Online Log Book 2007

[anfieldman]

A great little trip that I really enjoyed.
Many thanks also to the Wessex CC for the use of their facilities so that Meg and I could get cleaned up before the AGM. We were made most welcome by Pauline and the rest of party there. What a fantastic clubhouse!
 

[Chris Lank]

Drunkard’s Hole
Wednesday 28th November 2007
Andy S, Rachel, Dani, Tricia, Martin, Chris L & Aggie (guest)

This trip was the first visit to this exciting cave for some club members.

After reaching the bottom of the ladder pitch (which can be reached without a ladder) we made a high-level traverse towards the 1st Rift Chamber (which can be reached without making a high-level traverse).

We then had a look at the 2nd Rift Chamber, making a quick detour up to the 3.5m high dig tube, which was rather muddy and unpleasant.

After looking around for a bit, we proceed to make our way out.

The ascent turned out to be “one of those days” for me.  Firstly, I managed to hit Andy’s Wellington Boot quite hard with my face (sorry Andy!), before getting my foot and Wellington Boot jammed in a hole for 5-minutes.

Comfort was sought at the pub afterwards.

[Andy Sparrow]

 I managed to hit Andy’s Wellington Boot quite hard with my face (sorry Andy!)

Shortly after this I violently assaulted Rachel's wellie with my nose.  I blame all this on a beer-fever induced over-zealous urge to exit.

[Chris Lank]

Eastwater Cavern
Wednesday 5th December 2007
Dave H, Lucy & Chris L

After creeping past the sleeping sheep and cows in the adjacent fields, we entered this dark, atmospheric cave.

Our outward route took us through Upper Traverse and under Baker’s Chimney.  After a quick look at Boulder Chamber we header down the Canyon and through Crossroads, S-Bend and into 1st Rift Chamber.

The return journey took us through Lower Traverse and upwards through Hallelujah Hole (which I found much easier than my previous visit in the opposite direction).  On returning through Upper Traverse, my headlamp attempted to take an alternative route.  Happily, we were quickly reunited.

Finally, we had a quick look at the top of 380-foot Way before exiting the cave.

Thanks to Dave for organising the trip.

Unknown location:



Lucy in Hallelujah Hole:



Dave above Hallelujah Hole:



Chris in Upper Traverse (without light):



The Terrible Trio:

[Chris Lank]

Pierre’s Pot – Lower Series & Hanging Gardens
Tuesday 18th December 2007
Sam, Dani, Rachel, Andy S & Chris L

After negotiating the entrance series, we rigged a handline and dropped into the infamous vertical squeeze.  This proved to be very hard for half the group, extremely hard for the other half and completely impossible for one member of the team.

Pushing on, we passed a few more tight squeezes before dropping into the boulder ruckle at the streamway.  We then proceeded to get lost before we consulted the survey and the written directions.

We passed through various other squeezes and climbs before reaching the final 20’ climb. It looked rather exposed and certainly proved to be so.

At the top of the climb we made a bold step across to an arch and after a crawl we finally entered the Hanging Gardens.  The pretties were excellent and no amount of photographs will do them justice.

After a short rest we made our way back.  The 20’ climb was nasty on the way down.  The various squeezes were slightly easier on the way out but somewhat more energy sapping – especially the final hard vertical squeeze.  As we were getting rather late we resorted to standing on each other to push upwards through this squeeze.  Unfortunately, the last person did not get this luxury (sorry Dani).

Finally after three and a half hours we made it out of the cave.

The cave was relentless in its challenges and is easily the hardest cave I have visited to date.  However, it was also one of the most interesting caves I have visited.

Epic trip!  Thanks to Rachel and Dani for coming along and special thanks to Sam and Andy for your assistance and hard work.

Sam helping Rachel down the Vertical Squeeze:



Dani having far too much fun:



Resting in the Hanging Gardens:



Chris looking at the pretties:



Some of the pretties in the Hanging Gardens:



Floor decorations in the Hanging Gardens:

[Dani]

Flipping fantastic trip!  Although now I'm feeling slightly battered, bruised and exhausted.  Definitely worth the effort if you can get through the first squeeze.  Thanks to all (especially Sam and Andy and Chris) for organising it and making sure we could get in and out!

[anfieldman]

Sounds like you all had fun. Sorry we could not make it. Maybe next time.
Good report & nice piccies!

