cap n chris
Well-known member
No recent trip reports?.... Wasn't there an OFD trip sometime recently.
Online Log Book: 2006
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chriscastle46
Member
cap 'n chris said:
Yes.
cap n chris
Well-known member
Thanks for the trip report, Mr. C.
chriscastle46
Member
That seemed a typical Cap'n Chris-type reply. Actually I thought Andy Sparrow would write up the trip, but he hasn't, so here goes.
OFD 20th March 2006.
Me, Ken P., Wallop, Andy S. and Mel.
A visiting group of cavers from York Uni emerged from Penwyllt cottages to see Mel performing a Turkish dance, complete with a bangly sash around her. As Andy said, don't ask.
On to Top Entrance and made our way to Salubrious Passage, past the Trident and Judge and Swamp Creek and abseiled down to the Nave. Very pretty there. Wallop used his shiny new Stop for the first time, and as readers of the tetrabytes of information about Stops on this Forum will know, this was not the best occasion to get to grips with one. (Grips, geddit?)
After four pitches we ended up in the Second Oxbow, wandered upstream to Top Waterfall, then downstream to Maypole Inlet, up to the Crossroads and finished up by taking in Selenite Tunnel to Shatter Pillar and along Edward's so-called Shortcut to Gnome Passage and eventually a pub in Abercrave.
OFD 20th March 2006.
Me, Ken P., Wallop, Andy S. and Mel.
A visiting group of cavers from York Uni emerged from Penwyllt cottages to see Mel performing a Turkish dance, complete with a bangly sash around her. As Andy said, don't ask.
On to Top Entrance and made our way to Salubrious Passage, past the Trident and Judge and Swamp Creek and abseiled down to the Nave. Very pretty there. Wallop used his shiny new Stop for the first time, and as readers of the tetrabytes of information about Stops on this Forum will know, this was not the best occasion to get to grips with one. (Grips, geddit?)
After four pitches we ended up in the Second Oxbow, wandered upstream to Top Waterfall, then downstream to Maypole Inlet, up to the Crossroads and finished up by taking in Selenite Tunnel to Shatter Pillar and along Edward's so-called Shortcut to Gnome Passage and eventually a pub in Abercrave.
cap n chris
Well-known member
I didn't know Edward's Shortcut leads to Abercrave, Gosh, you learn something new every day :wink:
Andy Sparrow
Active member
You beat us to it Mr C! We were going to write up the OFD this morning before going off for todays Welsh caving trip. It was an excellent trip and the Abercrave Inn afterwards was good fun, with Mr Castle being on his best form. Anyway, here are some pics from Monday....
Don't ask!
Bumbling down Salubrious
At the Trident
Rigging the Nave
Mel abseils the Nave
Part of a superb stal flow between the pitches
Between the pitches
Last pitch - Mel abseils down to the Second Oxbow
Yours truly
Maypole Inlet
Mr C on Edward's Shortcut traverse
All out - but Mr C has some energy to spare!
Don't ask!
Bumbling down Salubrious
At the Trident
Rigging the Nave
Mel abseils the Nave
Part of a superb stal flow between the pitches
Between the pitches
Last pitch - Mel abseils down to the Second Oxbow
Yours truly
Maypole Inlet
Mr C on Edward's Shortcut traverse
All out - but Mr C has some energy to spare!
chriscastle46
Member
That picture of me by the Trident is terrifying; I seem to be turning in to Cap'n Chris. 
I must start a diet and get to the gym immediately, or maybe tomorrow...........
I must start a diet and get to the gym immediately, or maybe tomorrow...........
A
andymorgan
Guest
You actually look like you are dead in that picture... True to form though it seems like you were bought round by the presence of a woman!
M
Melanie lloyd
Guest
andymorgan said:
He's our very own El Cid.....we take him on long trips and prop him up with a stalagmite to boost moral.
El Chris.
chriscastle46
Member
andymorgan said:
chriscastle46
Member
What went wrong with the quote thingy?
Andy Sparrow
Active member
You left off the last bracketchriscastle46 said:
cap n chris
Well-known member
Standing in for Hebden on the Saturday trip to Swildon's didn't require much effort since it failed to happen for lack of interest; this is becoming a regular theme of late. OK, so Brendan apparently rang in the morning but since I was out caving in the morning anyway this wasn't of much use as he couldn't get in touch with me: being contacted at least a day in advance of these club trips is necessary.
With about 24hrs to go to the next scheduled ladder/line training event evening I have not heard from anyone so have made alternative plans for my evening's caving although frankly I imagine that the climbing centre isn't available on Wednesday - since it hasn't been all year anyway; and also I can't do Friday since I'm, ironically, out climbing!
