WARNING - Rowten Pot free dives

[SimonC]

On Easter Monday, I did the free dives from Rowten to Kingsdale Master Cave and back again.

There used to be two ropes through the 8.2M dive, now there is only one. This second line was encountered floating loose halfway through the dive - which I coiled up as I went ( getting caught in a line trap whilst holding ones breath could be quite bad).

This slack rope was secured to the bolt in the airbell.

It was also noted that the remaining rope is heavily frayed just into the sump from the Rowten side.

Take it easy

Simon.

 

[bubba]

8.2m? That's a long free dive!

Good effort for coiling up the detached rope - not sure I'd have the presence of mind to be able to do that. Sounds like it's due a re-rig though.

 

[Johnny]

Hi Simon, your'e just looking for adventure after that San Miguel freedive

 

[SimonC]

I did the Rowten pull-through last week and the dive lines and belays are all currently in good condition.

Simon.

 

[ianball11]

Good to know, not that I'd ever go near a 8.2m free dive. 82cm would be about enough for me to turn around.

Thank you for the update.

Ian B.

 

[tubby two]

I heard someone tried to freedive the downstream sump in KMC (i.e. bellow valley entrance towards keld head!!) recently- got to a 30m airbell and was later pulled out by CRO.

A lucky escape?

Or am i just being wound up?

tt.

 

[Langthwaite Pot]

Not the downstream sump, but - http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,4538.0.html

 

[Pitlamp]

Aye - the first airbell in the downstream sump is a muddy horrible canal type thing over 300 m from the start. Now that WOULD be an impressive free dive!

 

[MSD]

Haha that airbell brings back memories. Diving to there was one of my first cave dives which could be considered reasonably long and serious. The dive went great until I got to a lowish section with a muddly floor. I carried on for a few metres and found myself completely stuck. At first I though I was tangled in the line, but after a bit of a struggle I concluded that this was not the case. But I was still stuck....

Finally I lifted my head to try and see if I was stuck on something in the roof and much to my embarassment I found that I was lying IN the airbell and what was holding me back was simply gravity since I was half out of the water!

Well, I had a good laugh about it afterwards. 

Mark

 

[SamT]

Class

 

[Langthwaite Pot]

DUSA replaced the line in the 8.2m sump this afternoon following a tip off that it was badly frayed - it was! The amount of damage done since Simon's report 3 months ago is quite disturbing.

George.

 

[barrabus]

DUSA replaced the line in the 8.2m sump this afternoon following a tip off that it was badly frayed - it was! The amount of damage done since Simon's report 3 months ago is quite disturbing.

George.

Good effort. Looks like I'll have to go and do it quickly before the line is buggered again.

 

[IanWalker]

DUSA replaced the line in the 8.2m sump this afternoon following a tip off that it was badly frayed - it was! The amount of damage done since Simon's report 3 months ago is quite disturbing.

George.

And it was freezing.  Should have bought some neoprene cuffs 

The Rowten through trip worked well but was a bit of a let-down having done the sumps already. (I like Rowten a lot but I think I was hoping this trip would be more than it ended up being.  Maybe there's somehing wrong with me...)

Ian.

 

[Langthwaite Pot]

Maybe there's somehing wrong with me...

Free divers take note:!



George.

 

[IanWalker]

Maybe there's somehing wrong with me...

Free divers take note:!



George.

That photo hasn't come out very well    In it, George shows us the sheath-less section - about 6inches long if i rememeber rightly, eh George 

If that line was 'new' 3 months ago and is already in that condition, I wonder how long it would last before all the core unravelled in a big spagetti jumble.  Presumably the heavy winter weather would make this worse?

Strangely this doesn't dissuade me from further sumpy trips.

Ian.