Illusion Pot Conservation and Maintenance

[kdxn]

With the rain this morning, we decided against our planned trip and instead did a tourist bimble round Illusion Pot with a camera.

One of the bolts at the top of the third ladder in has popped out. Would be good if someone visiting in the near future could redo this.

Duck was a bit wet even after ten minutes of bailing.

Took quite a few photos throughout the cave but was extremely upset at the state of the streaky bacon ribbon section. Someone has gone through this section at the high level spreading mud everywhere. I presume that they climbed down the lower level and then could not climb back up it, forcing them to go the high level route muckying up all the white stal and some of the ribbons. This section could do with a serious clean and then taped off. Fitting a handline to the climb down will hopefully avoid the 'need' for someone to use the high level route.

 

[martinm]

why don't you do it then Kevin? I'm sure CNCC/NE/BCA would be very grateful. You just need a handheld water sprayer (one with a pump handle to pressurize the contents) and a softish brush. Neither cost very much. Sounds like there's plenty of water down there so that would be the best to use as long as it's not muddied.

 

[kdxn]

I posted the report for CNCC/NE to take note of.

Installing tapes and a handline on a trade route within a popular cave is something that our regional bodies should do with input from local caving clubs. I do not consider it right for an individual caver to start doing this kind of thing on well used routes without appropriate input.

Having just spent two days volunteering for NE/CNCC at the Providence Pot rebuild and the ongoing GG re-survey work. Illusion Pot was a caving tourist break. Back to GG surveying.

I will contact Andrew Hinde and Kay direct about Illusion.

 

[kay]

CNCC Conservation Officer Andrew Hinde visited Illusion Pot on Monday with Andy Walsh and Lugger. Someone had already bailed the duck the previous day so they made quick progress to the soiled area of passage at the streaky bacon formations.
They cleaned off the worst of the filth which had been carried through an area where it is hard to believe anyone would consider trying to go through. Some of the mud has become ingrained. They put tape across the most vulnerable area hoping that people will photograph this fantastic chamber without feeling the need to crawl through to the dead end and destroy it as they photograph it. The whole chamber floor could do with cleaning here- but sadly it is likely that the tape will be removed within weeks and it would be filthy again. The filth is not permanent but the damage done at this point is distressing.

They put a web of tape across the decorated high level route which should make it obvious that the way on is down the climb. A hand line here would, Andrew feels, encourage the less skilled to blunder onwards into a delicate area. Climbing is a caving skill after all. This cave certainly does not need to be made any easier for those who lack the skills to move around without causing accidental damage.

We will have to keep an eye on things for a while. If you visit - please let us know if the taping is tampered with or removed.

 

[kdxn]

Thanks for the cleanup.
Very dissappointing to hear that some is ingrained.

One can only hope that the tape will be respected for the long term benefit of everyone.

 

[Alex]

Aye climbing is a caving skill, if you can't climb it, either don't do it or bring your own hand-line. No excuse for trashing the formations up there!