Add/markup Mark Dougherty's writups (typed in by Mark)

years/2016/logbook.html

@@ -303,6 +303,28 @@ only up to 50m (the one we used the day before was 100m) so we de-rigged and cam
 <p>Callout book entry</p>
 <div class="callout">22:00</div>
 
+<div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-02b">2016-07-02</div>
+<div class="trippeople">Mark, George, Nat, Haydon</div>
+<div class="triptitle">Balkonhöhle Rescue</div>
+    <p>At 22:00 David and Roshni's callout went live. We scanned the hill for lights, but saw nothing. So we prepared for a rescue and departed for the entrance. We had the response bag and Mark had some extra emergency equipment in his own kit. Nat stayed on the surface, prepared to run for more help if needed. Mark and George descended the cave and established contact halfway down the entrance pitch. Mark went down through the water (it was very wet) and arrived at the bottom to see a rather cold and worried David and a VERY cold Roshni.  Because of the risks of descending the pitch, Mark signalled to George that he should go back out. First action was to put extra clothes (duvet vest) on Roshni. We then set up camp. Tacklebags etc. on the floor to sit on and then the bothy to get onto. Hot soup and plenty of flapjack. Candles for extra warmth.</p>
+
+<p>At 05:00 we judged it sufficiently improved that we could try to get out. That went very smoothly. Mark gave Roshni an assisted prussic and she put in as much effort as she could. We met Becka at the col whilst slowly making our way back to camp.</p>
+
+    <p>Some thoughts:
+<ol  type="a">
+<li>The bothy shelter was great</li>
+<li>The extra clothes I had were very useful. On a call out, pack a few fleeces, cagoules, whatever in a dry bag and take down.</li>
+<li>The short length of SRT rope I took was very useful, not only for prussic assist but also for lifelining up the balcony climb.</li>
+<li>Communication with David up the pitch was impossible. Use a whistle! If you are in trouble and need the rescuers to come down, give the standard emergency signal (six blasts).</li>
+</ol></p>
+
+<div class="timeug">T/U:
+Mark 7 hours<br>
+George 3 hours<br>
+Nat 2 hours<br>
+Haydon 2 hours (extra reinforcement at the surface) 
+</div>
+
 <div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-03a">2016-07-03</div>
 <div class="trippeople">Andrew, Becka, Luke</div>
 <div class="triptitle">Tunnocks - Champagne on Ice</div>
@@ -357,8 +379,8 @@ only up to 50m (the one we used the day before was 100m) so we de-rigged and cam
 <p>Callout book entry</p>
 <div class="callout">07:00 +1</div>
 
-<div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-06">2016-07-06-07</div>
-<div class="trippeople">David, Becka, Julian</div>
+<div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-06">2016-07-06 to 07</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>David</u>, Becka, Julian</div>
 <div class="triptitle">Tunnocks - Kracken</div>
 <p>We got to the entrance at 10:45am and started the long descent leaving behind a plateau asleep under a blanket of clag.
 Down we went, accompanied by a backing track of grumbling from Julian. He was clearly enjoying himself. </p>
@@ -394,6 +416,28 @@ next party. We met the team in question at the camp whilst eating our pre exit d
 <div class="triptitle">Balcony</div>
 <p>Callout book entry</p>
 
+<div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-07b">2016-07-07 to 10</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>Mark</u>, Anthony, Luke</div>
+<div class="triptitle">Tunnocks Camp</div>
+<h3>Day 1</h3>
+<p>Descended lunchtime and sent down at a steady pace. Met up with David, Julian and Becka at the camp. After a quick brew we went off exploring. WE headed to the 4m climb mentioned by the previous party's write up. Mark climbed it and beyond the passage soon reached another pitch down where we could hear water. After that it was time to get back to camp for dinner. The night was pretty comfortable.</p>
+
+<h3>Day 2</h3>
+<p>Big day of exploration. First lead was the "short pitch of 20m". A quick rig from Mark and it was 12m. Below a fine piece of passage led to a blind alcove. A smaller side passage led directly to a mud sump the consistence of a blancmange. We christened this "The Wrong Custard".</p>
+<p>Next up was a ramp just after the northern branch splits off. Luke took the lead and up we went! Some superb cracked mud floor at the top.</p>
+<p>Then we finished off with a crack at the deep pitch in Lobster Passage. Mark put in the first few traverse bolts in, then Luke took over and rigged the actual descent. A superb 45m freehang into a chamber. At the bottom was some very glutinous mud and a sump. An inlet passage led to an aven at least 20m high.</p>
+
+<h3>Day 3</h3>
+<p>We had breakfast and then Mark went up the boulder slope to get onto the rope..but couldn't find it. Anthony (our illustrious trip leader with a pocket full of surveys and notes) came up the slope prepared to point "the old duffer" in the right direction. But he soon realised that the rope really was missing. With our lights on full power we managed to locate it about 20 m off the floor. Bugger.</p>
+<p>To avoid wasting a day we decided to go pushing anyway. A rescue seemed inevitable but we couldn't do anything about it.</p>
+<p>First up was a B-lead not far from the bottom of Octopussy. This went for ~140m, sloping down all the way to a very muddy conclusion. After this, Mark went back to camp (in case another party came down). Meanwhile Anthony and Luke took a look at the two pitches nearby. One (to the left) proved awkward due to a big loose boulder. The other (to the right) is in a rift and was easier to rig. Anthony took up the cudgels and descended down to a chamber/passage with two ways on. Either another pitch or an ascending ramp. Those were left for another day. Dinner was calm and we spent some time inventing ridiculous games to pass the time in case of a protracted wait for rescue. "Soup snap" was one idea.</p>
+
+<h3>Day 4</h3>
+<p>At about 11:45 we heard the first sounds of rescuers approaching. Soon after we welcome sight of Nat abseiling down meant that we were at last able to get out. An efficient prussic out and everybody was back on the surface by 17:00.</p>
+<p>Many thanks to all the EXPO members who organised a very efficient rescue!</p>
+<div class="timeug">T/U: T/U 77 hours</div>
+
+
 <div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-10a">2016-07-10</div>
 <div class="trippeople">Olly, Jenny</div>
 <div class="triptitle">171, near old top camp - surveying</div>
@@ -484,6 +528,14 @@ next party. We met the team in question at the camp whilst eating our pre exit d
 <p>Callout book entry.</p>
 <div class="callout">22:00</div>
 
+<div class="tripdate" id="t2016-07-19a">2016-07-19</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>Mark</u>, David, Ashley</div>
+<div class="triptitle">Balcony - Cathedral Chasm</div
+
+<p>Went down to limit of exploration. David rigged a couple of 10m pitches but both were choked. Walls covered with some nice "flapjack" crystalline calcite.</p>
+<p>Meanwhile Mark and Ashley explored a B/C lead. A couple of dead bats. After about 50m it began to get lower, but a flat-out crawl popped out into a big, obviously well used passage! It turned out to be right next to Trident Junction.</p>
+<p>We finished off by detackling the upper way into Cathedral Chasm. Any further pushing can be more conveniently done via the crawl, rather than going all the way round, which includes a slightly dodgy pitch and a couple of traverses.</p>
+<div class="timeug">T/U 8 hours.</div>
 
 
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