Staffordshire Caving
- Thread starter AndyF
- Start date
AndyF
New member
Hi,
We didn't want to publicise it too early as the route through the choke was VERY dodgey. Two of the team were stuck beyond it briefly as it moved while they were beyond it, and several "near misses" were experienced during the digging in this section. Casual visitors could have a bad experience...
The route through did finally collapse and was blocked until this w/e, but the problems have been sorted out, and the route through the choke is now shored/scaffolded and open, and (while not perfect yet) is o.k. for people to go and have a look.
Do read the flood warnings though, it could get very bad down there...
Andyf
We didn't want to publicise it too early as the route through the choke was VERY dodgey. Two of the team were stuck beyond it briefly as it moved while they were beyond it, and several "near misses" were experienced during the digging in this section. Casual visitors could have a bad experience...
The route through did finally collapse and was blocked until this w/e, but the problems have been sorted out, and the route through the choke is now shored/scaffolded and open, and (while not perfect yet) is o.k. for people to go and have a look.
Do read the flood warnings though, it could get very bad down there...
Andyf
AndyF
New member
Hi,
Thanks! Sounds like you had a good trip...
It's quite a cool trip now, some awkward, thought provoking stuff, but with a "prize" at the end to make it worth while. You notice the depth on the way out...
Hopefully there will be more to come during the course of the year as we tackle the final choke. More scaffolding, more rocks....when will it end...
Thanks! Sounds like you had a good trip...
It's quite a cool trip now, some awkward, thought provoking stuff, but with a "prize" at the end to make it worth while. You notice the depth on the way out...
Hopefully there will be more to come during the course of the year as we tackle the final choke. More scaffolding, more rocks....when will it end...
AndyF
New member
On 12th March 2005 we passed the "Final Choke" at the end of Blore Street.
This drops into an aven, with a step up to a modest chamber. From the back of this chamber, a phreatic tube leads off for 8m, emerging in the side of a huge chamber ("Toad Haul"), approx 25m high and 9m in diameter.
A hastily rigged and improvised lifeline allowed a pitch to be descended to reach the chamber floor, (a steep boulder slope disapearing under a wall).
The obvious way on was followed down a few meters, to a point where it is blocked by large rocks and silt, which requires further digging.
Still no sign of the stream though....
Andy Foster
This drops into an aven, with a step up to a modest chamber. From the back of this chamber, a phreatic tube leads off for 8m, emerging in the side of a huge chamber ("Toad Haul"), approx 25m high and 9m in diameter.
A hastily rigged and improvised lifeline allowed a pitch to be descended to reach the chamber floor, (a steep boulder slope disapearing under a wall).
The obvious way on was followed down a few meters, to a point where it is blocked by large rocks and silt, which requires further digging.
Still no sign of the stream though....
Andy Foster
AndyF
New member
On 20 th March the floor of Toad Haul was passed to reach about 70m of large phreatic tube. This led gently downhill, finally reaching a sump at about -20m from the lowest point in Toad Haul.
An inlet high on the far wall was investigated, and found to be too tight without work.
New and updated photos and sketch at:-
www.waterways.wyetec.com
This is the first sump found in the cave, but still no sign of a streamway to be found. It's down there somewhere....!
Diving potential for this sump has yet to be assesed.
The section below Toad Haul appears to flood to the roof.
Andy Foster
An inlet high on the far wall was investigated, and found to be too tight without work.
New and updated photos and sketch at:-
www.waterways.wyetec.com
This is the first sump found in the cave, but still no sign of a streamway to be found. It's down there somewhere....!
Diving potential for this sump has yet to be assesed.
The section below Toad Haul appears to flood to the roof.
Andy Foster
AndyF
New member
Well, we have done the survey now. The depth of the dig itself is 85.8m
This, added to the start point of the dig at a depth of 40.1 gives a total new depth of 125.9m, making it...err....quite deep. Thats about 413 feet in old money.
No wonder we are so knack****d when we are coming out.
This, added to the start point of the dig at a depth of 40.1 gives a total new depth of 125.9m, making it...err....quite deep. Thats about 413 feet in old money.
No wonder we are so knack****d when we are coming out.
