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1982: Cambridge Underground report
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<h3>THE UNDERGROUND CAMP</h3>
<p align=right>Charles Butcher

<p>By the time the expedition was halfway through we had reached the top of
Orgasm Chasm and pushing trips were taking about eighteen hours. After half a
dozen short pitches and some nice splashy streamway the cave was looking
serious again. The swimming duck was cold and the black Chasm looked
bottomless.

<p>When the idea of underground camping was first suggested there was some
opposition. Time was short, we had no experience of camping underground and
no spare equipment. In the end it was left to Tim, Phil, Dave and Paddy to
pack up a tent, sleeping bags, clothes, food and stoves. They established a
camp in the dry phreas above the last pitch, finding a chamber with a level
sandy floor and no draught.

<p>Tim and Phil stayed at the camp after their pushing trip and reported it a
great success. Now that the idea had been tested everyone was keen to use the
camp and it was a great morale booster. As it turned out we could have
bottomed the cave without camping but it would have been much harder.

<p>We used a lightweight Robert Saunders tent which gave some much needed
warmth in a cave air temperature of 1&deg;C. Condensation was potentially a
problem but was not serious when the tent was properly pitched. Of the two
sleeping bags, one was synthetic and the other down; both performed well with
an underlayer of Karrimat. There was also a variety of dry clothes which we
wore around camp and while sleeping. For cooking we had an army-type hexamine
cooker and a butane stove. The butane stove was sluggish in the cold and
easily upset. The hexamine cooker was light and efficient and would be a good
choice for any future camping; alternatively a Trangia stove has the same
stability and robustness.

<p>Food consisted of corned beef, packet soup, noodles, macaroni, Tabasco
sauce, teabags, dried milk, muesli and chocolate. German black bread is a
sustaining item which survives the journey underground well. We were close to
the stream and found a gallon plastic water container with a tap very useful.
Generally camp was very well supplied and towards the end of the expedition
there was more food underground than on the surface.

<p>A stay at the camp took about twelve hours with nine of these spent
sleeping. We found it hard to sleep for long periods without waking, and
judging time is difficult so a watch is a must. For a latrine we used a dry
vadose trench a few yards from the camp but this turned out to be a mistake.
The moral is - keep your privy well downwind of the tent. In the end we spent
twelve man-nights at the camp and it was an experience none of us will
forget.

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<ul id="links">
<li>1982 Expedition info:
<ul>
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
<li>Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:
<ul>
<li><a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend</li>
<li><a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster</li>
<li><a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington</li>
<li><a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas</li>
<li><a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle</li>
</ul></li>
<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1982">Index</a> to all publications</li>
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
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