Hidden Earth 2008

[Peter Burgess]

I can! Here it is.

Lecture Programme
A provisional list of lectures is given below
(This page last updated 24 Sept 2008)

SATURDAY 
The discovery of Excalibur Pot and caving in the North Yorkshire Moors Gary Douthwaite & Matt Ewles
Yorkshire Round-up Dave Ryall
Mendip Round-up Mark Helmore
Charterhouse/GB exploration Alison Moody & Peter Hann
Caving in the abode of the clouds - Meghalaya 2008 Simon Brooks
The continuing discovery and archaeological survey of Jordan's caves Henry Rockliff
Diving at the bottom of Texa, Picos Phil Rowsell
Diving BU56 Jason Mallinson
In praise of the black stuff (lava tubes) Ed Waters
Belize 2008 Al Braybrook
Scottish Round-up  Alan Jeffreys
Matienzo Diary Andy Sparrow
Los Tayos 1976: Underground with the first man on the moon Arthur Champion & John Whalley
Matienzo 2008 Juan Corrin
Madre de Dios Speleo 2008 Lou Maurice
Tongzi 2008 (China) Anthony Day
China's first 1km deep cave Rob Eavis
1970 Cave expedition to India by double decker Jim Newton
East Surrey Underground Peter Burgess
Devis Hole, Swaledale Tony Harrison
Barbondale's new caves & Notts Pot 2 & 2.5 Andy Walsh & Phil Parker
Memoirs of a Moldywarp Peter Ryder
Alain Baptizet film Sid Perou
CREG: When the Going Gets Tough: Hi Tech Gear for Expeditions Mike Bedford & Rob Gill
SUNDAY 
Cave exploration in Iran Simon Brooks
Earby sump busters Johnny Latimer
Cave exploration on Vancouver Island Dave & Sue Ryall
The Wigmore Obsession Chris Jewell
JRat memorial lecture Alan Jeffreys et al
The Dachstein massif 2008 Joel Corrigan
CUCC Expedition to Totes Gebirge, Austria 2008 Seran Povia & Becka Lawson
LED Lights Review Wookey
Discoveries in Upper Dentdale Peter Allwright & Roy Holmes
Cave surveying with 3D laser scanners Kevin Dixon
Forest Round-up Paul Taylor
Peak District Round-up Simon Brooks
Half a dozen caves in France you maybe haven't done Clive Westlake
The sound of thunder (Germany) Thomas Matthalm
The caves of Jeju Island (South Korea) Ed Waters
Moonmilk, Witches and Ox Tale (sic) Soup Peter Burgess
Old enough to be archive Dave Judson & Dave Checkley
The outcome of NCA's long term rope testing Bob Mehew
A new Eco anchor test bed and SRT route on the Vercors high plateau Glenn Jones
Results from the discussion document on a revision to the BCA's anchor scheme & Q&A Bob Mehew
Cave registry Dave Cooke
Volta Gora 2008 Jarvist Frost 
Crete 2008: The promised land Alisa Duncan & Ali Mortazavi
Digging in Daren film Steve Sharp
Titan film Dave Webb

 

[mrodoc]

Looks like a vintage year!

 

[anfieldman]

Just got back. Brilliant time had by all! 

Many thanks to Les and all involved in the organisation. 

I'm bloody knackered after all that driving. 

 

[ogofmole]

Excellent Venue and good weekend, Well done to Les and team for the organisation after the Fire alarm.

 

[Wolfart]

As above        BIG CHEEER FOR LES AND HIS TIRELESS WORKERS
                             
                                      :bow: :bow: :bow:
Just got back 11:15  Great weekend even with the late start on saturday due to some female having a hot steamy XXX shower

 

[Mr Fell]

Excellent weekend - we had a brilliant time and many many thanks to all who had a hand in organising the event. I heard that there was however some pretty appalling behaviour on the camp site on the Saturday night that led to the police having to be called. Is that right?  :thumbsdown:

 

[Peter Burgess]

Well done to Les and Wendy - How do they keep going and remaining so cheerful? Congratulations to Footleg and the West Sussex cavers for the introductory AV, and to Footleg for winning everything (almost). Congratulations to all the speakers I heard - it was all superb.

And a big, big thumbs down to all the plonkers who thought they could just run a drunken riot into the small hours and beyond, right next to a residential area and on someone else's property. It shouldn't have been a canoe strung up on the rugby posts, it should have been you, you total dipsticks.

 

[first-ade]

Well done and many thanks to all involved in running the weekend, it was an excellent event!  Glad I brought my ear plugs though

 

[Johnny]

Well done to Les and Wendy - How do they keep going and remaining so cheerful?

Here here massive thanks to Les and the team.

run a drunken riot into the small hours and beyond,

Peter please be careful with your opinions; you were not there after all.

a canoe strung up on the rugby posts,

That sounds quite funny, has anyone got any pictures?

