cap n chris
Well-known member
Four of us so far. Matt B, are you coming along? Any other club members keen on a little swim?
Swildon's Hole, Sump 2. Trip Report
- Thread starter cap n chris
- Start date
W
wallop
Guest
COUNT ME IN
A
andymorgan
Guest
I can't make that trip, but I may be up for a trip this Sunday if anybody wants to join me... I was thinking of perhaps Longwood.
W
wallop
Guest
Can t make sunday, but anyone fancy a trip to swildons on saturday morning?
cap n chris
Well-known member
So.... got any clues as to who club members are from their forum names? - a hint, perhaps, like Andy, Barry or Liz or somesuch? I mean, Andymorgan is obvious so, come on, gis'a'clue
W
wallop
Guest
Hi all, its ginger matt!
cap n chris
Well-known member
So what's wrong with Matt B (there's a lot of Matts, Andys and Chris's, I know!) and what's "Wallop" got to do with anything?
W
wallop
Guest
IT'S A LONG STORY.
cap n chris
Well-known member
I'm all ears. OK, well not quite ALL ears, but you get the idea.
Only if they bring their children and any pets.
cap n chris
Well-known member
OK, so it appears that it's EIGHT so far.
Neil R from Netherlands rang last night to say he's over in Blighty at the mo' and is coming along too. Also, he wants to know if anyone here wishes to do stuff during this week too.
Correction, NINE.
Neil R from Netherlands rang last night to say he's over in Blighty at the mo' and is coming along too. Also, he wants to know if anyone here wishes to do stuff during this week too.
Correction, NINE.
cap n chris
Well-known member
NOTE: Dave "I'm not mad but there's plenty of people who want me locked up" is doing his "charidee event", i.e. REVERSING MY BIG LORRY DOWN CHEDDAR GORGE FOR NO GOOD REASON this Saturday from around 3:00pm so if you're planning on driving up the Gorge to Priddy to join this caving trip it might be worthwhile allowing an extra ten minutes or so on your journey time just in case Dave's jack-knifed his lorry.
I've checked with the police to see if the road's shut but they said "No, he's going to pull to one side to let normal traffic past him (yeah, sure)" - it appears Dave didn't have any luck getting the road officially closed.
To make matters slightly more complicated also, it's the Big Bunch of Hedge-Dwellers' Dope Smoking Festival up on top of the Hill too so with all their pollution-belching rusty death trap converted coaches and delivery lorries bought by their feeble-minded rich parents (Jemima & Quentin Effing-Twaddle look-alikes) that'll possibly add to the mayhem. There's usually a knackered old red London double decker which gives free lifts to twig-bedecked no-brain farties wearing flimsy tie-dyed rags which could also encounter a bit of hassle trying to negotiate Dave "F**k off out of my way, you jobless tossers!" as he valliantly clogs up Cheddar's only road north.
Oh what fun we have round this neck of the woods - everyone's totally barking nuts, IMHO (possibly myself included). Rant over.
I've checked with the police to see if the road's shut but they said "No, he's going to pull to one side to let normal traffic past him (yeah, sure)" - it appears Dave didn't have any luck getting the road officially closed.
To make matters slightly more complicated also, it's the Big Bunch of Hedge-Dwellers' Dope Smoking Festival up on top of the Hill too so with all their pollution-belching rusty death trap converted coaches and delivery lorries bought by their feeble-minded rich parents (Jemima & Quentin Effing-Twaddle look-alikes) that'll possibly add to the mayhem. There's usually a knackered old red London double decker which gives free lifts to twig-bedecked no-brain farties wearing flimsy tie-dyed rags which could also encounter a bit of hassle trying to negotiate Dave "F**k off out of my way, you jobless tossers!" as he valliantly clogs up Cheddar's only road north.
Oh what fun we have round this neck of the woods - everyone's totally barking nuts, IMHO (possibly myself included). Rant over.
cap n chris
Well-known member
You don't read the local press, do you Graham?
