Giants Hole

[paul]

errr wot exactly is the DCRO duck race

Numbered plastic ducks are release into the river - first few across the finishing line win. The person(s) holding the tickets corresponding to the number on the winning ducks get the prizes.

http://www.hnh.dircon.co.uk/event.htm

 

[bubba]

The rock 'n roll lifestyle of hard cavers eh? :wink:

 

[SamT]

 

[Iain Barker]

If anyone thinks it appropriate, acting in my capacity as DCA Access Officer I'll have a word with Steve Baldacci (landowner) and see about putting up a warning board at the payment kiosk at Giants. I think Giants' is being used by non-organised novice groups with no experienced leader a little too often, and that is contributing to the spate of call-outs.

Mark's comment about filling Garlands with coloured balls is interesting but I think the Eldon would just get drunk and throw themselves in for a giggle - I know I would!

Does everyone realise by-the-way, that Garlands is getting progressively deeper as all the old blasting debris which was chucked down it in the sixties is getting washed down the Crabwalk!

 

[Mark]

Why not put a net at the start of crab walk and hold the duck race in the giants stream, forget the brightly coloured balls the person holding the duck with the lowest number could be rescued first.

 

[cave shrimp]

Thanks for the explanation and as for some of the ideas u gotta be (i gotta say it)QUACKERS

 

[Titch98]

ps: how about putting a net across the entrance to crab walk and filling Garlands with brightly coloured plastic balls

Hee, hee, hee.......works for me!

How many cans of expanding foam do you think we'd need to fill it???



Seriously though and just out of interest, was it a novice caver or someone with experience? Just wondered how they managed to fall, because obviously this is a major safety factor and/or possibly, a lack of proficient training? The events leading up to the fall need to be seriously looked into and addressed (by whatever means....) before there is another accident, or god forbid, a fatality at Giant's.

I always rig a belay leading up to the pitch head using the anchors horizontal to the flat bed (if you know where I mean...), which everyone clips into with cowstails before they even get anywhere near the edge, and then they transfer the tails over to the rigging before they connect up descenders (if in SRT), or connect onto the lifeline on ladder work before removing their tails from the belay.

I thought this was normal practice? Or is it just me being over cautious?

 

[bubba]

It was an experienced caver who fell in the most recent accident, though I don't know the exact circumstances of how they fell.

 

[mudmonkey]

I'm very unsure about the benefits of a sign for Giant's.

The three shouts recently would not have been prevented by it - one was apparently an experienced caver, don't know about the abseiling error but it sounds like another 'everyone's human' incident, and the trend-setting fall was a member of a group who'd been conned by someone claiming to be a great leader.

It also sets a precedent of people expecting signs to warn them about the fact caves may bite them, and may end up feeding the litigation culture.

This of course is all just my opinion.....

 

[Brendan]

Titch 98 - re using cowstails and traverse lines. Surely that's just sensible. I find being cautious at the top of pitches is always worth it, and I wouldn't let anyone near the top of the pitch without being lined or cliped in. Yes, it takes a bit more time, but it's less time than a rescue callout.

Worst thing I saw down Garlands was a ladder tied via a sling to a single P bolt, which left the top rung of the ladder about 1 foot below the top of the pitch. Needless to say there was no lifeline. With people doing things like that it is remarkable there haven't been more accidents.

 

[Cave_Troll]

That'll be 'university rigging' then?

 

[Brendan]

In a new update to the 'how do we rig Garlands' saga, was down there last night. One other group of 2 using ladders - lifeling through one crab attached to one P bolt at the back of the crack (the ones normally used as backups. Ladder hung off 4th P bolt out. The lifeline was running over at least 2 sharp edges :shock: , 4 if you count the fact it was doubled, and the way it was rigged would pull the climber away from the ladder. Both crabs were the wrong way up.

When you see rigging like that I am not suprised accidents happen.