 

[Peter Burgess]

Well done to Les and Wendy - How do they keep going and remaining so cheerful?

run a drunken riot into the small hours and beyond,

Peter please be careful with your opinions; you were not there after all.

Johnny - I'll tell you where I was. I was hard against the boundary within yards of several private properties, away from the 'partying'. nevertheless I could hear a considerable amount of noise well into the night.  A number of people who spoke to me over the weekend were kept up for most of the night. 5 in the morning I was told. I expect the locals might have double glazing and may have managed to sleep through it. It would not surprise me if the school receive complaints from the locals.

So no Johnny. I choose my words with care. I was there, I chatted with others about it, I saw the car that had been driven right into the centre of the campsite by an allegedly drunken delegate and I'm damn glad I was well away from it. You might think I am a kill-joy - so be it, but I would prefer to behave more soberly when staying as a guest in someone else's town and as a delegate at a conference where we were encouraged to enhance the image of cavers with the public. If you think pissing about with other people's property, screaming and shouting through the night in the middle of a residential area is going to enhance public opinion, then I suspect we have a very long way to go.

 

[Johnny]

Peter

The word riot does usually imply violence and I do not believe that there was any violence.
The incident with the car was unfortunate but only a small part of the evening and all that I saw was a bunch of cavers sat around having a chat and a drink together; hardly a riot.

 

[busty_caver]

Well done Wendy and Les!  I had a super weekend.  Band was much better than Loose Change!  This time the covers they did were recognisable!  I think though that spraying deodorant on the topless male dancers must be a priority as the hall stank!  The only reason why the smoking ban is a bad thing!

Also catering when Sue Gray did it was far better.  I think i must have eaten chips and beans about 4 times over the weekend as the canteen seemed to have little else.  Both mornings breakfast ran out of things around 9.45am -10am! 

Potholer as a beer was good choice! Well done!  A nice session drink!

Wells done - venue was superb! Showers were good too!

Busty
x

 

[Peter Burgess]

Very true Johnny. Please take on the role of forum pedant. 

 

[Peter Burgess]

Has anyone asked Les where it is next year? Can I be the first, cos I know it winds him up. 

 

[DAN]

Hi All,

The said car was my car. The car was driven there simply to provide music. I don't want to get into a slagging match with anyone on here so i wont post anything else about this. The tents were far enough away from the road that i would doubt we upset the locals. The whole idea of this caving event i thought was to get together and have a good time. Nobody got injured no windows got broken or property got damaged and apart form a few people loosing a couple of hours sleep i think it went very well. This was a cavers event not a girls school outing after all.

So may i apologize to anyone i may have upset.

Dan

 

[DaveR]

I was also camping a long way from the partyers; eventually gave up and went and kipped in the car. I agree that the conference should be a big piss up as well as the serious stuff, but chanting 'who are ya' at the top of your voices at 3 in the morning in the middle of (a) a camp site, and (b) in a residential area was maybe not so good. Still, I reckon we've all done some daft things while under the influence. It is a bit different in the privicy of a caving hut though, and whoever it was had a go at Wendy needs shooting with a blunderbuss filled with his own sh*te.

It would have been nice for the partyers to take their empties away, instead of leaving a massive pile of cans and bottles for someone else to bag up and remove. All the folks who work on Hidden Earth are volunteers, and while a lot of it is arguably fairly enjoyable, cleaning up piles of beer cans for someone else on a Sunday night most certainly aint.

Party on, do it to excess, but try not to piss people off, and clear up after yourself.

 

[martinr]

The tents were far enough away from the road that i would doubt we upset the locals. Dan

Have you looked at a map? The nearest house to the rugby posts is about 100ft away.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.914276,-1.694722&spn=0.001438,0.003433&t=h&z=18

I camped at the top of the field and can say the noise would have been heard by the people in the houses.

In the morning I saw the occupiers looking out of the bedroom windows overlooking the rugby field. They didnt look well pleased.

 

[Peter Burgess]

Anyway, shall we concentrate on the good stuff? That chippy right by the school entrance was excellent, even though it was right next door to a funeral parlour!

 

[DaveR]

Yeah, a classic Yorkshireman!
Quote " Do you do pies?"  reply "It says over the door FISH AND CHIPS..."
"But I'm allergic to fish!" Reply "then you're in the wrong place, son"
Priceless (and I'm a veggie!)

Nice curry sauce though, and a choice of chinese or 'original' whatever that was...

 

[Johnny]

Very true Johnny. Please take on the role of forum pedant. 

I dont think that I could fill those shoes

It was a brilliant weekend and so good to see the latest generation of cavers there in force.
I can remember when you were not allowed in without a beard!