Plot:
a) local lorry driver wants to raise £££ for charity
b) thinks "What am I good at?"
c) answer "Driving"
d) what can I do to "earn" £££?
e) answer "Drive"
f) where's the press interest?
g) thinks "I'll reverse my HUGE truck down Cheddar Gorge"
h) announces to world these plans months in advance
i) keeps announcing them
j) shouts a lot about all the money it's going to earn and all the press interest and TV and everything...
k) doesn't bother/have any luck with getting road officially closed but it's going to happen ANYWAY
l) it's 3:00pm this Saturday...
m) traffic congestion forecasted by only one person - me - and I expect I'll be proven wrong but....... hmmm, maybe not!
n) At the same time as all this is the ongoing "Big Green Gathering" up near Charterhouse-on-Mendip/Ubley with hordes of well groomed, neat and delicately fragrant types flouncing around being frightfully polite while drinking tea and exchanging tittle-tattle. Sarcasm? Perhaps. But there's a lot of traffic associated with that as well and....
o) Our big club trip to Swildon's is on TOO and we want to get there without hindrance on the road `cos caving with chums is much more important than charity and/or marijuana-toking.
Hopefully this answers your "????", G.
Plot:
a) local lorry driver wants to raise £££ for charity
b) thinks "What am I good at?"
c) answer "Driving"
d) what can I do to "earn" £££?
e) answer "Drive"
f) where's the press interest?
g) thinks "I'll reverse my HUGE truck down Cheddar Gorge"
h) announces to world these plans months in advance
i) keeps announcing them
j) shouts a lot about all the money it's going to earn and all the press interest and TV and everything...
k) doesn't bother/have any luck with getting road officially closed but it's going to happen ANYWAY
l) it's 3:00pm this Saturday...
m) traffic congestion forecasted by only one person - me - and I expect I'll be proven wrong but....... hmmm, maybe not!
n) At the same time as all this is the ongoing "Big Green Gathering" up near Charterhouse-on-Mendip/Ubley with hordes of well groomed, neat and delicately fragrant types flouncing around being frightfully polite while drinking tea and exchanging tittle-tattle. Sarcasm? Perhaps. But there's a lot of traffic associated with that as well and....
o) Our big club trip to Swildon's is on TOO and we want to get there without hindrance on the road `cos caving with chums is much more important than charity and/or marijuana-toking.
Hopefully this answers your "????", G.
cap n chris
Well-known member
Rob can't make it but Martin might so we're still looking at a goodly group for tomorrow.
cap n chris
Well-known member
I think Judi's turning up too. Sorry to hear that your work mates and their children and pets are unable to join in. I still think we're looking at a good sized team for tomorrow's adventure.
cap n chris
Well-known member
Quick summary in advance of more comprehensive report:
Good trip. Crap air. Group of six. Three hours forty five minutes*! (remember, crap crappetty crap air). Plenty of other cavers down there. Usual bollocks rigging at the 20'. Some nice pics.
* Good job we didn't have 12 people turn up (*];-)
Good trip. Crap air. Group of six. Three hours forty five minutes*! (remember, crap crappetty crap air). Plenty of other cavers down there. Usual bollocks rigging at the 20'. Some nice pics.
* Good job we didn't have 12 people turn up (*];-)
cap n chris
Well-known member
Swildon's Hole Trip Report: to Sump 2.
Judi D, Liz F, Dani, Neil R, Stephen L, Me.
Despite a large backwards lorry getting in the way requiring a minor detour we managed to meet on Priddy Green slightly before 3:00pm. In dribs and drabs the assembled motley crew arrived and by 3:15pm we reckoned this group of six was our total turn out; a few expected faces weren't there but, hey, six is a good number especially considering the usual traffic jams at the 20'. The weather was a bit overcast and rain was a mild possibility but at least we weren't missing anything nice. Managed to lend kneepads to Neil, an oversuit, belt and helmet + light to Liz, elbow pads to Stephen and rubber gloves to Judi; but the car boot was still stuffed to the edges with some spare bits and bobs.
While we were kitting up two other groups had arrived and sorted themselves out with a variety of interesting gear including fig 8 descenders, air controller, a very 70s style wetsuit, someone else wearing neoprene booties and one chap (with the wetsuit on) had cigarettes-a-plenty stuck behind his left ear. All very odd. Mind you I have seen worse - like the bloke wearing jeans and a jumper with a black bin liner (hole for head) over the top! - quite how this was supposed to keep him dry remains a mystery to this day.
