greeks. But still tens of years will be needed to complete the area.

For an example of the cave density, our valley was about 5km long and contained +350 caves! I think 11 were below 100m deep. So yes, a "concentrated effort" is the way to do it...!
 
Pie Muncher

Pie Muncher

Member
There are a bunch of us going out on 1st Sept for 2 weeks to an adjacent area, south of Pachness, principally to put three going leads to bed but continuing the eternal search. If anyone with Crete experience(or not I guess) would like to come along you would be welcome.
You didn't stash any ropes out there did you Rob? Just incase we get lucky ;)
 
Pie Muncher

Pie Muncher

Member
Rob said:
Pie Muncher said:
...principally to put three going leads to bed...
Click to expand...
High expectations then!
Click to expand...
Having been rained off the hill last year after only 3 days and in hind sight stupidly spreading ropes etc between three hole instead of chasing just one, we can't be sure just how things will pan out this year. Although we believe we have the water issue cracked! A shepherds well less than an hours walk from camp.

Great pics on the Daily Mail report but agree content of Independant much better.

There's a vacancy for a decent photographer 1-15th Sept. :)
 
footleg

footleg

New member
nickwilliams said:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/sent-down-students-conquer-cave-network-550m-deep-1764008.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/5927835/British-students-take-plunge-in-unexplored-Greek-cave.html
Click to expand...

A work colleague handed me a copy of the Independent article he had saved for me while I was away in Texas. Nice to see such a positive cave article in the print media for a change. And well done for getting press coverage for the expedition in the first place.

I was also impressed by the caption on an image on that telegraph link: 'Katie Dent lowers Ben Morley in the main 150m deep entrance shaft'. I'm guessing Nick's work gloves give great strength to whoever wears them! ;)
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
Rob did an excellent presentation at the ICS in Texas - was the last talk of the Congress and was lavishly filled with photographs right up to the bitter end.  Catch it at Hidden Earth.
 
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