Chris Densham, Becka Lawson, Mark Fearon, Penny Reeves,
+
1988-08-15
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Chris Densham, Mark Fearon, Becka Lawson, Penny Reeves,
journey - Team Rover
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[Written up Fri 19th]
@@ -60,13 +59,13 @@ Left Calais ~12 o'clock Eventless Got lost nr. Luxembourg; Nearly runnin
Team Millars. Arrived ½ hour after Sharmans after leaving Calais at the same time. Passed 2 times by Sharmans. Didn't get lost on route.
Rover was kaputt, so, feeling unhealthily enthusiastic, we decided to hitch up to the plateau. V. fast ride up, & good hitches, plateau by eleven. Trogged up to Thurs recce trip, looked at the long shaft (no draft) by the top path, we saw yesterday. Stuck in 2 bolts over lunch and sunbathing (ie. 1 hr per bolt). Down - needed another rig, Chris bored, me cold & feeble, so out. Ambled round _very_ ineffectively looking for other shaft, Chris down, all on natural belays (of which he was inordinately proud!) Unfortunately I saw 'B10' over the shaft, & it blocked anyway. Chris, fired with non-infectious keenness, wanted to finish the first shaft. Bottomed it - mebbe 40m about vertical down, then another 20m straight down in the boulder choke at the bottom - v. big chamber. Found a nice skeleton here and an old colander ! Out 10.30 ish walked back. Lift home (well, poor guy all but hijacked by us) by Karl Gaisberger, who we met on Thurs - he took us all the way home, after showing us his 5 houses, 3 car garage etc. On top of the plateau, at the Bergrestaurant, there were 3 blokes watching moths, with lights and a white sheet.
Nothing significant found in searching on the far side of the obvious coll looking from the initial place thought for a campsite - not much of a description I know but I haven't got a map. loads of promising looking holes but none draughting & most filled with snow plugs or infill. Nuf zed.
Jeremy Rodgers, Del Robinson, Mark Dougherty, Wookey,
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1988-08-20
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Jeremy Rodgers, Mark Dougherty, Del Robinson, Wookey,
journey - TEAM MARLBOROUGH (MONTEGO, ACTUALLY)
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_TEAM MARLBOROUGH (MONTEGO, ACTUALLY)_
:- J.J.Rodgers, Del Boy Robinson, M Dougherty & Wookey
Left Cambs at 7.30 ish having completely filled estate with 9 rucksacks for 4 people. Trogged down to Dover all complaining about clutch. Sat watching slowest info display in the universe for about 5 hours. Our boat (00.01) left at 03.00. The car now has 3 doors cos Jeremy is so butch he ripped the handle off trying to get in. Next drove through France (Wookey alseep), Luxembourg (Del asleep), Germany (All asleep) with terminal rain. (It's really hard to drive at 100mph when you can't see) & then got lost a lot in Austria (due to navigation by blind people). Arrived 8.30 (16 hours driving).
Hugh Salter, Penny Reeves, Mark Roddick, Mark Fearon,
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1988-08-20
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Hugh Salter, Mark Roddick, Penny Reeves, Mark Fearon,
plateau - More exploration in the rain
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Met at the 'campsite' to be told it was the wrong one ! So all up to the col between the low + high Schwarzmoochkogelllll, where it started to rain, low viz etc so a retreat (rather than a force onto the path back [stogerweg]) was mooted. On the way back a complex of caves (near 81, 82 etc. etc.) was investigated - Mark R will provide a description of his shaft, I and mark F investigated a railway tunnel sized cave, unfortunately no way down ! There are others........ Dumped gear at the Brauning wall coll, then back to sit at the Bergrestaurant in the rain until the whiskey ran out, then walked down the hill until Chris S appeared. Also, located the entrance to old caves 81, 82, 85 (of unknown explorers and vintage !) and 147 (CUCC 1984).
Forced self-confession - I botched up rigging a shaft. Tied to bunder I went down to a ledge ~5m down to bolt-in. Woops there goes my helmet. Down to bottom - nothing save helmet (15m pitch, 10m crawl choking off). Draft at top - no draft at choke, must have been caused by through draft from other entrances clearly visible.
