Author Topic: Return To Reservoir Hole (Read 5640 times)

Fulk · « **Reply #25 on:** October 10, 2017, 10:51:04 pm »

Well, TOR, congratulations for persevering in those squalid conditions. You deserve a big break-through. Here's to the Cheddar Gorge Master Cave.

chunky · « **Reply #26 on:** October 10, 2017, 11:17:27 pm »

Nice update. I hope the eye recovers soon!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Goydenman · « **Reply #27 on:** October 11, 2017, 03:36:42 pm »

Enjoyed the update thanks

mrodoc · « **Reply #28 on:** October 11, 2017, 03:43:33 pm »

Quote from: The Old Ruminator on October 10, 2017, 08:34:59 pm

I had a tape but did not use it but the dig is estimated at 12m to the right hand bend. It will need a couple more trips to reach that. In the mean time we need to cap some boulders in the floor so the tray can run smoothly. If I ever get binocular vision again I shall be back.

I got an eyeful from Nick but it hit my contact lens and I managed to clear it. It is like that down there.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #29 on:** October 11, 2017, 07:07:45 pm »

Still have a sore eye but better

. I can confidently predict that we are within 200 metres of the Cheddar Master Cave. Mind you that can be said of any part of Reservoir Hole. Jill's does seem the best bet at the moment as the cold draught suggests that something is beyond that corner. Meanwhile Vurley still beckons and I think they are trying extractor fans tomorrow.The mud at the Jill's dig is localised and much can be washed off at the wash tub. The disposable coveralls then contain it for the trip out. I find that the mud is easier to dig by hand as it is relatively soft also the caving oversuit easier to wash than Vurley mud as its a lot wetter. Its not half a mile walk to the cave either. We use a double draw drag tray and once the floor is evened out a team of four can make fast progress.

Mr Dinwiddy · « **Reply #30 on:** October 11, 2017, 07:57:16 pm »

Thanks for the post and photographs TOR. Both are welcome and I look forward to more. Its a long long time since I was on Mendip. Inspired by your post I just dug out my copy of The Complete Caves and a view of the hills. Slightly dated but a lovely little book.

mikekushy · « **Reply #31 on:** October 12, 2017, 11:59:46 am »

I have been thinking about the draft in Jill's Slither (Smeg alley?) again.

The fact that I didn't mist up the passage even though I pretty much filled it up with my body and was working fairly hard at the sharp end suggests that there has to be an inwards draft sucking the air away....maybe its more obvious when right at the sharp end...I hadn't paid much attention as all I could concentrate on was my freezing fingers not getting snapped off.

The draft isn't exactly strong, but mild and very constant...If there was big space on the other side off the current constriction(which is about 6 inch square) then surely the draft would come flying out of this straight towards....

So based on the inwards deduced inwards draft and the temperature, i am very convinced there's a river/stream ahead and/or below of us.

Obviously you guys had drafts when digging towards TFD, but we're they cold drafts? I find TFD to be a generally warm chamber anyway.

Mike K.

mikekushy · « **Reply #32 on:** October 12, 2017, 12:04:05 pm »

Also Freddie 'The Caving Chihuahua' has offered his services to push into any small holes with a camera attached to him....All he at tasks is could we provide him with some clothing to keep him warm 😉

mrodoc · « **Reply #33 on:** October 12, 2017, 06:10:58 pm »

The draught out of the Topless Aven dig that led to TFD was mild and not particularly cold whereas the JS draught seems cooler. When I first dug there 10 years ago in the parallel passage the draught seemed to be inward. If it never shuts off that is really encouraging.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #34 on:** October 12, 2017, 07:18:03 pm »

I think TFD has no seasonal change in temperature. Draughts in TFD are like Will O The Wisp very hard to pin down hence nowhere obvious to dig. Peter is correct the draught in Topless Aven Dig was never very encouraging which is odd considering it lead to such a large chamber. Basically we were following the geology there - the fault, scalloping and bedding undercuts. Willie had a draught in the Golgotha dig but in his log he refers to it as a zephyr. Jill's draught is definitely cold as is the draught at the bottom of Vurley. I must sort out my spelling Is it draught or draft ?

mrodoc · « **Reply #35 on:** October 12, 2017, 10:59:53 pm »

Draught as in bitter.

mikekushy · « **Reply #36 on:** October 13, 2017, 09:27:45 am »

Ah yes, a very cool draught...or zephyr as I shall use from now on ☺

Looking forward to the next session, will be better prepared this time...has anybody got any drainage rods with a camera?

