What ‘extras’ do you find useful on a survey?

[Lara_]

I’ve been wondering what different people like to have on their surveys in addition to plan passage? Elevations and cross sections are always nice aesthetically but does everyone use them? Colour keys for depth? What about the more unusual extras like surface relations and hydrological maps. Is there any other features which makes you happy when you open up a survey?

 

[Babyhagrid]

A little stickman hiding the cross sections!

 

[Andy Farrant]

Scallop directions and other palaeoflow indicators such sediment ripple marks or cross bedding. Whether it is a phreatic or vadose passage, this could be marked on a cross section if you have a phreatic tube in the roof and a vadose trench below. Elevations and cross sections are essential if just producing a plan survey. Other simple geological data, for example, local dip of the rocks - easy to measure when surveying, faults, major joints, anticlines & synclines.

 

[SimplePurist]

I like mystical creatures like on old maps

 

[tim.rose2]

A compass pointing North and scale bar (rather than just '1:200' which becomes irrelevant once you've printed on a different sized paper to the original).

A survey date.

Colours to make it easier to see which passages over / underlay (e.g. the most recent OFD survey).

The odd photo or two (especially the entrances).

Expansions of complex parts of the caves.

 

[Ian Ball]

The Lancaster uni survey of Bar Pot is tip top copy that approach and Id say beautiful

 

[Juan]

QR code(s) linking to online photos, videos, cave descriptions, etc.

 

[langcliffe]

Dotted lines saying "Big passage, unexplored".

 

[Samouse1]

Dotted lines saying "Big passage, unexplored".

"Loud rushing water heard here, smelled of master cave"

 

[Loki]

Spot depths. Overhead topography is always good. Distance and direction to resurgence. And probably an indication of whether it was dye tested or presumed. All on one piece of paper or at least fits on one wall of the average semi. Anyone who’s been to red rose will know what I mean. Or swcc.