Walked over with Chris, Hannah and Alice.
Rigged handline with nice rope (replaced with tatt later). Rigged the entrance, Hannah arrved just as I was finished We went off to see if Natural Highs was rigged, it wasn't, back to the entrance to get the rope. (Needs more than 26m). Then rigged Natural Highs, 2nd traverse and 10m down pitch, all in need of fettling. Went to the top of Honeycomb for an explore and then back to the entrance to find Alice and Chris. Arrived just as Alice was descending. Hannah led everyone back to Honeycomb, we all helped put a bolt in then left Alice and Chris to rig Honeycomb. Me and Hannah left with minor fettling tothe rigging on the way out. I headed down the hill to sort out rope for Fishface. TU 6 hours.
It was great to be equipped with laminated surveys and a system expert in the form of Luke to show us the way forward, as I hadn't been further in the cave since first rigging natural highs and Leeds Bypass years ago. Luke demonstrated impressive recallby pointing out a tiny pocket in the wall on the far side of Honeycomb as a necesssary deviation thread, then he and Hannah left me and Alice to it. One of the pitch head Hiltis was rusty and sticking outa few mm so I put in a new thru bolt and descended to Luke's thread. Having stuffed string down the hole, I abbed down a metre to look up and see it was indeed a long thread with my string stuffed inthe top. Looking below I couldn't help but notice the floor about 2m below. Hmm. I derigged the string and popped down a neighbouring pit, to so encounter the floor at about 6m. Back up at the pitch head, there was an obvious traverse level with a pit beyond where rocks (all about 50m. Could this be the actual Honeycomb?) I could only spot 1 bolt a yard above my reach and didn't fancy waltzing across without a beteeer grasp of the situation so we headed out to mutter alot about our written and verbal instructions about what must be "Fanny by Gaslight" traverse.
After Chrs' experiences failing to find Honeycomb pitch, we were quite keen to find out where it actually was. Two vintages of the survey showed an identical depiction of the pitch head, excapt that one was labelled 'P6'; the other 'p52' and 'this bit looks completely wrong'. Some phone calls to Luke and Nat eventually yielded a pitcure of the pitch head that confirmed dthe traverse that Chris had spotted lead to the pitch head. Infused with confidence, we headed in where I started to rig while the others sat in the bothy playing cards. Rigging proceeded mostly without incident, apart from the P7 beyond Honeycomb rainging boulders with disconcerting regularlity. Rigged the Hangmans traverse and replaced the rope of the climb up to the start of Mongol rally. All the ropes were exactly the right length to the inch. Headed out without incident.
Rigged Mongol Rally - ropes for wich were taken down on a previous trip and left at the bottom of Hangmans. I rigged first half and then we swapped on a big ledge, and Harry rigged the second half. Harry rigged a knot pass just over half way down - suggestions have been made afterwards for this to be re-rigged. Got to the surface before heavy rain set in.
After a late carry up to camp in the dark with all the rope needed for the first 9 pitches (thanks to Keiran, Joel and Jonty). It was a slightly slow morning organising ropes, walk down to Fishface was straight forward, leaving reflectors on our way (half complete). Then I rigged the first 2 pitches. The ice plug we used to walk across was completely melted, so the way on was 5m off the ground. Tried swinging and climbing but couldn't do it. Keiran had a shot but the rope rub was too much despite finding a nice natural to rebelay off, it was not possible. So we headed out to get a drill from top camp. Some noodles and walk alter we were back underground where Keiran and Joel had been adjusting the first pitch due to an extra bolt being missed. Me and Wassil rigged up to the 4th pitch. Then out of the cave and back to the top camp before midnight.
Lucy had a careful time descending the long rope on her stop
Down to Natural Highs
Rerigged Natural Highs from both ends
Mealy, Lucy and Jonty sat in bothy for long time
Put Handline on muddy slope (this took a while because of group indecision as to what is a good natural). Insert picture from log book!!!
