Blind Pot in Simpsons Pot

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Paul_L

Guest
I have traversed over Blind Pot (Bob's Pit?) more times than I can remember, each time I considered this "alternative route" to Storm Pot.
Due to the number of stranded cavers rescued from here after pulling through I have avoided it.

NC3 says the following: "Now the water plunges into the pit (on its way to Storm Pot) but it is easier to traverse across"...
Obviously "easier" does not indicate the severity of not traversing...

Memorys from past (usually drunk) discussions on this recall words like "tight" and "exposed"....

Has anyone taken this route in the past? (Description please...)
Were all the "stranded" cavers just too big to squeeze through?
 

dunc

New member
Never been down it but I've heard it is very tight. I think the fact that it is generally referred to as a blind pit and the fact a fair number of people have marooned themselves down there confirms it as being tight!
 

antmcc

Member
Last Time I passed over this, i noticed that there were a series of nicely drilled holes up the pot with some 'tat' threaded through.

I'd never noticed these before (they could have been there for years), but looking at the spacing they'd make it possible to climb out protected by cowstails, either someone got stranded down there with a drill or someone has pre-empted the next 'stranding' and made it easier for self rescue?
 

susie

New member
Both Northern Caves and the survey indicate that the passage at the bottom does go through to Storm Pot.

Incidentally, it's just "The Pit" - it doesn't belong to Bob or to anyone else.
 
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Paul_L

Guest
susie said:
Incidentally, it's just "The Pit" - it doesn't belong to Bob or to anyone else.

even the CRO have referred to it as "Bob's pit" and "the blind pot" as well as "The Pit" in the past, but I'm being pedantic...

 

susie

New member
Paul_L said:
even the CRO have referred to it as "Bob's pit" and "the blind pot" as well as "The Pit" in the past, but I'm being pedantic...

Possibly, but that doesn't make it correct. The initial explorers called it The Pit, and that's how it appeared on the original survey, in the original exploration accounts, on the U.L.S.A. survey, and in Northern Caves. I agree with Pitlamp when he says that there is "the need to stick to original explorers' names", otherwise confusion reigns.

As I am sure you are aware, Bob's Pit is actually the hole one traverses over between Dome Junction and Candle in Lost John's.
 
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Paul_L

Guest
susie said:
Paul_L said:
even the CRO have referred to it as "Bob's pit" and "the blind pot" as well as "The Pit" in the past, but I'm being pedantic...

Possibly, but that doesn't make it correct. The initial explorers called it The Pit, and that's how it appeared on the original survey, in the original exploration accounts, on the U.L.S.A. survey, and in Northern Caves. I agree with Pitlamp when he says that there is "the need to stick to original explorers' names", otherwise confusion reigns.

As I am sure you are aware, Bob's Pit is actually the hole one traverses over between Dome Junction and Candle in Lost John's.

I'm guessing you didn't get the "pedantic" hint, so i'll spell it out...

I couldn't care less what its called I just wanted some details on the route...
 
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Paul_L

Guest
A much thinner and more experienced member of the BCC tried this route recently and had to be "kicked" through one of the tight bits...

I think i'll traverse...
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Actually some of us do think that names are important, so please let me quote directly from the late Arthur Gemmell (who was involved in the original exploration):

"Working his way sideways along the fissure, Leakey came to a yawning hole in the floor, down which plunged the stream. There was no question of climbing down here, but Leakey was nothing if not resourceful and he managed to traverse over the gulf - we named it "The Pit" - into a continuation of the fissure beyond."

Anyway, you're all wrong because if you look at the original survey (a large scale version of which still exists, beautifully drawn by Gemmell) you'll find that the real named of this fine pothole is actually Simpson Pot (not Simpson's").

Sorry Paul_L; OK, I'll shut up . . .
 

dunc

New member
Anyway, you're all wrong because if you look at the original survey (a large scale version of which still exists, beautifully drawn by Gemmell) you'll find that the real named of this fine pothole is actually Simpson Pot (not Simpson's").
So it is, never noticed that one before!
But you can't blame anyone here for getting it wrong, as the 67 ULSA survey of W.Kingsdale even has it down as Simpson's and Northern Caves and etc etc..
 
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Paul_L

Guest
I should start a thread called "The Pit in Simpson Pot" and wait for all the "Do you mean Bob's pit?" and "Don't you mean Simpson'S Pot?"

ever heard of "common usage"?
 
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Paul_L

Guest
Pitlamp said:
"Working his way sideways along the fissure, Leakey came to a yawning hole in the floor, down which plunged the stream. There was no question of climbing down here, but Leakey was nothing if not resourceful and he managed to traverse over the gulf - we named it "The Pit" - into a continuation of the fissure beyond."

Which book is this from?
Sounds like an interesting read...
 

graham

New member
Interesting debate. I happen to agree with Pitlamp (is that his real name?) that names are important. Wig's* policy, as far as the Mendip Cave Registry was concerned was to record all alternative usages and variants. As far as this one is concerned, As Leakey was the first over it, the alternate name "Bob's Pit" would seem reasonable, just as everyone on Mendip remembers "Trat's Temple" in Swildon's and not Balch's original name of "The Temple".

However, I might take this opportunity for a couple of quick rants:

Some people do tend to wholly overname their finds. Most of these names will not survive in common usage.

The second entrance to Goatchurch Cavern is called "Back Door" not Tradesman's Entrance.

*Also not his real name.
 

susie

New member
Paul_L said:
Which book is this from?

"Underground Adventure" by Arthur Gemmel and Jack Myers, published in 1952 by Dalesman Publishing Company and Blandford Press, Ltd.

The quotation is taken from a chapter entitled "The Intricacies of Simpson Pot" which describes the original exploration of the cave, and may be found on page 31.
 

susie

New member
graham said:
As Leakey was the first over it, the alternate name "Bob's Pit" would seem reasonable, just as everyone on Mendip remembers "Trat's Temple" in Swildon's and not Balch's original name of "The Temple".

I really don't think this name has come in to being because of the connection with Bob Leakey. I've only known the occasional person refer to it as Bob's Pit in the last few years - before then it was always "The Pit". I really do think that people simply confuse the name with the true Bob's Pit in Lost Johns. That's why I think it important to keep the record straight, as the use of the wrong name in print has a verisimilitude which can help the confusion spread.
 
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Paul_L

Guest
susie said:
graham said:
As Leakey was the first over it, the alternate name "Bob's Pit" would seem reasonable, just as everyone on Mendip remembers "Trat's Temple" in Swildon's and not Balch's original name of "The Temple".
I've only known the occasional person refer to it as Bob's Pit in the last few years

Unfortunately the CRO online records only go back to 1997... http://www.cro.org.uk/1997.html

SIMPSON'S POT 3rd Saturday (23:20)
Solo caver (m) reported overdue on Simpson's Pot to KMC trip, and if time permitted Swinsto Hole to KMC. CRO search parties sent to Simpson's Pot, Swinsto & KMC. Caver found at bottom of Bob's Pit where he had been for 15 hours - tired, very cold and wet.

 

susie

New member
Paul_L said:
Unfortunately the CRO online records only go back to 1997... http://www.cro.org.uk/1997.html

I'm pleased to see that they saw the error of their ways and got it right in their only other reference to the place, which was in 2006.
 
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