chunky
Well-known member
The Date: SATURDAY, 22 MARCH 2014
The Players: Mark, Brendan & Jess
The Scene: A rather aqueous Stoke Lane Slocker
Stoke Lane Slocker - Die Another Day
Mark narrates the story with occasional interjections by Brendan and Jess.
Brendan had arranged for Paul Fairman to lead a trip in to Stoke Lane for us. Unfortunately the date we had chosen to go fell a week before Paul had a holiday booked and “he didn’t want to catch any nasty diseases, as his last trip in there had left him with a nasty ear infection”.
Of course you'd think going in to a cave with known prevalence of Weil’s disease would be enough to put anyone off, let alone the knowledge that the only way in to the main cave is to be fully submerged in filthy smelly water. However........we had received glowing reports from several cavers that the trip really was very worthwhile, and the sump was nothing to fear.
We arrived in the Mendips for 11am and before kitting up decided to locate the cave first.
We quickly found the a rather wet looking entrance and at this point Brendan admitted he was a little worried about water levels as it had been raining the day before and heavy showers were forecast for the afternoon.
The only photographs we had seen of the entrance online had shown it in dry conditions so we had no way of knowing if the levels were safe to enter. Fortunately we had just enough phone signal to look up the number for the Belfry and call for some local knowledge and were able to confirm that from our description levels should be sporting, but fine.
Dropping through the entrance is a little like being flushed down a slippery latrine!
The entrance passage was a struggle getting caught on the many tree branches that had washed in and a little gardening was required to continue.
We were soon sliding through the Muddy Oxbow and then washing off again at Pebble Crawl before making our way through the Corkscrew and our first real obstacle 'The Nutmeg Grater'. At this point Jess had a little trouble with the contortion, her hips wedging solid as she tried to bend her legs in a direction they just wouldn’t go. Brendan tried the alternative route over the top, but this proved even more tight and awkward to navigate. Jess tried the manoeuvre facing the other way, but she said she was ‘not feeling it’ and wasn’t keen on going any further.
We estimated we were only 5 minutes from Sump 1, so I suggested myself and Brendan take a quick look in anticipation of a return trip and then all head out together. Brendan slipped through to join me and we were soon at a rather intimidating squeeze/duck combination. I lay in the water ‘acclimatising’ as I tried to figure out how to get through. The only way was to remove your helmet, slide your body under the water and gently fit your neck through a narrow slot. At this point Brendan heard Jess calling and thought she may be in need of assistance. I assured him it was more likely that she was through and calling to ask if she should grab the camera box, which I’d left back at the contortion. This was confirmed as we heard the clatter of the box coming down the passage.
Jess: As Mark and Brendan are both larger than me, I thought I'd give it one more go. Flushed with success I grabbed the camera box to rejoin the boys who were now through the duck. I slipped through this without issue to find my joy at overcoming the contortion short lived as I came face to face with the intimidating looking sump.
Brendan and I had both researched the trip and knew that going in should be no problem as there would be plenty of airspace. None of us were eager to be first, but the longer I leave something the less I like it, so I volunteered.
Handing Brendan the camera box I took a couple of deep breaths and descended. I was half way through when I felt my helmet yanked back and instantly realised the twin guide lines had tangled with the battery pack. I tugged forward but they were too tangled to break free. Controlling my rising panic I kicked back through trying to find the small slot I’d just dived. Brendan at this point, seeing a light shining in the water, assumed it was me waving my helmet to signal for the camera box, so tried push it through as I was trying to return!
Finally breaking the surface I explained what had happened and carefully tidied the twine to have another go. This time I slipped through without issue. My helmet hit the roof but I could feel my nose and mouth still under the water. Opening one eye I saw air space in front of me and quickly made my way to it. Looking back at the sump there was less than 6 inches of airspace for the first ten feet but there was no way to communicate this to the others, all I could do was wait. Brendan was next and did exactly the same as me, hitting his head on the roof of the passage. I shouted to him that he was through and to come toward me. Next Jess’s light emerged and again she was caught out by the limited airspace before I grabbed the collar of her suit and dragged her to us.
