S
Scurve
Guest
Has anyone done this? What's it like and how tight is it? All the trip reports I can find seem to be of people turning back long before the end.
One slightly tight squeeze early on (not mentioned in the guide) and awkward before the fourth pitch if I recall.
Take decent knee cover.
The current end, in drought, lies way beyond the end of MSD's dive line (a high water, winter dive). In low water the ducks at the far downstream end are a little tenuous. Otherwise the cave tends to be cold, probabl;y a neo fleece if you're planning on looking around.
Have fun!
Take decent knee cover.
The current end, in drought, lies way beyond the end of MSD's dive line (a high water, winter dive). In low water the ducks at the far downstream end are a little tenuous. Otherwise the cave tends to be cold, probabl;y a neo fleece if you're planning on looking around.
Have fun!
Speleodroid
Member
An excellent trip, with plenty of variety and some very pleasant sections of clean washed stream passage. Another classic East Kingsdale pothole 
The entrance series is pretty straightforward really although the section just before the 4th pitch is a bit awkward (i.e. narrow section of descending rift leading straight to pitch head). After the 6th pitch, the crawling starts, but this isn't too bad either. Mostly hands and knees, but the floor is very sharp and scalloped in places, so good knee pads essential. If I remember correctly, the awkward thing about the crawl leading to the duck is just the shape (i.e. triangular). The duck itself is simple enough. Get on your back and float through. Reasonable airspace when we did it last year. The final sections of crawling to the sump are hands and knees, so only takes 10-15 minutes or so from 8th pitch (free-climbable cascades) to sump. Passage of slime is there as an added extra, a bit squalid and again awkward height but not too bad. Think I slid along on my back on the return...okay except for the occasional rocks sticking up along the crawl. I'd recommend a neofleece as you get completely soaked in the duck, but I wouldn't wear a wetsuit. You'd probably die of heat exhaustion. Finally, be careful when climbing down the wooden shoring in the entrance series (quite close to entrance pitches). It's of unknown stability and vintage, and its collapse would block the way in, or out, of the low crawl that is located just beyond it.
Have a good trip (when weather improves, of course)!!
The entrance series is pretty straightforward really although the section just before the 4th pitch is a bit awkward (i.e. narrow section of descending rift leading straight to pitch head). After the 6th pitch, the crawling starts, but this isn't too bad either. Mostly hands and knees, but the floor is very sharp and scalloped in places, so good knee pads essential. If I remember correctly, the awkward thing about the crawl leading to the duck is just the shape (i.e. triangular). The duck itself is simple enough. Get on your back and float through. Reasonable airspace when we did it last year. The final sections of crawling to the sump are hands and knees, so only takes 10-15 minutes or so from 8th pitch (free-climbable cascades) to sump. Passage of slime is there as an added extra, a bit squalid and again awkward height but not too bad. Think I slid along on my back on the return...okay except for the occasional rocks sticking up along the crawl. I'd recommend a neofleece as you get completely soaked in the duck, but I wouldn't wear a wetsuit. You'd probably die of heat exhaustion. Finally, be careful when climbing down the wooden shoring in the entrance series (quite close to entrance pitches). It's of unknown stability and vintage, and its collapse would block the way in, or out, of the low crawl that is located just beyond it.
Have a good trip (when weather improves, of course)!!
S
Scurve
Guest
Thanks for those accounts, all pretty useful. I do have a neofleece and I'll certainly wait until a dry day!
M
MSD
Guest
Oh Jesus, I remember diving Crescent. Probably the most idiotic project I ever managed to persuade some people to carry for. If I remember right, Adam Cooper, Jon Watt and Phil Howson made up the team of heroes.
But...the line in there is not mine. I was also surprised to encounter that line (which I believe was laid by Phil Papard in what must have been high water) and got some distance beyond before diving gear was strictly necessary for the water conditions on the day concerned, which from Tony's description I would guess were perhaps "medium". I was doing this dive on a base fed line which ran out after 25m. It would have been theoretically possibe to get further if one of the sherpas would have been willing to come nose up along the bedding and then hold the line. Not surprisingly there were no takers for this task!
Obviously because the bedding is so horizontal, a small change in water level means that the water moves forward and back a long way, making it hard to reach any kind of agreement on where the sump actually starts. Unfortunately a horizontal bedding such as this tends to contain gravel and mud banks, making the whole exercise pretty unpleasant.
It is an excellent trip, but choose a day with good weather. What was very noticable after the trip was that my wetsuit was absolutely shredded on the shoulders and hips. The most tiring aspect of the cave in my view is the amount of crawling in low letter-box shaped passages. Not really tight, but sustained and extremely arduous.
Unless Tony has any information to the contrary I believe that the sump is still open at the end. So if someone is looking for a project....
Mark
But...the line in there is not mine. I was also surprised to encounter that line (which I believe was laid by Phil Papard in what must have been high water) and got some distance beyond before diving gear was strictly necessary for the water conditions on the day concerned, which from Tony's description I would guess were perhaps "medium". I was doing this dive on a base fed line which ran out after 25m. It would have been theoretically possibe to get further if one of the sherpas would have been willing to come nose up along the bedding and then hold the line. Not surprisingly there were no takers for this task!
Obviously because the bedding is so horizontal, a small change in water level means that the water moves forward and back a long way, making it hard to reach any kind of agreement on where the sump actually starts. Unfortunately a horizontal bedding such as this tends to contain gravel and mud banks, making the whole exercise pretty unpleasant.
It is an excellent trip, but choose a day with good weather. What was very noticable after the trip was that my wetsuit was absolutely shredded on the shoulders and hips. The most tiring aspect of the cave in my view is the amount of crawling in low letter-box shaped passages. Not really tight, but sustained and extremely arduous.
Unless Tony has any information to the contrary I believe that the sump is still open at the end. So if someone is looking for a project....
Mark
L
Langthwaite Pot
Guest
Hi Mark,
The sherpas are ready but I'm not sure that we've got a diver yet!
George.
The sherpas are ready but I'm not sure that we've got a diver yet!
George.
M
MSD
Guest
Sounds like an offer that I can't refuse...but happily I live about 1000 miles from Crescent Pot!
Mark
Mark
The sump is, indeed, open as far as I went (a long way without diving gear until a desire for life prompted a return).
If non-one else dives it (and why not?) I'm open to offers! Might even still fit in there if I try very hard...
But surely a site for the young thin and keen, not raddled old farts who require easy carries?
If non-one else dives it (and why not?) I'm open to offers! Might even still fit in there if I try very hard...
But surely a site for the young thin and keen, not raddled old farts who require easy carries?
Speleodroid
Member
Its certainly one I've got my eye on......but since I have only just started my training (i.e. late last year) and am still a diving novice, it'll be a little while before I'm ready to jump in. But, as george said, the sherpas are ready and keen!!