Mark Dougherty, Becka Lawson, Jeremy Rodgers, Wookey, Adam Cooper, Del Robinson,
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1988-08-21
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Mark Dougherty, Jeremy Rodgers, Adam Cooper, Becka Lawson, Wookey, Del Robinson,
surface - 21st August 1988
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Carried stacks of gear over to the 'far' campsite (near 136). Becka & Adam went for a recce, while Jeremy, Wookey, Del & me (Mark) looked at a hole found by Jeremy. Bolted the top, but ran out of time, as at least 1 & probably 2 rebelays needed to reach bottom. Depth estimated as 50 metres.
Jeremy Rodgers, Mark Dougherty, Becka Lawson, Chris Densham, Wookey, Del Robinson, Joe Lenartowicz,
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1988-08-22
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Jeremy Rodgers, Becka Lawson, Wookey, Joe Lenartowicz, Mark Dougherty, Chris Densham, Del Robinson,
surface - Mon 22.8.88 The keenies
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[Which Mark ? Assuming Doherty...]
@@ -196,13 +195,13 @@ HELLO !! We've arrived in little min !!
We all set off up the hill at about 2.00 pm, 7 in car (Wookey farting in back). Trogged uphill in cloud, got damp & squidgy. J&M continued to camp 2. B&C stayed at Camp 1 with W,D&J's gear & tent !? W,D&J returned to camp for a pyromania discussion & a nice, dry night. Wookey
161 - Same hole [arrow points at description for 'Mark and Jeremy's' hole]
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[Which Chris ? Assuming Densham...]
@@ -246,26 +245,26 @@ _Hugh_, Penny, Chris & Sue S, Ian M
Descended straight after Mark D & Jeremy had exited, for 2nd pushing trip. Lobbed in 2 deviations which promptly fell off as I descended. Down the first 45m pitch, Chris started rigging 2nd 30m pitch while I ambled around. I found [arrow to '30m pitch'] above 'Rabbit Warren Series' (rabbit skeleton halfway down the crawl). I returned, descended 30m, as Chris getting hypothermic from bolting in the drips. I went to chamber choke at the bottom, then crawled through an obvious eyehole. Put a bolt in then down ~15ft to boulder slope. Found small stream passage (2m pitch?) to the left, looking out from the eyehole, and to the right, under a crawly few loose boulders, a shaft/steep loose sloping passage, down q a way. Meanwhile Chris put a bolt in at top of 20m pitch, down Rabbit Warren series, and also a bolt at top of parallel shaft to 30m pitch, so two ways ready to be rigged tomorrow. Out late, 8 pm, v dusky, _difficult_ walk back to camp 1, back there with relief, got to car park, set off & found others in Loser Hut, talking to French & German cavers so good lift home, tea cooked for us too !
The long awaited investigation of 'Hugh's' hole - actually a shaft near a large depression type thing on a small fault about 100m downvalley from B11 and therefore 3 min from camp 1.
@@ -276,39 +275,39 @@ Anyway went down a 8-10m shaft, placing 2 bolts, one on surface, one rebelay - v
Hugh U/G 1 hr (depends on whether hanging 6 ft down bolting counts)
By lunchtime had got to a cave on 1760m contour due E of Gr. Gsollberg in a snow-filled corrie type feature. Inside sloping rubble strewn ramp to left ~30->40m inside a hole down led to a chamber. Following the RH wall (anticlockwise) led to a small slightly draughting slot into a ~10' drop. At this point I returned to meet Del & Wookey to take a few photos of ice formations. Outside we heard German speech. On exitting & conversing we were given the impression that we were 'in their territory' according to agreements made the night before in the Loser Hutte. So not knowing the details we left. Unfortunately we had no red paint & so intend to return to paint our mark. However other CUCC recommend that we were perfectly at liberty to be there. On going back to camp I found another cave.