Lucy and Martin rigged Hilti a plenty and did a little exploration. Returned to meet Paul and Frank. Went to misidentified pushing front. Redescended some pitches and traverse. Frank explored a tight key hole passage and did a rough survey. Lucy and Paul set out first whilst Frank and Martin found the proper next pitch. Martin got soaked on the entrance pitch by a short 10minute thunderstorm.
We headed into Balcony withthe intention of rerigging the pitch after Honeycomb but first decided to descend to the bottom of Mongol rally to have an explore. Having somehwta underestimated how long it would take to ascend from Mongol Rally, we found ourselves cutting it too fine with out callout to have time to complete the rigging Therefore our rerigging plans turned into an enjoyable tourist trip and we made it out in time to watch the sunset.
Fettling the new section of the water collcetion and installing ropes on top of the tarp to stop it blowing up and being damaged against the roof of the stone bridge
Martin rigged 'hilti a plenty' whilst I fettled the bivi, then turned up a bit late. Headed down to the 'sponge chamber' sandy slope and missed the low crawl to 'let's be appalling', slid down the low slide onto the pitchhead which we started to rig. Whilst bored I climbed 2m above the pitchhead, gaining access into a tiny tube, 'sponge chamber2 tiny tube'. Phreatic tube trending down, wide enough at the top but slightly narrower below, basically its quite strenuous, pushed for a few meters beyond the end of the survey. The tube continues much the same but it is not draughting much. Headed out because we got cold, found the passage to 'let's be appalling'.
A fairly efficient start saw us heading underground by 10:00. Straightforward navigation to the seing off Mongol Rally. A combination of the survey and a passage description on arry's phone enabled navigation through to Northern Pitstop. We overshot the 6m pitch. When we found it, we decided some bolts weren't in order, so out came the drill to install a proper rig (about 10m rope, Y hang, bolt deviation and thread devisation). Shortly after we got to the traverse round a wet pitch and a 5m up pitch which was universally declared to be horrible. More wandering through the maze led to the pushing front in the far north west - three parallel phreatic tubes. Harry and Anthony took the left hand one while Chris and hannah went right. As expected, all the tubes connected in a maze of rock pillars that later inspired the name, Erecktheim. Progress continued in well-proportioned passage thouggh the complexity did not abate. Found a couple of pitch leads, and eventually called it a day at a continuing phreatc passage at the top of a loose climb. Headed out with a few route finding mishaps. The youth zipped out at a lightning pace whilst the veterans were somewhat more sedate.
trip with lots of problems but very fun. Mealy forgot oversuit so walked back to top camp. Lucy and Oakem learnt a lot from Frank meanwhile. Descent down entrance pitch and then Oakem and Lucy went and descended down Hiltiaplenty and waited near the bottom. Unfortunately by miscommunication Frank has not appreciated this was the plan. Thinking Lucy and Oakem has gone for water, he and Mealy spent 40 minutes waiting above the pitch. Eventually the group regrouped at the bottom of Hiltiaplenty. Went through crawl pulling ropes to top of next pitch that had been taken down on Lucy, Frank, Paul and Martin's previous trip. Arriving at the start of the pitch however they sat and discovered that no one had happened to bring a spanner. Having considered this they realised they wouldn't be able to rig further. Oakem and Frank set up for rigging while Lucy and Mealy had an explore. They went down some small crawls in the vicinity and found a passage that petered into mid filled passage after around 5m ( was previsouly marked as QMB) though clear was not. They decided this was a good place to dig due to Mealy detecting a 'draft'. So had some fun digging by hand, as moles do and decided to return. Once things to do were exhausted, the group headed on up. We looked in passage on the way back that would later be explored as 'digging matilda'. Trip aim failed but ropes moved deeper (by 50m).
Basically a clusterfuck. I forgot my spanner and lent my survey gear (which contains my spare spanner), everyone else did not realise they needed a spanner - we need to update the expo recommended kit list...
Killed off some qm's in the area, some of which were passaged which were not closed on the mini survey and not actual qm's. The two qmB's above the pitch which links 'Let's be appalling' to 'Can't stop now it's bat country', were mud filled tubes and did not draught, interestingly there is a potential QM'c above the pitch which will require climbing up 4m but I'm not happy doing it. Mealy and Emily had a dig in the West tube...