Hey ho! Off we go. Some pleasant banter and a group photo and then we entered the cave at 3:30pm or thereabouts; having to wait for some rude group of bedraggled people to climb out of the entrance, being led by one of Mendip's most well known caving film directors and book writers. Neil and Andy exchanged pleasantries – and perhaps we'll get another trip together on Thursday before Neil returns to Holland, eh? I'm not working so can join in if you'll let me.
In and settled into caving mode. No problems until reaching Water Chamber where the group were of the mind that the air was poor. I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as had been the case a couple of weeks ago when I'd last visited Swildon's Hole. It seemed a “little bit off" but nothing to worry about (or so I thought).
On to the twenty and met a group of 7-8 all wearing TSA yellows en route (must have been students or DerbyYorkers types?); despite this there was still the traditional traffic jam at the pitch head with the 70s wetsuit fag-monster group hustling for their go. Took a photo of our charming and well bedecked “professional†cavers while we waited. OK, slight liberty with the description.
Finally reached the pitch head and had the now accustomed non-astonishment at seeing the “what the f*** is this all about?†rigging. Ladder clipped on one eco-hanger (OK) and some dynamic rope (nice and new) fed through the main top one and then threaded through the other (approaching hanger; primary) as a loop which was belayed off the (non-tied-in) leader's waist mounted fig-8. Hmm. At least they had a rope, I suppose.
So, re-rig everything with primary and secondary off natural and eco-hanger respectively and then Y-hang for the main drop etc.; all book perfect IMHO. Neil abseiled with the others doing a cross between abseiling and being lowered on the line. All down we set off into the depths.
Took the Barnes Loop route for the newbies' delight and comments – still a lovely piece of passage after all these years. Used my short piece of 9mm rope as a handline for the awkward descent at the end (it's a bitch for short-arses) and then make good progress to sump 1.
No-one else has been seen by us to this point and we sort out balaclavas (I brought 2 spares); having dived through and back to check the way is clear (`why shouldn't it be?' I wondered to myself after having done this probably unnecessary manoeuvre) we talk through the simple procedure for sump diving. Neil announced to the gang that he wasn't going through since his glove had a tear in it. A robust word was had and Neil eventually changed his mind. J
So, Neil went first followed in swift succession by the others. I went through last. All done. Easy.
Dekit the balaclavas on the downstream side and regroup for the onward journey. Bump into Alison and Pete Moody who had been digging in Swildon's Nine up the Thrutch Tube and in Badlands. “Does it go?â€. “Noâ€. What a joy it would be to have the ability to be dinky-tiny for a while (a bit like having a time machine or immortality… OK, maybe not)…. I could then go caving in all those places which are otherwise off limits to me…
We get to the landing for a brief stop and then continue to the ducks and sump 2 where I get some more photos and we have our lavish late afternoon “luncheonâ€. (Snickererers, mostly).
Returning to the landing I engage in a quick match/flame test only to discover that four matches will strike and conflagrate mildly and then extinguish immediately. OK, so there's poor air down here; it still didn't seem bad to me but I sort of got the feeling the others were finding it a bit crappy. So, off we go in a steady and measured manner back to sump 1 where it's all academic and easily passed.
Now.... there was a problem looming, so it seemed.
The air on the upstream side of the sump was instantly noticeably worse than on the downstream side. The poor air we'd experienced and which had shown itself with the match test was in Swildon's Two; however, the sump was acting as a barrier holding back considerably worse air in Swildon's One. Hmm. This was not good. Some of the group were beginning to feel the effects of the poor air with coughing, heavy breathing and the onset of headaches. I, too, had to admit that the air was easily discernible as being worse than I had recalled from the testing visit with Dr. Boycott two weeks ago; therefore it would be around 2.5+% CO2 since when we measured here last it was about 2% I seem to recall, with the worst reading at the twenty of 2.25%.
We made our way without much banter and with frequent breather stops to the twenty whereupon to my (cynical) expectations another group had dekitted their stuff and rigged our ladder only to fail to understand the importance of using more than one hanger and therefore leaving my Y-hang disconnected apart from one krab. What is it with these people? Gee suss!