After rushing back to the camp to get some paint to mark the cave before the Germans got there, I had a poke to see if the cave went. Wide horizontal draughting entrance into a pit. The cave seems (so far) to have mostly horizontal development but the draught has been followed to a small gap under a huge boulder needing a handline or ladder rig to get down due to lack of footholds. This was left until tomorrow due to lack of time. Approx posn. of cave: ~500m towards the coll between Vd. & Ht. Schwarzmooskogel from the position of 135 at an altitude of ~100m lower.
@@ -323,13 +322,13 @@ Time U/G Wookey 1½ hrs Adam 2 hrs
Although this description is a bit vague hope to elaborate in a later report. Adam.
Mark Dougherty, Hugh Salter, Adam Cooper, Joe Lenartowicz, Wookey,
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1988-08-24
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Mark Dougherty, Adam Cooper, Wookey, Hugh Salter, Joe Lenartowicz,
surface - not a callout - Wed 24th August 1988
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11 pm Chris & Becka still not down from the plateau - no real call out time (they said they might be back at the Bergrestaurant by 8 pm). _Nobody_ very pleased. Contingency plans for rescue made.
@@ -344,13 +343,13 @@ THE PLAN:- 5 am - underground team - Mark D, Hugh, Adam & Joe Wookey (campin
10 am, Thursday. Much stress administered re overrunning (non-existant) call out times ! etc.
@@ -396,13 +395,13 @@ Chris descended main pitch down, 8m to floor, 2 round shafts in floor. Descended
Next trip / Previous trip to Rabbit Warren & Adrian's Main way trip on same day
Team Rover got up horribly early (7.00 ish) & eventually left about 8.15. Looked at weather & went back to Loser Hütte for drinks. Eventually Wook (me), Del & Adam went caving & everyone else festered (again). Went to push 162. Bolted & laddered hole found on last trips, but only led to 20' high boulder choked bit. Could see through 5' holes to rift so dug hole in floor to get to rift but it choked at 38'. Descended 60' wet pitch on ladders (50'). Discrepancy made for some interesting athletic moves until 2nd ladder was re-rigged further down. Cave still going come time to go home.
@@ -453,13 +452,13 @@ A draughting crawl was located.
Finished rigging 158. Mike went to the eyehole that we thought might be worth hitting with a hammer. It wasn't worth hitting with the hammer. He says it was very small and after 10 mins hitting vigourously it was around ½ inch bigger. However we did recover a bolting hammer left from last year. We derigged most of the cave and left the rope at the bottom of the short climb after the squeeze. The walk back was disgusting - cold wet misty dark ughh and ~4 am.
@@ -472,13 +471,13 @@ Time underground ~8 hours _NB_
Hugh + Penny - walked along the Stogerweg Jo, Jane, Mark F, Mark R - portered loads in and out of camp 1 -Ian - slept - [crossed out]
Down with that lot [arrow to previous page] just as rain starts. Down thru C+B's 'crawl' & rig Adrian down a couple of pitches - one a v.g. rig down - down to where C+B lobbed rocks down 8 seconds. We found a similar fall.
Friday evening was amazingly fine ie. we could actually see the Burger hut before we almost crashed into it. Because we had decided to survey down, we were to wait until the others had all gone down. This meant we had to wait while the elements got worse + worse getting colder and colder. Nevermind we thought, Sepp Steinberger had said the next day would be lovely so it would be worth it. On arrival at the pitch head both Jeremy's + Mark's lights failed to work so I descended first. By the time Jeremy reached the bottom [illegible] & his hands was completely numb and we were all fairly cold. We managed the grand total of about 6 survey legs. I then went down the 2nd pitch while the other two tried to survey the top. Unfortunately we found out the 2nd law of spirit pens, the first being they don't work when rain is on the pad, the second being that when the tip is pressed with force exerted from the arm of a muddy caver they retreat in fright making the recording of survey data impossible. I fumbled up the 2nd pitch and we went to find Becka in case they had a spare pen. As they hadn't we decided to wimp out and Jenny started to prusick out while Mark explored down the cave a bit. I have omitted to say my light decided to light the cave a bit better, not content to burn carbide it started on its own pipe and lifeline - v. silly. By the time we reached the tent (camp 2) via fog + rain we were extremely cold and things did not improve during the night, until about 6.00 when Chris woke us up and we were evicted to walk and stumble home.