Went into Fishface to do some surveying at the bottom. Having not been told much about the cave beforehand, I left my water bottle 'halfway', which later became apparant was the bottom of the second pitch. Fortunately my blunder was overshadowed by Luke making an absolute mess of his surveying after numbering his compass diagram anticlockwise. After ensuring Luke was appropriately shamed, we contintued our surveying, discovering License to Kill and making a loop closure, much ot his chagrin.
Mike rigged a Y hang for a slope on cramblely slide, lots of excitement about how much the wind there is. Mike then rigged a traverse line up into the window on the right, large free arse (phreas?) tube. Started surveying along 2x3m passage but after 100m became a rift went high but became too difficult to continue without a traverse line but promising [phreas] visable 50m further along. Went back down into the rift followed the bottom. Dropped a little hole in the floor and found a pool dead ended. Back up and over hole in the floor and found a nice pitch. Mike bolted a Y hang but then we were out of bolts and rope. Pitch continued so would have to be back. Out of the cave for a lovely sunset.
Rob and Becka had an early start to get up the hill in good time for our trip. Cotinued on from previous pushing trip and frist went to promising borehole where pushing previsouly stopped. Harry and Becka took the borehole which sadly crapped out after about 20m. Rob and I took the passage off from the previously explored rift which quickly connected into the crapped out borehole.So far, not a promising trip, the main achievement being installing two handlines in Erechtheion, one of which was swiftly removed when a bypass was found. Backtracking into Medusa's maze we followed some more A leads, again splitting into two surveying teams. Harry and Becka followed a lead which got too tight so came to help me and Rob with a loop in our area. The passage was very cheesy, with lots of muddy sliding around. We finished the day with a rift which would require a rope to get down, a muddy upwards sloping passage and a potential path through a boulder choke - so there's still lots of potential in that area. There's also a large pitch at the end of Erechtheion which is very drafty. We had a stop for noodles at Northern powerhouse before heading out. Backa and I lead the way whilst Haryr and Rob went back to Erechtheion for a forgotten drill. A relatively swift exit was had with no incident.
Rigged down the pitch which links ‘Let’s be appalling’ to ‘Can’t stop now its bat country’. Surveyed the passage up dip from the bottom of the pitch, howling draught coming towards us, the passage ends in a clean washed chamber, possible continuation of the passage in the North East. There is a QMA lead from ‘Let’s be appalling’ above. I need to confirm that all the draught is coming down the shaft, or that the continuation of the lower passage is where the draught is coming from. Needs looking at.
Followed the lower passage down dip to where the survey ended, ducked under the left wall and found a continuation of the passage. Surveyed this. This ends in a pitch into a small chamber with rifts exiting below, and a continuation of the passage across the pitch this appears to go into a larger space. Down appears to be 15m from the floor. Across is 5m or so. Need a drill and a rope. Continued down to below the ‘can’t stop now its bat country’ pitch which is not on the survey. Scan for rigging guide!!!!
Headed into Fishface with the Japers and Becka's survey team not far ahead. Route well reflected by Luke and quick progress made to the climbs at the Bubbly Bypass (Bx4) that neeed to be bolted. Alice commenced rigging but after 1.5 holes, battery 23 stopped working unexpectedly and smelled of electrical fire - deduced to be short circuit. Battery 6 provided no holes so we decided to head down to the Kubla Khan level to inspect the leads there and possibly pinch a battery off the Japes. Flew down to the TK Max which is pretty big, passed Mr Naughty where Luke had left a note instructing us to add some rigging. On arrival at the Nicolas Cage traverse through some excellent howling passage we acquired the necessary gear and it was deceided that I would add 2 extra reblays to the TK MAX then rig Mr Naughty before Alice finished bolting the climbs. Added the necessary rebelays, first was suboptimal as one of the bolts causes some rub (left bolt of the Y hang). Then continued up, rigged Mr Naughty with the others hot on my heels then cracked on to the find Alice and continue her rebolting. this eventually done after more battery issues (no. 20, big tick) we were out and back at camp around 11.
