Daniel Rose
New member
Does anyone know if the mud sump is passable at the moment?
Thanks
Thanks
Mud Sump
- Thread starter Daniel Rose
- Start date
Daniel Rose
New member
(In Swildons)
JohnMCooper
Member
My latest visit report:
Sunday 24th March 2024. Monica Bollani, John Cooper, Steven Lloyd, Matthew Ryan-East, Matt Voysey and Barry Weaver. Water levels down to normal winter levels. Went to look at the Mud Sump. Totally full, as was the Moles’ Dig. Decided not worth visiting for a few more weeks. No one else seen in cave. 2 hours.
Sunday 24th March 2024. Monica Bollani, John Cooper, Steven Lloyd, Matthew Ryan-East, Matt Voysey and Barry Weaver. Water levels down to normal winter levels. Went to look at the Mud Sump. Totally full, as was the Moles’ Dig. Decided not worth visiting for a few more weeks. No one else seen in cave. 2 hours.
Daniel Rose
New member
Thanks very much
David Rose
Active member
It's good to see my son Daniel posting here for the first time. He first went underground aged 4 and now at 20 is a very keen and competent UBSS member, as well as being club secretary. Are there other multi-generational UKcaving.com families?
mrodoc
Well-known member
Well the fourth generation has now been caving in my family. I got my father into it back in the mid 60's then persuaded my wife to try it then both my daughetrs (one has been to Meghalaya a couple of times) and now all my grandchildren have been underground (and Scarlett has been in Descent). Almost the same with scuba diving as my father got me into it about 60 years ago and the whole family dives apart from one partner and the grandchildren. I'm very proud of them all! Who else is out there?
PeteHall
Moderator
It needs to be bailed from the 'near' side. There's a series of reservoirs and pipes to bail it back up the passage to a place where it can (usually?) get away. It's a job for a group, not one to do on your own. For as long as I've been active in Mendip, we owe a debt to @JohnMCooper for regularly keeping on top of it.
If you know what to expect, and therefore how deep it is, you can sometimes freedive it, but it's quite a snug passage and there's no freedive line in it. I've only done it once and it wasn't very pleasant!
darren
Member
To get to the other side you would have to do a reverse Short Round Trip minimum. This would involve bailing, or free diving , "The Troubles". These are 2 or 3 ducks that are ear deep (depending on how much bailing you do). They are set up to be bailed and siphoned from Mud Sump side. I don't remember any bailing equipment being the other "wrong" side of the ducks
When you eventually got to mud sump it would be a long way to carry the water if you tried to bail it. I also don't remember any bailing equipment on the other side of the sump. Free diving the 50cm long sump would theoretically be possible but there is a steep short downhill ramp into the sump. Feet first on your back maybe?
Coming at the sump from the correct side there is a small triangle at the top that becomes visible whilst bailing, just big enough for your nose. Before John came on the scene it was traditional to bail down to this level and carefully navigate through the sump NOT making any waves. Subsequent trips would then bail the sump lower on each visit, eventually arriving at the dry sump we now get
When you eventually got to mud sump it would be a long way to carry the water if you tried to bail it. I also don't remember any bailing equipment on the other side of the sump. Free diving the 50cm long sump would theoretically be possible but there is a steep short downhill ramp into the sump. Feet first on your back maybe?
Coming at the sump from the correct side there is a small triangle at the top that becomes visible whilst bailing, just big enough for your nose. Before John came on the scene it was traditional to bail down to this level and carefully navigate through the sump NOT making any waves. Subsequent trips would then bail the sump lower on each visit, eventually arriving at the dry sump we now get
As Pete says, it is a job for a group to bail as although the low point is narrow, water backs up into quite a wide passage so it takes quite a bit of work to lower the levels initially.
As its now not muddy, I did wonder if it would be worth building a man powered pump to increase efficiency, but that is as far as I have got with actioning anything...
As its now not muddy, I did wonder if it would be worth building a man powered pump to increase efficiency, but that is as far as I have got with actioning anything...
JohnMCooper
Member
I believe the CSCC C&A Officer is investigating the use of a man powered pump for this very purpose.
alanw
Well-known member
The Earby sump pump as used in Ireby Fell might be of interest
(Does anyone know why the domain is no longer registered?)
Sump Pumping
Hi, We are getting ready to pump the newly discovered Rowter Hole Sump in Derbyshire. I have been advised that the Ireby sump buster is a great solution and ideally suited to our needs down there. I was wondering if anyone has some advice on building (or borrowing) one of these systems? We are...
ukcaving.com
The Wessex seem to have built one, too
PeteHall
Moderator
Yes and it's still in regular use in Charterhouse to start the syphon at Portal Pool.
It got a new valve last year, as the original had broken, and it's got through a few drain rods, but it's otherwise done pretty well.