Mike Martin, Chris Sharman, Sue Sharman, Gwyneth Martin,
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1988-08-28
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Mike Martin, Sue Sharman, Chris Sharman, Gwyneth Martin,
surface - Team Sunbath - SURFACE SURVEY from Q1 to Q2
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Sunday 28th Team Sunbath SURFACE SURVEY
Ambled up around lunchtime, stopped for sarnies around Windloch (32) strolled on round to the path to 113. Couldn't find it - walked up + down the Stogerweg a while, then decided it was too nice a day to not go swimming, so we did a token survey from Q1 to Q2 (about 100m). In Grundlsee by 6. Oops, forgot: snow plug in 152 has gone - potential way down, had a dig, got muddy, will take a rope in the next few days to hoist the rocks out. Chris
Checked out various holes/draught in 162 & 163. In 162 found draughts all disappeared up phreatic tubes in roof. Also found bottom of snow plug in bottom chamber. In 163 draught went down 3-4' rift. Nice ice formations & frozen streamway. Formations there last time had nearly all melted. Camped at camp 1.
147 - Sunday 28th August - didn't get written up at the time. 147
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Can't remember much about it now. Went to push the vertical development of 147. Phreatic passage to first pitch approx 16m to small chamber. Boulder choke slightly awkward move to second pitch, belayed by natural & Joe's bolt, approx 18m,
@@ -624,13 +624,13 @@ _WHAT_ has happened to this paper ???? [rest of write up plagued by crap pen] T/U: 0.0 hours
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@@ -667,13 +667,13 @@ Joe + Mark, after camping last night at camp 1 (loverly moonlit night after a go
* THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES in 147 where there is definitely an enormous stretch of cave beyond a frustrating choke - this cave HAS _POTENTIAL_ *
Del Robinson, Wookey, Adam Cooper, Jared West, Mark Dougherty,
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1988-08-30
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Del Robinson, Adam Cooper, Mark Dougherty, Wookey, Jared West,
161 - 30.8.88 (as above)
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Really impressed to see Jared, Mark D, Chris & Becka walking past at about 7.00 am ! Eventually went down 161 about 12.00. Surveyed 1st pitch. Met Jared & Mark D who sent us down Adrian [pitch] to survey. Fucking cold & clino was illegible & ran out of time so left. 2 hrs to get out with major downpour outside causing mega-rain on 1st pitch.
Sorry forgot to write it up in its proper place. Jenny and me hurried to 147 thinking the others (ie. the re-tackling trip) would be finished. But no they hadn't gone underground when we got there. This was all to the good 'cos that meant there was no way we could go wrong - just follow the voices. Survey trip was nice and efficient. Detackling didn't take too long. Since I'm writing this afterwards I can say its a pity there's a compass error on all the figures 'cos I used a metal torch. This was the first female only trip. It was a really good trip in spite of the cave being a shitty one and coming out with everything brown.
Went down the pitch previously located (entries passim). This was a bit longer than it looked, maybe 8m or so, freehang from a rockbridge. Lands in a wide chamber that has three ways on. Ahead, continuing along the fault - this gets small + maybe diggable - about 40m of passage. Right is a bedding (!) up a climb, left a smaller tube on a shelf at the same level (ie. the cave intersects a joint/another fault), both left + right choke. Will return on the morrow to survey + explore the direct way on.
@@ -772,13 +772,13 @@ We have lost the draught - it appears to rise from the chamber floor
@@ -799,13 +799,13 @@ Penny has just said to me 'What do you mean 'freehang' ? It wasn't until you ham
161 pitches 1-4 rigging guide Animal [full page sketch]
Intended to finish survey of Adrian's Route, look at the sand choked phreatic tube with a possible view to digging. However, on getting there this looked like too much hard work. Took a few photos & began to derig out of this dangerous pitch (for which surveying felt quite risky). This took quite a while due to difficulty in hauling. Detackling not completed due to fact that rope too muddy to lift. Got to entrance shaft to find everyone was there simultaneously. So had to tandem out & took ages.
