Swildon's Hole Sump 1 rope

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The Badger

Guest
Chris you're keen to maintain natural barriers in a cave to thwart the 'badies', and as I've never understood why there is a rope on Sump 1 anyway I'm sure you'll agree when I say...remove it! Its about as nessesary as having a fixed ladder on the twenty.
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
... There's a fixed ladder on the Twenty??!!!!

When did this happen?  :chair: :D :cry: :idea: ::) :) :eek: :confused: :coffee: :thumbsdown: :hug: :mad: :read: :cry:
 
T

The Badger

Guest
Stupot said:
Mr Badger, If the rope is removed from Sump 1 how will YOU get through ?

Stu.

I guess I'll have to free climb it, as usual. :)
 

Stupot

Active member
That's true, The Badger could walk through and still not be able to touch the ceiling  ;)

He's not short, he's just a hobbit......................

Stu.
 

novaboy

New member
I tend to agree with Andys view on the subject,
Andy Sparrow said:
Polyprop is very prone to abrasion damage - in less time then it takes for your kernmantle to expose a core the polyprop will probably have completely severed.  I'm not sure why knickers are getting in such a twist about replacing the kernmantle - you've probably got about 10 years before a problem arises.
the problem was the condition of the rope not the construction
 

tony from suffolk

Well-known member
cap 'n chris said:
Thank you all for your kind offers but really it should be hemp (!) hawserlaid; when it frays it disintegrates and washes away, leaving no enduring hazard other than fluffy bits.

Forgive my obvious ignorance but wouldn't nylon be better than hemp? I've got 100 Ft. of no4 nylon hawserlaid which I found chucked away in the quarry on the way to Aggie (next to a cave beginning with "E"?). We used to use it for abseiling down Lamb Leer in the early seventies. So It's quite old but it's lasted well which shows that it's obviously of good quality.

OK, maybe not...
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
Does nylon rot?

Does it break relatively easily?

If both answers are "yes" then it's going to be suitable for use as a hand line through sump 1.
 

Stupot

Active member
cap 'n chris said:
Does nylon rot?

Does it break relatively easily?

If both answers are "yes" then it's going to be suitable for use as a hand line through sump 1.

:blink: Should'nt that be "No" Chris, or have I mist one of your witty criptic clues.

Stu.
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
No. It should be "Yes". i.e. hawserlaid rots away leaving no litter in the cave and it snaps relatively easily so when, not if, someone gets tangled up in it again (this has already happened once result in a near fatality) they can force/break their way out of the tangle.
 

Stupot

Active member
cap 'n chris said:
No. It should be "Yes". i.e. hawserlaid rots away leaving no litter in the cave and it snaps relatively easily so when, not if, someone gets tangled up in it again (this has already happened once result in a near fatality) they can force/break their way out of the tangle.

Which sort of enforces the argument for removing the rope all together  :coffee:

Stu.
 
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The Masked Hobit

Guest
The Badger said:
...I've never understood why there is a rope on Sump 1

I agree. I realise that the rope might serve as a mental crutch for a novice but apart from thats its totally unnecessary. As with those that prefer not to free climb the twenty instead choosing to rig with a ladder and lifeline, those with a novice party going beyond sump 1 may choose to take their own line.
 
T

The Badger

Guest
The Masked Hobit said:
I agree. I realise that the rope might serve as a mental crutch for a novice but apart from thats its totally unnecessary. As with those that prefer not to free climb the twenty instead choosing to rig with a ladder and lifeline, those with a novice party going beyond sump 1 may choose to take their own line.


Seems a fair point...seconded!
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
Well, I see no objection to it no longer being there either.... however!

If it isn't there how long do you think it will take before someone puts one in?

Given that Swildon's Hole is looked after by WCC, will someone from WCC remove the rope or do you think "persons unknown" will do it?

I'm quite happy with the idea of taking my own short piece of rope for the occasional times when someone would appreciate it to make it easier (physically or psychologically) to progress through the sump.

It'll give people a topic of conversation at the pub. Mind you, will it appear to be done as an act of evil now that the Freshers have begun their annual lemming-like exodus?....
 

Stupot

Active member
We could lure the students through to Swildon's 2 with promises of cheap lager and then remove the rope (assisted with evil laugh).

Stu.
 
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