[Andy Sparrow]

Saturday 22nd December

OFD

Andy S, Rachel, Chris L, Dave H, Dani, Tim, Tricia and Sam (Tricia's son)

We split into two groups at the cave entrance - myself with Dave, Chris and Sam, leaving Tim with the three girls to make thier own way.  Rach and Dani have a somewhat incomplete knowledge of the system so we contrived a number of rendez-vous points.  First RV point was Gnome Passage, so, having made sure the girls were on the right path through the Brickyard, I joined my chaps in the Big Chamber Near The Entrance.  We went over the mini traverse and then took a right turn towards Gnome Passage.  We heard the distant giggle of female voices en-route indicating the girls were in more or less the right area before arriving unexpectedly in Arete Chamber (woops - missed a turn there somewhere). 

We got back on track and arrived in a quiet and deserted Gnome Passage.  After musing on the possible fate of the girls we were just setting off into Edward's Shortcut when they appeared, having paid an unplanned visit to Shale Chamber.  I pointed them towards Salubrious then caught up with the boys before the ESC traverse, which presented no particular terrors to our team.  So it was we arrived at Shattered Pillar, Selenite Tunnel and finally the Crossroads just as the girls arrived from the other direction.  While the girls were doing the Selenite/Cross Rift circuit I sent the lads down into Maypole Inlet before taking the crawl to intercept the girls. 

I helped the girls down the Maypole Inlet climb and into the Main Stream.   We finally caught up with the chaps at the Second Oxbow where it was decided to re-divide the groups.  I would start back with Dani (pressing dinner engagement in Bath) and Tricia (only wearing a boilersuit and in danger of geeting cold in the deep water ahead).   The other continued together to Top Waterfall.

Dani, Tricia and myself had an uneventful exit from the cave and emerged to admire 'sunset over Swansea'.  Meanwhile the others reached their objective and then Rach successfully navigated her team back to daylight to emerge about half an hour after us, making a trip time of 4.5 hours.

A grand day out.

PHOTOS......




Oh no! Not that old bloke from Cheddar Caving Club again!




Sam admires Selenite Tunnel




Dave takes an optional traverse



During a quiet moment Tim reflects on the route finding abilities of his female companions



It's that OFD black limestone and red mud



Bugger!  I slipped on my bum!




Having successfully hypnotised Tricia into a Jesus delusion, Sparrow turns his mysterious powers on Dani....




That's a girt big'un!

[Chris Lank]

... and I have some girt big shin bruises to go with the girt big Stal.  It was a grand day out though.

[Dani]

Fab trip and a definitely more preferable option to Christmas shopping  .  I now have a green/blue-ish strip down the sides of both legs and arms - caving go-faster stripes?

Thanks to all and hope you have a great Christmas

[Judi Durber]

Has the point been glued back on the bottom   

see previous post with Andy in the picture   

18th March OFD

[Les W]

Has the point been glued back on the bottom   

Yes Judi, more than once.

[andymorgan]

Loxton Cavern (AKA The Lost cave of Loxton), Friday 28th December

Andy H and Andy M.

We fancied a bit of light Christmas caving. As we couldn't get hold of a ladder for the Rod's-Bath through trip, and Andy H is a leader for Loxton Cavern, and this has been the first opportunity I have had to go there, we decide to head to Loxton Cavern.

We headed on down the entrance shaft into Catcott's Chamber. This was a rather impressively sized chamber with a lot of formations - including some rather green and shiny looking calcite blobs on the floor that looked like snot.


Formations between the entrance and Catcott's Chamber.


Andy H posing sexily at the entrance to Catcott's Chamber.

We squeezed into the chamber below Catcott's Chamber and headed to the Hall (I think that is what it was called) which was also impressive. After filling in the logbook, we were the first visitors since July, we climbed up to the chamber about 3 to 4 metres above it, and slid down the rope -see pic below.


Andy H on the climb down in the Hall.

We headed up a side passage and went to a chamber beneath the Hall.

Me in the side passage!

There was a tight squeeze in the floor to a further small chamber that apparently Andy H, being a tad skinny, did on the leader's day. We left it as Andy said it wasn't worth it. We climbed out of the chamber, back into the Hall thus completing a small 'round trip'.
We headed out after spending about one and a half hours underground. An excellent trip, and there was much more cave than I expected. Highly recommended! After we brewed up a cup of tea in the quarry using Andy's Christmas present - a kelly kettle for a nice tepid cup of tea mmm.