Swinsto - Warning
- Thread starter Greybeard
- Start date
Pitlamp
Well-known member
In an attempt to shed a bit of light on points raised by Fjell and Ian Ball immediately above, I was one of many cavers involved in the 1986 Rowten call out when, sadly, Dave Anderson was drowned (i.e. in extremely wet conditions). As I remember the scenario was that two cavers, who had set off on a Rowten to Valley Entrance through trip, were overdue and the system had flooded meanwhile. My own role was to go into the bottom end (via Valley Entrance) with other CDG members to search as far as it was safe (without diving).
The water level was almost at the Roof Tunnel pitch lip as we made our way along the right wall of the Kingsdale Master Cave. I can confirm that the ponding had not quite got as far upstream as Master Junction. Rowten Passage was sumped though (in the initial section of normally chest deep water). The passage leading to Philosopher's Crawl was sumped soon after entry and East Entrance Passage (leading to Swinsto Great Aven) was sumped after some distance.
Having achieved our objective, on an adrenaline fuelled and very exciting trip, we were buzzing as we made our way back along the Master Cave high level traverse. On arrival in the safety of the Roof Tunnel we learned that Dave Anderson had been killed in Rowten Pot. I'll never forget how the mood changed from elation and a sense of achievement to shock and misery, as we made our sombre way back to the Valley Entrance.
But, back on topic, from that experience I concluded that:
1. Master Junction is close to or fractionally above the level of lip of the pitch down from Roof Tunnel into the Kingsdale Master Cave.
2. The route from the bottom of Simpson / Swinsto is definitely not safe in high water
Footleg, who has done some very accurate surveying in there over more recent years, may have a useful perpective on levels?
The water level was almost at the Roof Tunnel pitch lip as we made our way along the right wall of the Kingsdale Master Cave. I can confirm that the ponding had not quite got as far upstream as Master Junction. Rowten Passage was sumped though (in the initial section of normally chest deep water). The passage leading to Philosopher's Crawl was sumped soon after entry and East Entrance Passage (leading to Swinsto Great Aven) was sumped after some distance.
Having achieved our objective, on an adrenaline fuelled and very exciting trip, we were buzzing as we made our way back along the Master Cave high level traverse. On arrival in the safety of the Roof Tunnel we learned that Dave Anderson had been killed in Rowten Pot. I'll never forget how the mood changed from elation and a sense of achievement to shock and misery, as we made our sombre way back to the Valley Entrance.
But, back on topic, from that experience I concluded that:
1. Master Junction is close to or fractionally above the level of lip of the pitch down from Roof Tunnel into the Kingsdale Master Cave.
2. The route from the bottom of Simpson / Swinsto is definitely not safe in high water
Footleg, who has done some very accurate surveying in there over more recent years, may have a useful perpective on levels?
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