So, up goes me, lined by Neil, to re-rig things and then bring Stephen up followed by Dani; Liz and Judi join us and then Neil brings up the rear by which time our matey-chums from the Wessex/CDG, Mike T and Jon W have turned up “to watch the rope-monkeys of Cheddar†(or some other expression of respect which I cannot recall in its entirety). Once we're all up another group's lights can be seen approaching the twenty so we sort out their gear for them, re-rigging the dynamic rope which remained in its strange spaghetti layout as previously described, installing a Y-hang instead.
Bags packed, we set off, striding valliantly and forthrightly apace towards daylight. Hardly! We stagger and splutter our way onwards and upwards with occasional faltering and wheezing to boot. Regrouping at Water Chamber where Dani and Liz seem to have decided that they don't know which way is best to go, I hang a left and continue up towards the Old Grotto (taking the high path `cos I've got a bag on my back); another breather and regroup at the OG before setting Stephen and Dani off ahead with directions for Jacob's Ladder; I climb up followed by the others and before we know it we pop out into refreshing daylight and all experience an instant recovery wherewith our breathing returns to normal immediately.
Three hours and forty five minutes that took us, according to my watch (it is now 7:15pm for those who cannot do clockian mathematics). As a group we have therefore all had first hand experience of a) sump diving and b) caving in poor air conditions. Not quite as enjoyable as I had hoped our club trip would be but certainly a learning experience and a personal challenge for many, if not all of us.
So, update that Poor Air Report for Swildon's Hole. The air is worse than ever. We know - we've just been there.
Judi D, Liz F, Dani, Neil R, Stephen L, Me.
Despite a large backwards lorry getting in the way requiring a minor detour we managed to meet on Priddy Green slightly before 3:00pm. In dribs and drabs the assembled motley crew arrived and by 3:15pm we reckoned this group of six was our total turn out; a few expected faces weren't there but, hey, six is a good number especially considering the usual traffic jams at the 20'. The weather was a bit overcast and rain was a mild possibility but at least we weren't missing anything nice. Managed to lend kneepads to Neil, an oversuit, belt and helmet + light to Liz, elbow pads to Stephen and rubber gloves to Judi; but the car boot was still stuffed to the edges with some spare bits and bobs.
While we were kitting up two other groups had arrived and sorted themselves out with a variety of interesting gear including fig 8 descenders, air controller, a very 70s style wetsuit, someone else wearing neoprene booties and one chap (with the wetsuit on) had cigarettes-a-plenty stuck behind his left ear. All very odd. Mind you I have seen worse - like the bloke wearing jeans and a jumper with a black bin liner (hole for head) over the top! - quite how this was supposed to keep him dry remains a mystery to this day.
Hey ho! Off we go. Some pleasant banter and a group photo and then we entered the cave at 3:30pm or thereabouts; having to wait for some rude group of bedraggled people to climb out of the entrance, being led by one of Mendip's most well known caving film directors and book writers. Neil and Andy exchanged pleasantries – and perhaps we'll get another trip together on Thursday before Neil returns to Holland, eh? I'm not working so can join in if you'll let me.
In and settled into caving mode. No problems until reaching Water Chamber where the group were of the mind that the air was poor. I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as had been the case a couple of weeks ago when I'd last visited Swildon's Hole. It seemed a “little bit off" but nothing to worry about (or so I thought).
On to the twenty and met a group of 7-8 all wearing TSA yellows en route (must have been students or DerbyYorkers types?); despite this there was still the traditional traffic jam at the pitch head with the 70s wetsuit fag-monster group hustling for their go. Took a photo of our charming and well bedecked “professional†cavers while we waited. OK, slight liberty with the description.
Finally reached the pitch head and had the now accustomed non-astonishment at seeing the “what the f*** is this all about?†rigging. Ladder clipped on one eco-hanger (OK) and some dynamic rope (nice and new) fed through the main top one and then threaded through the other (approaching hanger; primary) as a loop which was belayed off the (non-tied-in) leader's waist mounted fig-8. Hmm. At least they had a rope, I suppose.
