Has anyone here ever used a "voice tube" for communication in a dig? I was down an abandoned dig in FoD last night and assumed that the hoover pipe running through was for removing bad air, but it seemed pretty fresh, so I wondered if it might have been for communication. Yet to get a...

I was recently asked to write a feature article about "my life as a cave diver" for The Spectator magazine, which was published this morning and can be read here: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-life-of-a-cave-diver/ Unfortunately a few minor errors have crept in through the editorial...

The Cave Diving Group annual training camp will be hosted by the Welsh Section this year, at CSS Whitewalls Cottage over the weekend of 7th to 9th June. While the primary purpose of the camp is to aid the progress of existing CDG trainees, the camp is also open to non-members who have an...

Last night, I was tempted by the prospects of diving at a local site, where the South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group have recently entered a flooded drainage adit after 15 years work at the site. It was utterly miserable and I turned back after 85m, swearing never to return. Here's a...

Last week, my eldest son Daniel made his first trip to Sump 1 in Swildon's. We want to Barnes Loop last year and he would have been fine carrying on then, but after a time check he reminded me it was time to turn around. Although we actually had time to continue, I was impressed by his...

Message below from Paul Taylor: Paul has confirmed that he will have copies available at Hidden Earth, for those who are going. He's doing a number of talks, so he should be fairly easy to find.

At the car boot sale yesterday morning, I found myself parting company with five whole English pounds, and walking away with this magnificent stainless steel pipe flange (carabiner for scale) It must be useful for something, I told myself. My wife, on the other hand, thinks that our kids...

See below from Paul Taylor GCRG Chairman: GCRG Grand Auction and Sale. Saturday July 15th from 9:30 at the GCRG Depot Hello All, Its now only a couple of weeks to the GCRG Grand Auction and Sale Event being held at the GCRG Depot to raise funds for GCRG, MCRO and the BCRC. The Auction...

I wasn't sure if this should go in the books section, or the mining section, but settled on the latter, as it's the mining hive brain I'd like to pick today. My 8 year old has been learning about coal at school today, resulting in most of his class marching around the playing field chanting "no...

Sid has just released the first part of his updated "Cave Diving Story". More to follow. I've not had time to watch it yet, but it's on the agenda for this evening!

Two dads got chatting while taking their daughters climbing in Bristol, only to discover that they were both cavers and both Wessex members. One was my colleague Andy and the other my regular caving buddy Max. The chance encounter seemed a good excuse for us all to get together and take the...

How often are you asked that stupid question when people find out that you are a caver? Anyway, found this nice little rock nodule digging at Rickford today. My son was especially pleased as it was the first time he's joined a digging trip and he even pressed the button that set it free...

Not living in one of the main caving areas (though we do actually have a few caves locally), it's rare to bump into another caver around here. This morning, I was taking my son for his pre-school vaccinations and was surprised to be accosted by an old chap at the surgery who had spotted my...

Last night, I noticed that my AV suit has split along the right thigh. Nothing unusual there, you might say, but I feel like I've hardly used it... I bought an AV Midroi and a Warmbac 'Digger' just before Christmas 2021. Since most of my caving since then has either been digging (wearing the...

I have recieved the below message from Tim Nichols of GSS:

Hi all, Bit of an unusual one for me, but I'm looking for someone to complete a lidar survey of some old stone mine workings below a proposed development site. The survey would need to be plotted relative to surface topology. We used to have these skills in house, but having sold off our...

For sale, for just $875,000 Just a shame it's in Texas...

There are three main ways to upload a photo to your post. These are shown below using a PC, but the method is much the same using a mobile. Option 1. Copy and paste the photo into the text box 1. Select the file on your computer right click and select "copy" or press CRTL + C 2. In the...

I'm sure someone on here will know, but my electrical engineering is rather rusty, so hopefully someone can help me out. My question relates to a lead-acid car battery charger, but I'm sure the guts will be identical to my lead-acid Oldham charger, so vaguely caving related... I've not used...

Hoping some of the camera types on here can help. I'm currently in the Orkneys, helping clear my late grandmother's house (she was a Mendip caver once upon a time). Obviously, I've packed her stinky into a box to keep, but not sure if it's worth bringing these two cameras (and spare lens)...