@@ -814,13 +814,13 @@ Got back to camp I in dark, many slips. T/U 8 hrs
Penny twisted her ankle on the walk so Hugh went down solo to do as much surveying as possible and to derig (light rain on surface meanwhile turned to heavier rain....)
@@ -831,13 +831,13 @@ will return on a nice day to finish survey + derig.
Had to get up early even tho' nice short trip to do. Answer - Breakfast at Camp 1 for last remaining Alpen - Ha ! Arrived at entrance in time for grade 3 change ie. raining. Anyway, combinations of n jammers and n/2 bits of string result in confusion and eventual detackling of Adrian - isn't he a fat bastard ! Barely fits his clothes anymore. Out for grade 4/5 change if you were hard enough - but I'm soft + cuddly so to car in Troll walking suit; lovely + warm. T/U 3 hrs
161 - Surveyed from the squeeze back to bottom of second pitch
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(+Chris S, after he failed (-Jenny from attack of upset stomach ETC) to get through the squeeze). Surveyed from the squeeze back to bottom of second pitch. _Very_ cold. Chris forgot his cowstails - interesting change-overs ! Time U/G 7 hours.
Jolly exciting pushing trip, we thought. Got up 6.30 am (aagh!) & ate continuously for an hour or so. Good march to camp 1, feeling very enthusiastic, just as we got there a lovely big white cloud rolled over us & goodbye nice sunshine & hello shit. Struggled up in the mist/rain & changed in the same - yuck. Juliette first trip down Rabbithole. We abbed down after a fairly small traffic jam on pitch one, very spectacular. Fell thru the squeeze + stomped down a Great North Road-like rift but at an angle & much looser. Didn't have enough time to do much at pushing face. Put in second bolt to improve traverse-line over 'big' drop (which we thought probably links up to chamber at bottom of pitch) & another bolt at pitch-lip. Mark couldn't see anything over the pitch with his light - only blackness so no idea of what lies beyond.
@@ -883,13 +883,13 @@ Its getting to be a long way to the pushing faces, we're running out of time (&
'Pushing' T/U 8 hrs
Got underground about 10 a.m. Down through squeeze where Chris S was hammering away, no problems. 50m pitch 'Baker' was piss wet but got to bottom fairly dry due to nifty abseiling. Joe asked me for the driver & I found I hadn't got it in my SRT bag; I feel a right pillock and offer to go and fetch one from someone at squeeze. After discussing the foolishness of going back up alone I decidd to go because otherwise trip would be total failure. Get driver from Animal at the bottom of squeeze - back to bottom. Joe rigs traverse line & puts bolt in for 15m hang - then realises he has no hand jammer - he has accidentally left it somewhere ! Not being able to go back we decide to go on & descend 15m hang - the Oubliette ! Find ourselves in rift with two pitches & a climb going down. Joe goes down climb on a lifeline & finds it blocked. We decided pitch to right of rope landing is best for rigging - boulders dropped lost in noise of water !
@@ -902,13 +902,13 @@ Finally exit about 7.30 into pissing rain & tackle path to camp 1 in rapidly fai
[sketch]
Medium weather so easy trip to squeeze. A+D's first attempt at this phenomenon, varied + vocal swearing in + out ! Went right at bottom of ladder and followed main passage until end of Chris + Becka's survey at bottom of sandy slope. Surveyed from here down to first 3 bolts of pitch (ie. traverse line) Admired phreatic level, boldly stepped, and then ambled merrily down 50° sand + boulder slope. Not saying this section is very worrying but don't fart too loud. 'cos of a slightly slack start + lack of hangers, no pushing achieved. As usual surveying becomes cold + boring but soon boiling as outside reached. Good-natured weather starts to rain on us to cool us all down - how nice ! Bit of spectator sport as Mark F makes first entrance exit - jammer 1, gets it right first time, aah. J plays party trick with used carbide + closed container to give suitable finale.
@@ -917,24 +917,24 @@ P.S. rub point on 3rd pitch ~10ft below rebelay ?
