expoweb/1623/258/caveDescriptions-temp/maxpleasure2.txt

[PARTIALLY DESCRIBED WITH HEDONISM HIGHWAY, CROSSWORD, LETS GET NAKED]

Maximum Pleasure: north of Starfish junction

Maximum Pleasure north of Starfish Junction initially opens into a High chamber a drafting (inwards) passage off on the left (Just for a Laugh). Two other passages on the left also connect to Just for a Laugh. The chamber merges back into walking passage after 40m. 10m along a soil slope comes in from the right wall, choked to the left, and a low crawl to the right leading to Down to Earth. The passage slopes gently down until it meets a larger one with the way on going gently up-dip to the right. There is a large boulder at the junction. The continuation of the larger passage on the left is choked with soil.

Past a pillar the passage opens up into a high wide chamber with a deep canyon in the floor, largely covered by boulders. At the start of the chamber a rapidly-lowering passage goes back right for 8m before being choked with sand. At the far end of the chamber you step over the canyon [2007-258-67-B] and have to clamber over some very nice flowstone to proceed. The obvious way on is walking passage but in fact the passage goes at two levels here - you can also climb down below the flowstoned chockstone and follow the canyon upstream to get to the same chamber.

Following the obvious higher level brings you into another chamber with a deep hole in the floor, mostly blocked by a large jammed boulder, that connects to Downgraded Window [CHECK]. Traversing around the left hand side reaches a 3m climb down to the far side of the hole. This is Petticoat Junction where  left (north) is the continuation of Maximum Pleasure towards Let's get Naked, or ahead (east) across rocks and uphill to Hedonism Highway.

Taking the smaller northerly passage at Petticoat Junction leads into passage of varying character. It starts with deep dark soily deposits. An awkward small passage on the left connects back to the climb just before Petticoat Junction. The draught is still strong and inwards. Crossing a soily crater leads to a sloping 3m climb up a wide, high rift, then along 10m of narrow joint-controlled passage to another sudden change of character. Ahead is a tight passage which draughts out and becomes a dig after 10m [2007-258-73-D]. The way on is the very wide phreatic passage sloping steeply down to the west. The small central canyon of this passage goes under the left hand wall to the west [IS THIS A LEAD? NOT SHOWN AS QM ON ORIGINAL SURVEY].

The passage zigs and zags sharply past a crawl off on the L [2007-258-74 C] for 20m to merge into nice straight passage sloping gently down-dip. [Can not see zig zag nor the qm - Andrew Atkinson or Wookey or Dog Becka Lawson] After 35m it steepens and a small canyon forms, reaching a 3m deep drippy pot after another 25m. A 2m climb down gets to the floor and a delicate and slightly damp 3m climb up gets back into the continuing passage.

Here the passage is wide and sandy and forks: off on the right is Let's get Naked (draughting out). Down to the left it descends steeply and Crossword Passage goes off on the Left. 10m beyond is [2007-258-75-C] on the L then a gravelly bit with an aven above [2007-258-78-X]. The passage continues to descend down-dip until it suddenly chokes (3m dia!) with mud and rocks. This would be a top dig site in the UK [2007-258-77-D]. On the L is a large (8m dia?) chibble-floored pothole which can also be overlooked from a balcony, reached via a passage on the L, with a small passage heading off to the south. On the far side of the hole a crawl heads off downdip - this is Too Much of a Good Thing.