Happy to be through we took a final look at the sump, knowing that it is described as more awkward on the return............I wished this were a through trip.
We were feeling a little hypothermic at this point, the survey in Brendans hand shaking so hard it was unreadable! Fortunately the chambers and formations before us took our minds off the cold and we soon warmed up as we begun clambering around, taking in the sights. Wary of the time we had a quick run around the beautiful chambers taking a few hasty pictures as we went.
Jess: Mark as usual wanted to photograph everything he saw, but I was conscious of the weather report, and the return through the sump was playing on my mind. At one point Mark moved his camera box and something fell out and down through boulders. “Oh no, my lens cap!” he said, and started hunting for it. I told him to just leave it. This was one of those times I was glad he didn't listen as it turned out to be the car keys that had fallen out and not the lens cap!
Returning to the sump I again elected to go first rather than stand around thinking about it. As I came through I found I needed to turn my helmet to the side to break the surface. Again there was no way to impart this tip to the others so all I could do was wait. I gave two good tugs on the guideline to let the others know I was safe.
I felt the line go tight and waited for the next person, thought I saw a light in the murk and then....nothing. 30 seconds went by and I began to feel a little sick at the thought of someone in trouble.
Brendan: Unknown to Mark, I had tried to dive through with a tackle bag and camera box. This was just not going to work so I backed out of the sump to try another strategy. Slings connected the bag and the camera box together and I approached the sump again to pass the gear through. The bag was plunged down into the murky depths and the forced upwards in the hope Mark could grab it...
What I thought was a red helmet slowly floated to the surface. With my heart in my throat I reached down to find it was actually our red hand line bag. My relief was short lived as it dawned on me that the last time I saw this it was attached to Jess’s belt. With everything I had I began pulling on the bag, trying to yank Jess through till finally the sling attached to the bag pulled through my camera box and I realised what was happening...... the others had decided to send these through ahead of them.
Brendan: I pushed the red hand line bag through toward the other side, but the sling to the buoyant camera box somehow managed to slip over my helmet in the process. Mark was trying to pull the bag through but with each pull he was water boarding me in to the sump!Spluttering I finally managed to free myself and watched as the yellow camera box was pulled under the water like a buoy from the film Jaws!
Next Brendan dove through, his helmet wedging in the rift below the surface of the water as mine had done, so I reached down, turned and yanked his head out of the water. Spluttering and blowing bubbles of joy he looked very shocked at the fact he was actually still alive. Moving out of the airspace to make room we awaited Jess. Five of minutes went by and eventually there was six frantic tugs on the line. Another ten seconds and another six tugs.
Jess: I had taken a deep breath and dived under the rock, pulling on the line, but the rock just seemed tight all around me, and so I backed out. The trouble with backing out was that the airspace was so limited that I had to back up quite a few feet before I could breathe again. Another deep breath and another go, but the same story, just tight rock under the water wedging me! One more go.....I dropped the line half way through and couldn’t find it again, panicked I kicked back to the surface. I was despairing of ever getting through the sump and was now quite freaked by the whole thing. I yanked on the rope 6 times to try and get someone to come back through to help
I dove back through to see what I could do for Jess. Reaching her I found her a little distressed. After hearing her accounts I thought that she probably just wasn't going low enough and explained how to get through. She had another go, but again didn’t make it and came back. I had seen that indeed the problem was committing to dive deeper and use the line as a guide rather than hauling on it. On her fifth attempt she was through.
Brendan: I had seen what I thought was a light in the murk a couple of minutes before and was just starting to worry when I saw Jess's Meander below the surface. She begun to overshoot so I reached under to grab her belt. At this point she went very limp and I thought 'Oh god she's drowned!'
Jess: Finally I made it through. Mark had explained that I didn't want to overshoot coming back up the other side as you can wind up going too far forward. So when I felt Brendan guide me to the surface I just relaxed and let it happen. I've never seen Brendan look so happy for me to flutter my eye lids at him.
After half an hour of straight forward caving we were changed and back in the van with the heating on full......all very glad to have escaped to die another day!
