Safe viewing of caves in flood?

[Getwet]

All this recent wet weather and a fairly recent article in Descent (about witnessing a spectacular flood at first hand) got me thinking about where are safe places to view the spectacle of caves in flood.

I would stress I am thinking about safe places top view a fairly spectacular section in flood that could be accessed and egressed safely on the day!

Any ideas :-\

 

[ditzy 24//7]

i had a trip into gg from bar when there was a huge thunder storm last year wityh hail and snow and everything , in main chamber at about 2 30 i could see no daylight coming through main shaft as it was to full of water , exeting through bar brains told me he had never seen it so wet and the greasy boulder/slab had 2cms of water running over it.

 

[Limestone_Cowboy]

I would agree with Ditzy that bar pot is great in high water, when you step into main chamber and the water spray and wind hit you in the face even though the waterfall is many tens of metres away is very impressive. For a less vertical trip you could take a look in Yordas main chamber at the waterfall, or maybe valley entrance if the water isn't too high then the low bits should be alright and you come out just above the downstream sump in the Kingsdale Master Cave. You could also try Lower Long Churn or Upper Long Churn although you have to walk in the water which I did once when it was waist deep, very easy to go downstream but not so easy to get back out!

 

[ianball11]

Sell Gill is interesting.

 

[Les W]

OFD1 from various places such as the step, flood escape route and the end of Lowe's passage.

You can get superb views of the cave in spectacular flood without getting your feet wet. 

 

[Hatstand]

without getting your feet wet. 

even from perspiration???  :

 

[mrodoc]

I should think the view from Maypole Inlet would be spectacular in OFD 2 as well. GB looks pretty good in wet weather with a raging torrent in the Gorge. In Scotland the Waterslide in Cnoc nam Uamh is pretty awe inspiring in flood as well.

 

[newcastlecaver]

watching Fall Pot would be good, having come in Lancaster Hole but we've had this conversation before on an old thread and there were various comments about the amount of water that comes down the entrance pitch to Lancaster hole in really wet weather (which is a prerequisite for Fall pot filling as the main sump backs up).....

 

[Pitlamp]

Be VERY careful in Long Churn in bad conditions. There has been a number of serious flood related incidents in there over the years.

 

[Goydenman]

Into Goyden main chamber via Back Steps entrance when the main entrance is in flood. I have seen the whole chamber a lake and also seen the 'First Window' full of water with a resulting waterfall reaching more than half way accross the main chamber. Also into Church pot down to top of the chain above the main streamway to see that in flood is good.

 

[dunc]

watching Fall Pot would be good, having come in Lancaster Hole but we've had this conversation before on an old thread and there were various comments about the amount of water that comes down the entrance pitch to Lancaster hole in really wet weather (which is a prerequisite for Fall pot filling as the main sump backs up).....

I think as was said on that other post, it would have to be VERY wet to be an issue.

I always find County Pot more interesting in wet weather..

 

[mak]

I should think the view from Maypole Inlet would be spectacular in OFD 2 as well. GB looks pretty good in wet weather with a raging torrent in the Gorge. In Scotland the Waterslide in Cnoc nam Uamh is pretty awe inspiring in flood as well.

I can say that Maypole is itself quite wet and makes for an interesting climb when in flood.

 

[Getwet]

Sell Gill is interesting.

Yes I think that would be fairly spectacular, and I presume access via the dry route would be dry even in very wet weather

 

[Limestone_Cowboy]

Actually in really wet weather the dry route becomes active in Sell Gill, not too bad for SRT as the rope can be rigged out of the way but if using ladders they hang right where the water goes, trust me I know from experience. Still once at the bottom the thundering waterfall coming down the wet route is very nice.