I'm going to have a break and just be a simple club caver for a while so please consider me out of the loop when it comes to organising stuff for the foreseeable future. i.e. don't ring me `cos I'm on holiday from club work.
With about 24hrs to go to the next scheduled ladder/line training event evening I have not heard from anyone so have made alternative plans for my evening's caving although frankly I imagine that the climbing centre isn't available on Wednesday - since it hasn't been all year anyway; and also I can't do Friday since I'm, ironically, out climbing!
I'm going to have a break and just be a simple club caver for a while so please consider me out of the loop when it comes to organising stuff for the foreseeable future. i.e. don't ring me `cos I'm on holiday from club work.
Andy Sparrow
Active member
OFD Great Oxbow Series 1st April 2006
Andy & Mel, Neil & Judi, Dani (gooseberry)
To get into the Great Oxbow Series from Top Entrance you have two options – either by the exposed traverses at the end of Midnight Passage or by scaling the aven annotated as ‘skyhook' on the survey. The skyhook system involves hauling up a self-locking device which is kept in the SWCC key cupboard. The gentleman of SWCC checked the fixed-aids list to confirm that the pitch was still rigged for this type of ascent, confirmed that it was, and showed us how to use the gadget on their practice bolts. Neil and Judi arrived but, meanwhile, Dani, by her admission, did nor have her caving or navigation head on and had gone to Agen Allwedd by mistake. Eventually, at about 12.30ish, we entered the cave. I say ‘ish' because it was then we realised that none of us had a watch. We ambled along, down Edward's Shortcut, into Midnight Passage.
Neil in Midnight Passage
Eventually we found ourselves looking upwards, to where two lengths of orange string vanished into darkness – it was skyhook time. I attached a ladder and lifeline to the gadget, connected it to the string, and hauled the assembly upwards. The aven is 11 metres and even our combined lights could not really illuminate what was happening above. There was some resistance on the line so I pulled a bit harder… and the string broke… a tangle of ladder, lifeline and string landed at my feet.
The ladder goes up!
We were not getting into Great Oxbow Series by that route. This left the dodgy traverses option. Well, there was no harm in going down and having a look, so we continued down Midnight Passage towards the ominous sound of the rumbling main stream. The passage ends at a ninety foot pitch with the route onwards following a sloping ledge over the huge stream canyon. We rigged a rope and I led over, past a straddling section, to a sandy floored section of passage. The girls came over without any problems, and then finally, Neil who de-rigged as he came.
Dani looking very cool with a 90 foot drop below
The next traverse is short but my least favourite as it relies entirely on traction on a narrow ledge. We reached a platform of boulders and I led on down the last traverse which presented us with a problem. The traverse is easy enough, if quite exposed, but then opens out and requires a 5-6 metre chimney descent between the walls to another boulder platform. There are no belays above the chimney and no obvious way to rig the traverse and descent. Neil suggested traversing towards him at a lower level, which I did, finding it easy. This was the solution but it meant lowering the girls down a 6 metre pitch from their boulder stance, which we did without any problems.
Belaying Judi up the rope ladder
The way on was a climb up a rope ladder into Great Oxbow Series and we were finally romping off again down walking passage passing superb formations.
Pretties!
The survey led us into a small tube that doubled-back from the main route that leads towards Marble Showers. I had been this way before but had forgotten about the 10 metre calcite chimney en route, which delayed us a bit. Eventually we were all up and passing excellent delicate formations.
Up the calcite chimney
This part of the cave has a much more virgin feel that the thoroughfares around Top Entrance. The main passage ends at a horrible traverse over a deep pitch but this can be bypassed easily and we were soon marching down the most wonderful railway tunnel with outstanding formations including a truly classic set of orange stalactites and stalagmites surrounded by a floor of calcite crystals.
Excellent formations
Thus it was we arrived back at the skyhook pitch, but this time at the top. And there was a disturbing surprise. The pitch was NOT rigged for a skyhook ascent. The string had been threaded through a delta maillon attached to a ring-bolt. Just as well the string broke – if the skyhook had partially engaged with the maillon it could have failed in use – and the consequences of that don't bear thinking about. We abseiled down and headed out trying to guess what the time was and whether we were going to meet our 7.00 pm ETA. We went back along Cross Rift which was very pleasant and made good time back to the entrance, and then SWCC, to discover the time was 7.15 pm and we had had a 6.5 hour trip. A very pleasant Chinese meal followed before we headed back to Swansea. ‘I think', said Mel as we drove back, ‘that when we get our house we should wallpaper one room with the OFD survey and mark off all the bits we've done, until we've done it all!' Sounds like a plan to me.