The Players: Mark, Brendan & Jess
The Scene: A rather aqueous Stoke Lane Slocker
Stoke Lane Slocker - Die Another Day
Mark narrates the story with occasional interjections by Brendan and Jess.
Brendan had arranged for Paul Fairman to lead a trip in to Stoke Lane for us. Unfortunately the date we had chosen to go fell a week before Paul had a holiday booked and “he didn’t want to catch any nasty diseases, as his last trip in there had left him with a nasty ear infection”.
Of course you'd think going in to a cave with known prevalence of Weil’s disease would be enough to put anyone off, let alone the knowledge that the only way in to the main cave is to be fully submerged in filthy smelly water. However........we had received glowing reports from several cavers that the trip really was very worthwhile, and the sump was nothing to fear.
We arrived in the Mendips for 11am and before kitting up decided to locate the cave first.
We quickly found the a rather wet looking entrance and at this point Brendan admitted he was a little worried about water levels as it had been raining the day before and heavy showers were forecast for the afternoon.
The only photographs we had seen of the entrance online had shown it in dry conditions so we had no way of knowing if the levels were safe to enter. Fortunately we had just enough phone signal to look up the number for the Belfry and call for some local knowledge and were able to confirm that from our description levels should be sporting, but fine.
Dropping through the entrance is a little like being flushed down a slippery latrine!
The entrance passage was a struggle getting caught on the many tree branches that had washed in and a little gardening was required to continue.
We were soon sliding through the Muddy Oxbow and then washing off again at Pebble Crawl before making our way through the Corkscrew and our first real obstacle 'The Nutmeg Grater'. At this point Jess had a little trouble with the contortion, her hips wedging solid as she tried to bend her legs in a direction they just wouldn’t go. Brendan tried the alternative route over the top, but this proved even more tight and awkward to navigate. Jess tried the manoeuvre facing the other way, but she said she was ‘not feeling it’ and wasn’t keen on going any further.
We estimated we were only 5 minutes from Sump 1, so I suggested myself and Brendan take a quick look in anticipation of a return trip and then all head out together. Brendan slipped through to join me and we were soon at a rather intimidating squeeze/duck combination. I lay in the water ‘acclimatising’ as I tried to figure out how to get through. The only way was to remove your helmet, slide your body under the water and gently fit your neck through a narrow slot. At this point Brendan heard Jess calling and thought she may be in need of assistance. I assured him it was more likely that she was through and calling to ask if she should grab the camera box, which I’d left back at the contortion. This was confirmed as we heard the clatter of the box coming down the passage.
Jess: As Mark and Brendan are both larger than me, I thought I'd give it one more go. Flushed with success I grabbed the camera box to rejoin the boys who were now through the duck. I slipped through this without issue to find my joy at overcoming the contortion short lived as I came face to face with the intimidating looking sump.
Brendan and I had both researched the trip and knew that going in should be no problem as there would be plenty of airspace. None of us were eager to be first, but the longer I leave something the less I like it, so I volunteered.
Handing Brendan the camera box I took a couple of deep breaths and descended. I was half way through when I felt my helmet yanked back and instantly realised the twin guide lines had tangled with the battery pack. I tugged forward but they were too tangled to break free. Controlling my rising panic I kicked back through trying to find the small slot I’d just dived. Brendan at this point, seeing a light shining in the water, assumed it was me waving my helmet to signal for the camera box, so tried push it through as I was trying to return!
Finally breaking the surface I explained what had happened and carefully tidied the twine to have another go. This time I slipped through without issue. My helmet hit the roof but I could feel my nose and mouth still under the water. Opening one eye I saw air space in front of me and quickly made my way to it. Looking back at the sump there was less than 6 inches of airspace for the first ten feet but there was no way to communicate this to the others, all I could do was wait. Brendan was next and did exactly the same as me, hitting his head on the roof of the passage. I shouted to him that he was through and to come toward me. Next Jess’s light emerged and again she was caught out by the limited airspace before I grabbed the collar of her suit and dragged her to us.
