Kingsdale Rescue
- Thread starter JJ
- Start date
Pitlamp
Well-known member
A belated reply to Footleg - a problem with labelling sumps as not free diving sites is that people start to rely on this information. If the sign is later removed (either deliberately or through natural causes such as a flood) then someone turning up having been told that "The wrong sump has a warning notice" may then attempt to free dive it through ignorance.
I actually got the chance to go and have a look at this first Mud River Series sump this morning. The line is a very thin blue plastic coated one and is quite slack. The floor of the sump is deep silt which stirs up easily. The water is reasonably clear at the moment and I can see why it might have looked appealing to a free diver, despite the perilously thin, low friction dive line.
I had hoped to belay the line underwater and cut off the excess line above water but there were no suitable belays underwater - just the soft silt floor. I'd even taken a bolt kit to stick a bolt in if necessary but with rapidly deteriorating vis this would have been difficult - and the only place for a bolt was probably in the roof, which is not ideal. The answer is probably to carry a large rock into the sump and dump it at a suitable point close to airspace. I'll try to do this at some stage in the not too distant future.
(Scoff - if you didn't get the email I sent today to consult with you about this please can you PM me via this board? Thanks.)
I actually got the chance to go and have a look at this first Mud River Series sump this morning. The line is a very thin blue plastic coated one and is quite slack. The floor of the sump is deep silt which stirs up easily. The water is reasonably clear at the moment and I can see why it might have looked appealing to a free diver, despite the perilously thin, low friction dive line.
I had hoped to belay the line underwater and cut off the excess line above water but there were no suitable belays underwater - just the soft silt floor. I'd even taken a bolt kit to stick a bolt in if necessary but with rapidly deteriorating vis this would have been difficult - and the only place for a bolt was probably in the roof, which is not ideal. The answer is probably to carry a large rock into the sump and dump it at a suitable point close to airspace. I'll try to do this at some stage in the not too distant future.
(Scoff - if you didn't get the email I sent today to consult with you about this please can you PM me via this board? Thanks.)
SamT
Moderator
Pitlamp said:
Old fashioned Sash weights seem like a good answer to this (I think JPL has used them in Ink sump) Can be stuck like tent pegs into silt, should be heavy enough to stay where they are, Handy hole at the top for zip tying your line to.
I've just dropped 4 off up at the bagshawe shed. You are welcome to one or two if you need them.
H
Hairy
Guest
what about using coloured cable ties on each end of the rope.
they last as long as the rope does, and any combination of colours/numbers could say anythign from distance to "No Free Diving"
You could then cover the cable ties in seethrough plastic shrink wrap to stop any wear/accidental damage?
they last as long as the rope does, and any combination of colours/numbers could say anythign from distance to "No Free Diving"
You could then cover the cable ties in seethrough plastic shrink wrap to stop any wear/accidental damage?
Pitlamp
Well-known member
Following discussions with Scoff and Dave Ryall I have now belayed the line to two separate rocks underwater (carried in for the purpose) and cut off the excess above water. There is also a small loop dangling at this belay so anyone can attach an extension reel if they like. The new belay is directly below the point where the airspace ends.
Sam - it'd certainly help to back this up with the sash weight, so please can we still stick with plan A? I'll collect it from Castleton at the first opportunity.
Anyway, hopefully now no-one else will mistake this sump for a free divable one.
Sam - it'd certainly help to back this up with the sash weight, so please can we still stick with plan A? I'll collect it from Castleton at the first opportunity.
Anyway, hopefully now no-one else will mistake this sump for a free divable one.
mike barnes
New member
The labeling of sump lines wouldn't take into account the attention of passing idiots. When I laid a line into the Landing sump in Swildons, 40-50m upstream of sump 2, I was concerned it might be mistaken for the free divable sump 2, despite being a thin 6mm line. As this sump meanders underwater, I also was concerned about ' Oi, where does that line go, give it a pull and see' which would surely happen if I just left it. This would pull the line straight, going into all the undercuts. The label I fixed to the line advised people that the sump was NOT freedivable and Please, don't pull on the line. It was so frustrating to one day find several loops of line at the start of the sump, where some numpty had done just that. The line is now belayed as Pitlamp suggests, and would only become obvious to a diver.
Also, I cannot believe anybody has ever freedived sump 9, nor should they ever attempt to. A steeply sloping descent leads to what the guide book calls 'a low arch'. In reality, it's a bit of a squeeze, in zero vis. A roomy passage then follows to a sharp left, then right bend. It's would be a sure fire way to die. I didn't even like diving this sump on a single set.
Also, I cannot believe anybody has ever freedived sump 9, nor should they ever attempt to. A steeply sloping descent leads to what the guide book calls 'a low arch'. In reality, it's a bit of a squeeze, in zero vis. A roomy passage then follows to a sharp left, then right bend. It's would be a sure fire way to die. I didn't even like diving this sump on a single set.