POOR AIR, SUMMER 2005

[graham]

If it is indeed true about Rod's then what is remarkable, like GB a couple of summers ago, is that this has not been recorded before in the fifty-odd years that the cave has been open.

There have been no significant changes in land use over the cave or in the catchment area during that period.

 

[cap n chris]

I intended to go there today but other stuff (life) got in the way. I shall try and get there on Friday.

If it is true that this situation has not occurred in the history of the site being opened then the Cold Trap theory may not necessarily fit (since if it did, you would expect the problem to arise every year, QED).

However, perhaps in the golden (olden) days, people were hard as nails and poor air was put down to being a bit "off colour" and quickly dismissed as a lack of moral fibre and therefore it simply went unrecorded or un-mentioned.

 

[graham]

I intended to go there today but other stuff (life) got in the way. I shall try and get there on Friday.

If it is true that this situation has not occurred in the history of the site being opened then the Cold Trap theory may not necessarily fit (since if it did, you would expect the problem to arise every year, QED).

However, perhaps in the golden (olden) days, people were hard as nails and poor air was put down to being a bit "off colour" and quickly dismissed as a lack of moral fibre and therefore it simply went unrecorded or un-mentioned.

I suspect that the "we were hard in them days" theory doesn't work, 'cos I first went down there 30 year ago. No, I don't believe there are any reports of it in past years, something has changed.

 

[cap n chris]

Does anyone know of a website archive of winter temperatures (min/max) for the SW going back 50+ years?

 

[kay]

I tried the met office website, but they only do averages. But you could compare the 1961-1990 average for each month with the current average for the same month.

They obviously have the raw data somewhere, but it might be buried in one of their paid-for services.

Whittakers Almanac used to have weather records - I remember using it for a stats project at uni.

 

[Stupot]

Went down to Swildon's Sump4 today and the air was alot better than the last couple of weeks, the top of the 20 was better but bad air was still noticeable, past Sump2 was fine and the quality got better and better all the way down trough the Troubles, down Blue Pencil and down to Sump4.

Maybe it's due to the heavy rain we had yesterday as there was slightly more water than usual.

Stu.

 

[cap n chris]

Thanks, Stupot; I was there too a couple of hours ago and the air was still noticeably a BIT poor but not as bad as recently; I think you're probably spot on, re: the rain.

 

[graham]

Dr Boycott and his magic machine were down G.B. this after. O.1% at the Mud Passage / Gorge junction & 2% at the bottom of Main Chamber by the Ladder Dig climb. (I think, he told me a couple of hours ago & I didn't write it down).

It's better but still needs care.

He also said that some bastard had fly-tipped a load of crap by the field gate. I've told the AONB people & I hope they'll get it shifted but Les is on holiday & Tina wasn't in the office so I can't be certain.

 

[graham]

Posted this before but lost it to the Turks:

Was down Swildons on Saturday, variable bad air - especially in narrow bits (despite fast running water). Linda estimated it as up to 3% 'cos it gave her a headache, but I would place it no higher than 2 - 2.5%

 

[cap n chris]

Rod's Pot was visited Tuesday last week and a match/flame test was done; all OK. I believe the original report may have been based on fatigue breathing rather than poor air! Nice and fresh as far as I was concerned; met a group preparing to visit RP on Sunday and asked them to report via canda@cscc.org.uk if they experienced a problem; heard nothing so presume all is well.

So Graham, your surprise was well founded; imagine my surprise at your new avatar!

 

[paul]

Rod's Pot was visited Tuesday last week and a match/flame test was done; all OK. I believe the original report may have been based on fatigue breathing rather than poor air! Nice and fresh as far as I was concerned; met a group preparing to visit RP on Sunday and asked them to report via canda@cscc.org.uk if they experienced a problem; heard nothing so presume all is well.

Unless they all died from asphyxiation! :wink:

 

[cap n chris]

Hmmm. I suppose that is a possibility.

 

[andymorgan]

What is the air like now? Any better?

 

[cap n chris]

Air in Swildon's Hole on Tuesday was still notably less than fab, one caver got a headache while the rest of us were puffing; upper series. Mind you, we've had some rain today so that should improve matters somewhat.

 

[Stupot]

2 day's ago was up around Paradise Regained / Troubles / Blue Pencil / Swildons 3, and the air was good, but i will agree the upper series wasn't too special!!


Stu

 

[Ant]

we had rain and lots of it the air should be better now!!

 

[cap n chris]

Quote:
Been working on Mendip today and we have had a SHIT load of rain as my soggy pants will tell you, a few more days like today will do the underground a world of good.

Stu.



Yes, we had lots of rain yesterday but the cave water levels remained very low.

But today is sunny and tomorrow is expected to be similar so Swildon's Hole won't have high water and so it is likely the poor air problem will remain.

However, poor air shouldn't prohibit you from having a trip down the cave but if anyone's unfit or asthmatic I wouldn't take them beyond the 20' - and keep an eye on anyone with a breathing condition/coughs throughout etc..

I'd reckon based on previous monitoring of the poor air in SH that the CO2 level is in excess of 3%. Resting once breathless helps but total recovery back to "normal" didn't happen - and the headache I got yesterday took a couple of hours to recede after exiting the cave. I'd say it's pretty bad down there.

 

[Stupot]

Just come out, and the there is more water than usual and there are large amounts of foam everywhere, but the air quality remains the same and is most noticable between the 20' and the entrance, the bottom of Jacobs ladder being really quite bad

And although i only went down to Sump2 i was very consious that i was breathing heavily although not feeling tired from the trip.

Stu.

 

[cap n chris]

Thanks for that, Stupot; you sound like you're pretty fit! Out of interest, how long did it take you?

It definitely sounds like the rain had some effect but obviously the lag time meant it wasn't happening when we went down about an hour after it hammered down.

 

[Stupot]

Chris, we did Sump 2 in about 30 minutes, and made our exit in about 40 minutes, although we did'nt stop on the exit other than de rigging the 20'.

The Air past Sump1 i thought was good, and it was noticable when exiting the downstream end.

MRO were down there aswel practising with their kit :?

The air did get bad last week in the rift as i met a group of 8 - 9 students halfway up, i was panting as i was carrying 2 cylinders, 5mm wetsuit and a mother of a kit bag, they were panting as they were students and probably all had hangovers and i think if we had been in there any longer we would have sucked the rift dry of air.

Stu.