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #37 on:** October 13, 2017, 09:43:09 am »

I can manage 2m plus arms length with the TG 2 set on 12 seconds timer. I dont know if " The Ferret " can be resurrected I need to ask Nigel. Pros and cons for remote image viewing. Both video and still shots have their advantages. The difficulty is in accessing scale. Video can be jumpy and you need a laptop on hand to see what is happening. You then have to post edit it to make sense by slowing it down and taking off still shots. You also need to incorporate a light on the video set up making it more bulky. The TG 2 will fire the on board flash based on the scene. You can do some easy post editing to see features. You can target the TG 2 by withdrawing it and looking at the image. Also of course you can give the TG2 a good wash off each time.
Hopefully stuff on this thread will be of help to diggers in similiar situations.

Oh a " zephyr " is a tiny weeny draught by caving standards. A light breeze normally.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #38 on:** October 13, 2017, 09:55:09 am »

This is an edited image from a video taken by Nigel Cox in Vurley. It shows the floor of an unentered chamber below the " Egg Timer ". The chamber looked to be 2m x3m but unfortunately no longer exists because the shaft above collapsed into it. Hence " Egg Timer ".

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #39 on:** October 13, 2017, 09:59:27 am »

Nigel operating the remote video in Vurley.

tony from suffolk · « **Reply #40 on:** October 13, 2017, 10:16:15 am »

I've often wondered if an endoscope or somesuch could be used for the purpose of staring into inaccessible cavities.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #41 on:** October 13, 2017, 10:20:07 am »

Sometimes a little advance knowledge can be useful. This huge cracked boulder was all that was stopping the Egg Timer shaft from collapsing into the unentered chamber. It has been removed remotely. The shaft then collapsed into the chamber but at least nobody was there . Remotely taken TG2 image.

Roger W · « **Reply #42 on:** October 13, 2017, 11:05:23 am »

Umm. That boulder looks as if it was waiting for you, O.R.!

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #43 on:** October 17, 2017, 08:39:31 pm »

Well I will tell you all this. Sometimes I forget that I am ruddy 70. Lugged in the capping kit to Jill's today and Chris broke up all of the boulders that were hampering the tray. I was 3rd in line on the drag and we removed 28 trays of sloppy mud from the end. I was so bollixed I was nearly sick on the way out.

Cris Milne drilling boulders in the approach passage.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #44 on:** October 17, 2017, 08:46:10 pm »

Peter arrives with planks from The Silo.

Chris drilling below.

A horrible thing returns from the end.

At least one bit is clean.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #45 on:** October 17, 2017, 08:52:44 pm »

Oh dear they wanted photos from the end. I am definitely too old for this.

Ooo. Some " lovely " sediments.

And straws.

The grand way on. I can just see The Cheddar Master Cave.

Please can I go home now. I dont feel very well.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #46 on:** October 17, 2017, 08:54:05 pm »

I do hope Vurley is clear of Co2 next week.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #47 on:** October 19, 2017, 12:17:35 pm »

Bum. Vurley was back to %7 Tuesday.

A couple more from the dig.

At the end of the dig looking back to the start. Possibly a fault in the roof which may be guiding this section of passage. Interestingly there seems to be no solutional widening of the fault and no phreatic pendants in the dig. We see both in Jill's Slither. Possibly this bit of cave was a more recently formed vadose drain. Currently I am trying to ascertain the altitude here in relation to sump level. From an enlarged section of the survey elevation I arrive at 32m AOD at the sump . ( variable ) and 40m in the dig. ( declining ).

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #48 on:** October 19, 2017, 12:21:40 pm »

Mike Kushy's image of the very end of the dig which we have not reached yet. The arrow points to an ongoing small hole presumably the origin of the draught.

Mike will be digging tonight.

The Old Ruminator · « **Reply #49 on:** November 07, 2017, 08:07:19 pm »

35 skip loads this week. The skip drag is tiring any one know what the best bed for the skip to run on. Conveyor belt ??? Would not know where to get some though.

First man hauling then me in yellow boots then one more above.

" Piggy in the middle ".