Return To Reservoir Hole

[The Old Ruminator]

The plan for Tuesday is to push " Granville " head first down the tube with a rope tied around his ankles and my TG 2 in his mouth. You may see more photos yet --

I suggested we call the chamber at the end of Potter's Heaven " Never Ever Land " as an antithesis to "Never Land "and I for one never ever want to go there. Peter G. did make a video in there so hopefully he can find it.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Well that wasn't easy and I have a bad eye cus a load of mud went there.

We improved access down the slope to the dig and removed some of the mud bank beyond which the low tunnel continues to a right hand bend. The far end digger gave up eventually as the draught was so cold.
The wash area was resurrected with new hose pipe and the oversuits worked a treat for the trip out. ( Thanks Chunky )

Peter Glanvill backing up to the mud bank.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

My wife has got it about right when buying my choccy bar.



Chris Milne moving boulders on the dig approach.



Solutionally enlarged joint which controls the direction of Jill's Slither.





Slope up from the dig to Jill's Slither.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Two pokes in the eye today.





The resurrected wash tub.



Overall for outward trip.



Worked perfectly.



Mike and Chris in Jill's.



Mike having fun.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

I had a tape but did not use it but the dig is estimated at 12m to the right hand bend. It will need a couple more trips to reach that. In the mean time we need to cap some boulders in the floor so the tray can run smoothly. If I ever get binocular vision again I shall be back.

Entrance to the slope down to the dig.



Peter exiting the dig.

 

[Fulk]

Well, TOR, congratulations for persevering in those squalid conditions. You deserve a big break-through. Here's to the Cheddar Gorge Master Cave.  :bow:

 

[chunky]

Nice update. I hope the eye recovers soon!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Goydenman]

Enjoyed the update thanks

 

[mrodoc]

I had a tape but did not use it but the dig is estimated at 12m to the right hand bend. It will need a couple more trips to reach that. In the mean time we need to cap some boulders in the floor so the tray can run smoothly. If I ever get binocular vision again I shall be back.

I got an eyeful from Nick but it hit my contact lens and I managed to clear it. It is like that down there.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Still have a sore eye but better 8). I can confidently predict that we are within 200 metres of the Cheddar Master Cave. Mind you that can be said of any part of Reservoir Hole. Jill's does seem the best bet at the moment as the cold draught suggests that something is beyond that corner. Meanwhile Vurley still beckons and I think they are trying extractor fans tomorrow.The mud at the Jill's dig is localised and much can be washed off at the wash tub. The disposable coveralls then contain it for the trip out. I find that the mud is easier to dig by hand as it is relatively soft also the caving oversuit easier to wash than Vurley mud as its a lot wetter. Its not half a mile walk to the cave either. We use a double draw drag tray and once the floor is evened out a team of four can make fast progress.

 

[Mr Dinwiddy]

Thanks for the post and photographs TOR. Both are welcome and I look forward to more. Its a long long time since I was on Mendip.  Inspired by your post I just dug out my copy of The Complete Caves and a view of the hills. Slightly dated but a lovely little book.

 

[mikekushy]

I have been thinking about the draft in Jill's Slither (Smeg alley?) again.

The fact that I didn't mist up the passage even though I pretty much filled it up with my body and was working fairly hard at the sharp end suggests that there has to be an inwards draft sucking the air away....maybe its more obvious when right at the sharp end...I hadn't paid much attention as all I could concentrate on was my freezing fingers not getting snapped off.

The draft isn't exactly strong, but mild and very constant...If there was big space on the other side off the current constriction(which is about 6 inch square) then surely the draft would come flying out of this straight towards....

So based on the inwards deduced inwards draft and the temperature,  i am very convinced there's a river/stream ahead and/or below of us.

Obviously you guys had drafts when digging towards TFD, but we're they cold drafts? I find TFD to be a generally warm chamber anyway.

Mike K.

 

[mikekushy]

Also Freddie 'The Caving Chihuahua' has offered his services to push into any small holes with a camera attached to him....All he at tasks is could we provide him with some clothing to keep him warm 😉

 

[mrodoc]

The draught out of the Topless Aven dig that led to TFD was mild and not particularly cold whereas the JS draught seems cooler. When I first dug there 10 years ago in the parallel passage the draught seemed to be inward. If it never shuts off that is really encouraging.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

I think TFD has no seasonal change in temperature. Draughts in TFD are like Will O The Wisp very hard to pin down hence nowhere obvious to dig. Peter is correct the draught in Topless Aven Dig was never very encouraging which is odd considering it lead to such a large chamber.  Basically we were following the geology there - the fault, scalloping and bedding undercuts. Willie had a draught in the Golgotha dig but in his log he refers to it as a zephyr. Jill's draught is definitely cold as is the draught at the bottom of Vurley. I must sort out my spelling Is it draught or draft ?

 

[mrodoc]

Draught as in bitter.

 

[mikekushy]

Ah yes, a very cool draught...or zephyr as I shall use from now on ?

Looking forward to the next session, will be better prepared this time...has anybody got any drainage rods with a camera?

 

[The Old Ruminator]

I can manage 2m plus arms length with the TG 2 set on 12 seconds timer. I dont know if " The Ferret " can be resurrected I need to ask Nigel. Pros and cons for remote image viewing. Both video and still shots have their advantages. The difficulty is in accessing scale. Video can be jumpy and you need a laptop on hand to see what is happening. You then have to post edit it to make sense by slowing it down and taking off still shots. You also need to incorporate a light on the video set up making it more bulky. The TG 2 will fire the on board flash based on the scene. You can do some easy post editing to see features. You can target the TG 2 by withdrawing it and looking at the image. Also of course you can give the TG2 a good wash off each time.
Hopefully stuff on this thread will be of help to diggers in similiar situations.

Oh a " zephyr " is a tiny weeny draught  by caving standards. A light breeze normally.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

This is an edited image from a video taken by Nigel Cox in Vurley. It shows the floor of an unentered chamber below the " Egg Timer ". The chamber looked to be  2m x3m but unfortunately no longer exists because the shaft above collapsed into it. Hence " Egg Timer ".

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Nigel operating the remote video in Vurley.