Andy & Mel, Neil & Judi, Dani (gooseberry)
To get into the Great Oxbow Series from Top Entrance you have two options – either by the exposed traverses at the end of Midnight Passage or by scaling the aven annotated as ‘skyhook' on the survey. The skyhook system involves hauling up a self-locking device which is kept in the SWCC key cupboard. The gentleman of SWCC checked the fixed-aids list to confirm that the pitch was still rigged for this type of ascent, confirmed that it was, and showed us how to use the gadget on their practice bolts. Neil and Judi arrived but, meanwhile, Dani, by her admission, did nor have her caving or navigation head on and had gone to Agen Allwedd by mistake. Eventually, at about 12.30ish, we entered the cave. I say ‘ish' because it was then we realised that none of us had a watch. We ambled along, down Edward's Shortcut, into Midnight Passage.
Neil in Midnight Passage
Eventually we found ourselves looking upwards, to where two lengths of orange string vanished into darkness – it was skyhook time. I attached a ladder and lifeline to the gadget, connected it to the string, and hauled the assembly upwards. The aven is 11 metres and even our combined lights could not really illuminate what was happening above. There was some resistance on the line so I pulled a bit harder… and the string broke… a tangle of ladder, lifeline and string landed at my feet.
The ladder goes up!
We were not getting into Great Oxbow Series by that route. This left the dodgy traverses option. Well, there was no harm in going down and having a look, so we continued down Midnight Passage towards the ominous sound of the rumbling main stream. The passage ends at a ninety foot pitch with the route onwards following a sloping ledge over the huge stream canyon. We rigged a rope and I led over, past a straddling section, to a sandy floored section of passage. The girls came over without any problems, and then finally, Neil who de-rigged as he came.
Dani looking very cool with a 90 foot drop below
The next traverse is short but my least favourite as it relies entirely on traction on a narrow ledge. We reached a platform of boulders and I led on down the last traverse which presented us with a problem. The traverse is easy enough, if quite exposed, but then opens out and requires a 5-6 metre chimney descent between the walls to another boulder platform. There are no belays above the chimney and no obvious way to rig the traverse and descent. Neil suggested traversing towards him at a lower level, which I did, finding it easy. This was the solution but it meant lowering the girls down a 6 metre pitch from their boulder stance, which we did without any problems.
Belaying Judi up the rope ladder
The way on was a climb up a rope ladder into Great Oxbow Series and we were finally romping off again down walking passage passing superb formations.
Pretties!
The survey led us into a small tube that doubled-back from the main route that leads towards Marble Showers. I had been this way before but had forgotten about the 10 metre calcite chimney en route, which delayed us a bit. Eventually we were all up and passing excellent delicate formations.
Up the calcite chimney
This part of the cave has a much more virgin feel that the thoroughfares around Top Entrance. The main passage ends at a horrible traverse over a deep pitch but this can be bypassed easily and we were soon marching down the most wonderful railway tunnel with outstanding formations including a truly classic set of orange stalactites and stalagmites surrounded by a floor of calcite crystals.
Excellent formations
Thus it was we arrived back at the skyhook pitch, but this time at the top. And there was a disturbing surprise. The pitch was NOT rigged for a skyhook ascent. The string had been threaded through a delta maillon attached to a ring-bolt. Just as well the string broke – if the skyhook had partially engaged with the maillon it could have failed in use – and the consequences of that don't bear thinking about. We abseiled down and headed out trying to guess what the time was and whether we were going to meet our 7.00 pm ETA. We went back along Cross Rift which was very pleasant and made good time back to the entrance, and then SWCC, to discover the time was 7.15 pm and we had had a 6.5 hour trip. A very pleasant Chinese meal followed before we headed back to Swansea. ‘I think', said Mel as we drove back, ‘that when we get our house we should wallpaper one room with the OFD survey and mark off all the bits we've done, until we've done it all!' Sounds like a plan to me.
cap n chris
Well-known member
The SWCC fixed aids list sounds like it needs attention
M
Melanie lloyd
Guest
[/quote] ‘I think', said Mel as we drove back, ‘that when we get our house we should wallpaper one room with the OFD survey and mark off all the bits we've done, until we've done it all!' Sounds like a plan to me.[/quote]
More of an inducement re. our marriage plans ......Kiss kiss hug hug! :wink:
More of an inducement re. our marriage plans ......Kiss kiss hug hug! :wink:
W
wallop
Guest
Sounds like it was a really good trip!
when did you say the next trip was??? :wink: :wink:
when did you say the next trip was??? :wink: :wink:
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