South Wales - Porth yr Ogof and Pwll y Cwm/Elm Hole - 13/08/16

RNCM

New member
13/08/16
Porth yr Ogof
Rupert Massey, Fee Crozier

Arriving to light drizzle RM and FC, having checked water levels were still appropriate for diving (they were ? a few inches above rock step), kitted up and entered at Tradesman?s Entrance. RM using 7 litre cylinders, FC using 5s.
Both reached Four Ways and continued to the next T junction. RM continued to surface in the Top Entrance sump pool. The final section of passage is relatively narrow however easily navigable. Please note the visibility is exactly zero on the way back in! RM returned to meet FC and both enjoyed the dive out. Entry via Top will be RM?s chosen method for a future visit to the Upper Cave and the Parker series.

13/08/16
Pwll y Cwm
Rupert Massey

FC assisted RM down with his kit. The aim of this dive was twofold: firstly to try out a new Warmbac wetsuit and ascertain appropriate weighting in this with 5 litre cylinders, (4 kilos on harness proved adequate), secondly to investigate Elm Hole from the main passage.
RM tied off and descended in 1m visibility to the restriction at around 18m. One problem encountered was the fact that his fins would not fit over the shoes he had worn over his wet socks. In the event the dive was conducted in wet socks only. Fins were a little loose but sufficiently secure to proceed. No excavation was required so RM slipped through and tied into the main line, to the right of the passage. Coming to the first T, the left line was taken. Approximately a further 20m in and at 15m depth the window into Elm Hole was reached. RM continued for around 5m. RM can confirm the passage is committing. There is 45m of such diving to surface in Elm Hole. Given a couple of kit issues and the fact his turnaround pressure was not too far away RM retreated to leave a concerted effort for another day. On surfacing RM took a quick peek into the dry entrance to Elm Hole just slightly downstream of the Pwll y Cwm resurgence. Some crawling and squeezing required to reach sump. AS it was RM got to the squeeze and decided to call it a day. It was a little reminiscent width wise of The Vice of Daren Cilau. RM suspects the underwater continuation of the passage which exits though the window into Pwll y Cwm is likely similar in dimension and nature. It would certainly be a mentally testing if short traverse. A return trip with a greater gas supply (7s) is in the offing.
:D
 

EwanCameron

New member
Sounds like fun

My wall building was no way as much fun as bear camp but was good to get back to the girls [emoji12][emoji1303][emoji481]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Cristian

New member
Good trips  (y)
Are you sure you took the left line? Far as I remember from the start of the line there are two right hand junctions to get to the Window. Unless you tied in main line in the middle of passage and went downstream to meet the Elm Hole line  :-\
Sounds like you turned back from the start of the dog leg squeeze in dry Elm Hole entrance. I too left that one for another day  ;)
 

RNCM

New member
Yes I cannot tell left from right it seems. It is the right hand line (different colour from the orange main line).

Also the squeeze is not as bad as The Vice.
 

Cristian

New member
:beer:

This is how far I got:

28463582834_13a1663ce1_o.png
 
Top