Happy to be through we took a final look at the sump, knowing that it is described as more awkward on the return............I wished this were a through trip.
We were feeling a little hypothermic at this point, the survey in Brendans hand shaking so hard it was unreadable! Fortunately the chambers and formations before us took our minds off the cold and we soon warmed up as we begun clambering around, taking in the sights. Wary of the time we had a quick run around the beautiful chambers taking a few hasty pictures as we went.
Jess: Mark as usual wanted to photograph everything he saw, but I was conscious of the weather report, and the return through the sump was playing on my mind. At one point Mark moved his camera box and something fell out and down through boulders. “Oh no, my lens cap!” he said, and started hunting for it. I told him to just leave it. This was one of those times I was glad he didn't listen as it turned out to be the car keys that had fallen out and not the lens cap!
Returning to the sump I again elected to go first rather than stand around thinking about it. As I came through I found I needed to turn my helmet to the side to break the surface. Again there was no way to impart this tip to the others so all I could do was wait. I gave two good tugs on the guideline to let the others know I was safe.
I felt the line go tight and waited for the next person, thought I saw a light in the murk and then....nothing. 30 seconds went by and I began to feel a little sick at the thought of someone in trouble.
Brendan: Unknown to Mark, I had tried to dive through with a tackle bag and camera box. This was just not going to work so I backed out of the sump to try another strategy. Slings connected the bag and the camera box together and I approached the sump again to pass the gear through. The bag was plunged down into the murky depths and the forced upwards in the hope Mark could grab it...
What I thought was a red helmet slowly floated to the surface. With my heart in my throat I reached down to find it was actually our red hand line bag. My relief was short lived as it dawned on me that the last time I saw this it was attached to Jess’s belt. With everything I had I began pulling on the bag, trying to yank Jess through till finally the sling attached to the bag pulled through my camera box and I realised what was happening...... the others had decided to send these through ahead of them.
Brendan: I pushed the red hand line bag through toward the other side, but the sling to the buoyant camera box somehow managed to slip over my helmet in the process. Mark was trying to pull the bag through but with each pull he was water boarding me in to the sump!Spluttering I finally managed to free myself and watched as the yellow camera box was pulled under the water like a buoy from the film Jaws!
Next Brendan dove through, his helmet wedging in the rift below the surface of the water as mine had done, so I reached down, turned and yanked his head out of the water. Spluttering and blowing bubbles of joy he looked very shocked at the fact he was actually still alive. Moving out of the airspace to make room we awaited Jess. Five of minutes went by and eventually there was six frantic tugs on the line. Another ten seconds and another six tugs.
Jess: I had taken a deep breath and dived under the rock, pulling on the line, but the rock just seemed tight all around me, and so I backed out. The trouble with backing out was that the airspace was so limited that I had to back up quite a few feet before I could breathe again. Another deep breath and another go, but the same story, just tight rock under the water wedging me! One more go.....I dropped the line half way through and couldn’t find it again, panicked I kicked back to the surface. I was despairing of ever getting through the sump and was now quite freaked by the whole thing. I yanked on the rope 6 times to try and get someone to come back through to help
I dove back through to see what I could do for Jess. Reaching her I found her a little distressed. After hearing her accounts I thought that she probably just wasn't going low enough and explained how to get through. She had another go, but again didn’t make it and came back. I had seen that indeed the problem was committing to dive deeper and use the line as a guide rather than hauling on it. On her fifth attempt she was through.
Brendan: I had seen what I thought was a light in the murk a couple of minutes before and was just starting to worry when I saw Jess's Meander below the surface. She begun to overshoot so I reached under to grab her belt. At this point she went very limp and I thought 'Oh god she's drowned!'
Jess: Finally I made it through. Mark had explained that I didn't want to overshoot coming back up the other side as you can wind up going too far forward. So when I felt Brendan guide me to the surface I just relaxed and let it happen. I've never seen Brendan look so happy for me to flutter my eye lids at him.
After half an hour of straight forward caving we were changed and back in the van with the heating on full......all very glad to have escaped to die another day!