So, re-rig everything with primary and secondary off natural and eco-hanger respectively and then Y-hang for the main drop etc.; all book perfect IMHO. Neil abseiled with the others doing a cross between abseiling and being lowered on the line. All down we set off into the depths.
Took the Barnes Loop route for the newbies' delight and comments – still a lovely piece of passage after all these years. Used my short piece of 9mm rope as a handline for the awkward descent at the end (it's a bitch for short-arses) and then make good progress to sump 1.
No-one else has been seen by us to this point and we sort out balaclavas (I brought 2 spares); having dived through and back to check the way is clear (`why shouldn't it be?' I wondered to myself after having done this probably unnecessary manoeuvre) we talk through the simple procedure for sump diving. Neil announced to the gang that he wasn't going through since his glove had a tear in it. A robust word was had and Neil eventually changed his mind. J
So, Neil went first followed in swift succession by the others. I went through last. All done. Easy.
Dekit the balaclavas on the downstream side and regroup for the onward journey. Bump into Alison and Pete Moody who had been digging in Swildon's Nine up the Thrutch Tube and in Badlands. “Does it go?â€. “Noâ€. What a joy it would be to have the ability to be dinky-tiny for a while (a bit like having a time machine or immortality… OK, maybe not)…. I could then go caving in all those places which are otherwise off limits to me…
We get to the landing for a brief stop and then continue to the ducks and sump 2 where I get some more photos and we have our lavish late afternoon “luncheonâ€. (Snickererers, mostly).
Returning to the landing I engage in a quick match/flame test only to discover that four matches will strike and conflagrate mildly and then extinguish immediately. OK, so there's poor air down here; it still didn't seem bad to me but I sort of got the feeling the others were finding it a bit crappy. So, off we go in a steady and measured manner back to sump 1 where it's all academic and easily passed.
Now.... there was a problem looming, so it seemed.
The air on the upstream side of the sump was instantly noticeably worse than on the downstream side. The poor air we'd experienced and which had shown itself with the match test was in Swildon's Two; however, the sump was acting as a barrier holding back considerably worse air in Swildon's One. Hmm. This was not good. Some of the group were beginning to feel the effects of the poor air with coughing, heavy breathing and the onset of headaches. I, too, had to admit that the air was easily discernible as being worse than I had recalled from the testing visit with Dr. Boycott two weeks ago; therefore it would be around 2.5+% CO2 since when we measured here last it was about 2% I seem to recall, with the worst reading at the twenty of 2.25%.
We made our way without much banter and with frequent breather stops to the twenty whereupon to my (cynical) expectations another group had dekitted their stuff and rigged our ladder only to fail to understand the importance of using more than one hanger and therefore leaving my Y-hang disconnected apart from one krab. What is it with these people? Gee suss!
So, up goes me, lined by Neil, to re-rig things and then bring Stephen up followed by Dani; Liz and Judi join us and then Neil brings up the rear by which time our matey-chums from the Wessex/CDG, Mike T and Jon W have turned up “to watch the rope-monkeys of Cheddar†(or some other expression of respect which I cannot recall in its entirety). Once we're all up another group's lights can be seen approaching the twenty so we sort out their gear for them, re-rigging the dynamic rope which remained in its strange spaghetti layout as previously described, installing a Y-hang instead.
Bags packed, we set off, striding valliantly and forthrightly apace towards daylight. Hardly! We stagger and splutter our way onwards and upwards with occasional faltering and wheezing to boot. Regrouping at Water Chamber where Dani and Liz seem to have decided that they don't know which way is best to go, I hang a left and continue up towards the Old Grotto (taking the high path `cos I've got a bag on my back); another breather and regroup at the OG before setting Stephen and Dani off ahead with directions for Jacob's Ladder; I climb up followed by the others and before we know it we pop out into refreshing daylight and all experience an instant recovery wherewith our breathing returns to normal immediately.
Three hours and forty five minutes that took us, according to my watch (it is now 7:15pm for those who cannot do clockian mathematics). As a group we have therefore all had first hand experience of a) sump diving and b) caving in poor air conditions. Not quite as enjoyable as I had hoped our club trip would be but certainly a learning experience and a personal challenge for many, if not all of us.
So, update that Poor Air Report for Swildon's Hole. The air is worse than ever. We know - we've just been there.