Surveying 'Left Hand' route from squeeze to [illegible] at top of 6th pitch. Couldn't find pitch despite innumerable holes in the floor & tina & keith's voices coming out of the floor. Eventually heard them returning and crawled under rock to find pitch.
A further pushing trip going underground at 11 ish in the morning. Put two bolts at head of new pitch descended approx 30m to a very very deep shear pitch. Estimated at 100m.
@@ -949,26 +949,26 @@ NIFLHEIM - 'A realm of freezing mist and darkness under one root of Yggdrasall (
(Definition from Penny's book of Norse Myths!)
Went down Left hand route to continue rigging Niflheim pitch. First attempt not very successful, so put in a huge Y-belay right across the rift. This hung free for 50m (approx) to a rock bridge over a cross rift (called Bird's Eye). Further 3 second drop one side. 2 seconds + nothing the other. WOW. Then went out, detackling Boris (some trouble at the squeeze!)
P.S. Both Mike & I saluted this pitch in the customary manner of pissing down it.
After camping trogged over in rain to serious grade 3 change along with keenies Mike, Mark D & Hugh who had come up night before. All U/G by 10.00 am. Hugh only managed 1st pitch as already really hypothermic due to soggy gear, so retired gracefully to Loser Hutte & had to walk down as festerers all buggered off.
Eventually (after much fear !) down to the bottom of 2nd pitch to detackle, with Mark F on the surface with a whistle to inform me if any rain fell (after Hugh's epic the other day !!!). Detackled messily, but fairly quickly and without drowning !!! I am extremely relieved to finally get this cave detackled - I was beginning to have nightmares about continuous rain until the end of the week, and having to swim down the pitches !
161 - Survey chamber at bottom of right hand route
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Underground by 10.30 despite the weather. - v. quick trip down to bottom (1½ hrs) Started survey from top of new 35m pitch & Del managed to drop our only pencil down into the boulder slope from the rebelay. Thought we would have to come back out but by some incredible stroke of luck Jeremy found the pencil within reach in the choke.
@@ -1019,13 +1019,13 @@ Proceeded out without serious problem.
Went in at around 6.30 pm in windy weather all the way down the right hand route into the main chamber. Took about 6 photo in large chamber with about 20 flashes/bulbs per photo. Other photos were taken at 45° boulder slope, Phreatic tubes, ladder pitch.
Serious rain all night & in morning, so all got up v.late. Wookey had to borrow Hugh's furry (v.soggy) as he is v stupid. U/G by 11.00 when rain eventually stopped. Pitches pretty soggy (esp. 3rd !). Zoomed down to bottom & as no survey gear & time to spare wandered around trying to suss geography of chambers (see diag). Derigged 'Bastard Getoff Pitch' + other string as far as peephole pitch. Had hard time getting string back through beer belly blues. Exited 7 pm.
Very wet overnight. Hugh came with Rover in the morning expecting to find 5 jackers but instead we all went caving. The rain sort of held off and we went underground ~11.30 in semi-drizzle. I got very cold + wet at the 3rd pitch but got persuaded to carry on by Jared. Survey'd from arrow chamber (carbide mark on flake), to 'butcher' (ie. the pitch before Oubliette). Derigged the left hand route and dumped the rope below the 1st pitch.
@@ -1068,13 +1068,13 @@ Clino 736380 Comp. 543693 Tina
Mark Dougherty, Juliette Nash, Del Robinson, Jeremy Rodgers,
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1988-09-07
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Mark Dougherty, Del Robinson, Juliette Nash, Jeremy Rodgers,
161 - Detackle trip
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Jeremy wizzed off down to squeeze to detackle while Del descended 3rd to pull out Boris & Grandfather Marlow.
@@ -1091,6 +1091,7 @@ From the evening's drinking:
_Adam_ 'It stays up forever when you're pissed' + Judy's _involvement_ & georges photos (which weren't published) or developed !!!!! P.S. Adam left early. Someone was sick in the men's bogs ?? - probably me. [this last in a different handwriting - doesn't work in ascii :-( Ed.]