Beyond the Sumps of Stoke Lane Slocker

rhychydwr1

rhychydwr1

Active member
Cave diver Dave Watts is back with a video showing what lies beyond the sumps of Somerset?s Stoke Lane Slocker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNDwg_chXdI

Filled with formations, the post-sump area of the cave is known as Stoke 2. It contains highly decorated chambers including the Upper Grotto, Traverse Grotto and the Throne Room
 
Les W

Les W

Active member
Pegasus said:
Fab formations - lucky divers....
Click to expand...

Stoke two is available to non divers as well. Although it involves a nasty sump it is only a short freedive to get there...
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
After a brief glance I would say that was Stoke  Three and beyond. Now I really feel I should have gone there. Perhaps I will summon the energy to it before I get too decrepit.
 
ah147

ah147

New member
Well now I have somewhere to go on the training camp!


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Duncan Price

Duncan Price

Active member
Much of the footage is of Stoke 3 and 4.  Sump 2 is tight at the downstream end and although only 10 m long not free-diveable.  Stoke 3 is one of the best decorated streamway under Mendip.  There is a potential bypass to Sump 2 best tackled from the downstream side as it is not at all obvious where it might connect with the large Bone Chamber in Stoke 2.  It really is not worth going beyond Stoke 5 - trust me.
 
Duncan Price

Duncan Price

Active member
MJenkinson said:
ah147 said:
Well now I have somewhere to go on the training camp!


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Click to expand...

No, you have somewhere to go with me during Hidden Earth!
Click to expand...

Either way give me a shout as I'd like the opportunity to snoop around 3 & 4 as I've usually been on a mission elsewhere.  Requires stable weather and I can recommend a visit to the high level chambers in 2 to everyone.
 
Cartwright26

Cartwright26

New member
Usually when things are described as "interesting" it means horrendously scary/tight/wet/scary/loose/dangerous/not very plesent. Well going by my caving buddys who say go down there its very pretty, and upon my return how the  (insert descriptive expletive) do i get back through this, well its interesting comes the reply!!!
 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Stoke 3 is 10 metres high in places and apparently avens in Stoke 4 come very near the surface. Way back there were plans for a surface dig. The Bone Chamber in Stoke 2 is said to have a charcoal deposit though I have not seen it. I guess that sort of project is still feasible.
 
dugadig

dugadig

Member
The Old Ruminator said:
The link here will take you to Swildon's Hole survey and related surface features. For other caves including Stoke Lane Slocker use the drop down menu. Stoke 3/4 appears to be under a wooded depression by the road.

http://www.bdcc.co.uk/mendip3/mendip.htm?lat=51.257537&lon=-2.677059&lz=16&rz=15&lt=satellite&rt=Hide&lov=Caves&rov=None
Click to expand...


This depression is the entrance our ancestors made into the cave at the upward boulder slope in Bone chamber, before sump 2.
I have always felt a bypass to sump 2 could be engineered here.
As Duncan has said it looks more obvious from the downstream side of 2 though.

A project for someone maybe? Why don't they just have a tiny bottle and respirator for these annoying sumps designed for capable cavers, without forking out a grand or so for expensive diving kit?  :confused:
 
dugadig

dugadig

Member
Apologies Old Ruminator, you were talking about above 3/4.

I thought Arachnid rift in the next quarry was dug in an attempt to reach this area? Can't remember how it went though?
 
M

MJenkinson

Member
dugadig said:
The Old Ruminator said:
The link here will take you to Swildon's Hole survey and related surface features. For other caves including Stoke Lane Slocker use the drop down menu. Stoke 3/4 appears to be under a wooded depression by the road.

http://www.bdcc.co.uk/mendip3/mendip.htm?lat=51.257537&lon=-2.677059&lz=16&rz=15&lt=satellite&rt=Hide&lov=Caves&rov=None
Click to expand...
Why don't they just have a tiny bottle and respirator for these annoying sumps designed for capable cavers, without forking out a grand or so for expensive diving kit?  :confused:
Click to expand...

You can get a 3 litre cylinder and a reg for a lot less than that of Ebay, especially if the cylinder is out of test. You then just need to find a way of filling it! (friendly diver / shop / CDG section)
 
ah147

ah147

New member
dugadig said:
A project for someone maybe? Why don't they just have a tiny bottle and respirator for these annoying sumps designed for capable cavers, without forking out a grand or so for expensive diving kit?  :confused:
Click to expand...

It doesn't start with expensive diving gear. It starts with a capable caver buying a tiny bottle and regulator, and soon it descends into this:

fe51b84aec64973d94548d54c13c0db3.jpg


The rest is currently in the van.


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dugadig

dugadig

Member
ah147 said:
dugadig said:
A project for someone maybe? Why don't they just have a tiny bottle and respirator for these annoying sumps designed for capable cavers, without forking out a grand or so for expensive diving kit?  :confused:
Click to expand...

It doesn't start with expensive diving gear. It starts with a capable caver buying a tiny bottle and regulator, and soon it descends into this:

fe51b84aec64973d94548d54c13c0db3.jpg


The rest is currently in the van.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Drinking Dr Pepper? .. Stuff that then!  :LOL:
 
S

Scoff

New member
The Dr Pepper is probably left over from a party, where Ash clearly had lots of helium-filled balloons...

Scoff
 
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