Keiran ably guided us to the east QMs a the far south end of Kubla Khan then Andreas and he both did book in the ideal passage for practising surveying - sandy floored phreas. We surveyed steadily past a juntion (left we surveyed until it ended, mud-filled, this is almost certainly the other end of the mud filled passafe on the R of Kubla Khan just beofre station 5; right was suveyed by Becka and Hannah on 4/8/22.) We continued then started climbing up and ended at a more complex area with a possibly free climbable aven and two horizontal leads (surveyd by Rob and Amelia on 4/8/22). Slow out as 3 teams converged on the pitches and Rob was also rerigging.
Return to Fishface after a good rest. Joel and I rigged the Nicholas Cage traverse, which we took great pride in. Rob Watson stole our drill as we were deliberating how to finish the traverse. Alice turned up and decided the Nicholas Cage traverse was in fact the Nicholas Cage handline. After gaining access to the far side of the traverse and having been relieved of our drill we dutifully decided to continue on and survey what we strongly believed to be the best lead of expo. This led to the discovery of Keanu Breeze, so named whilst we were fighting for our lives in the cold winds. After reaching the end of our lead at the top of a large pitch we decided to return the next day to bolt it. Getting out this time was a lot easier thanks to the aforementioned rest day.
Trip to Balkonhohle – HiltiAPlenty – Unnamed area above start of Sloppy Seconds pitches Followed the unnamed area down the canyon to a undescended small pitch. Dropped the pitch with a pushing rig and found it comes out more or less above the top of ‘sloppy seconds’. Surveyed from the unnamed passage above ‘sloppy seconds’ to the previous unnamed canyon, so we should have a loop now.
Re-rigged the pitch for a trade route, attach line to large boulder; natural down to bolt and another natural over spike. Follow slope down to hang into the lower passage, landing on ledge half way down mud slope. I’m not sure if we can abseil all the way the slope without the rope rubbing. Scan for rigging guide!!!!
Brought drill and kit further up the cave, basically to rig the traverse across the lower ‘Sussex by the sea’.
Lucy and Mealy descended, followed by Martin down Hilti a plenty, withthe idea to rig traverse observed on previous trip of Frank, Lucy, Mealy and Oakem. This was previously rigged by Becka but no rigging guide supplied. They managed to rig across the 1st pitch and while rigging they heard - to their surprise - the sound of Frank beneath them who had gone with Paul and Aaron to rig as described in Frank's description of this day. We however ran out of rope so abandoned this track, returned and spent the rest of the trip investigating small leads. Returning to the passage visited by Lucy, Mealy and Frank on the 31st. This was the much anticipated DIG that had been laughed at in top camp. Lucy and Mealy were armed with s(?????) and most importantly shovels so set to work. By 'work' this meant lying horizontally in narrow passage and singing "Don't come a digging matilda with me" for quite a time. After Martin had endured this with great patience, he taught Mealy and Lucy to survey up the passage 'digging matilda' - Mealy did laser and Lucy did book. Having surveyed they were cold. They set off to explore leads i nthe Martin loop. Lucy was cold and tired and wasn't as entusiastic as Mealy to go down small holes. They explored most small holes on the loop. saw the pretty cracked mud, licked the wall in the chalky passage, took photos. Mealy followed a narrow lead for 20-30m where she found it to widen into a samll ?? before discovering a freshwater body described as a pong, otherwise considerd to be a puddle. There is a pitch to allow the viewer to make their own decision.
On the way up Martin adjusted the rigging and deviation on Hiltiaplenty to make it more user friendly.
Having got used to Fish face yesterday and knowing the way to the leads, it was decided that Becka dn I should return to show some students of survey the way of data and drawing. I rebolted the one-bolt wonder 9th pitch (rigged for convenience only) on the way down; had to nick some rope from the base of the previsou pitch. Arrived at the pushing front, Amelia lacked sufficient clothing for a tiny woman drawing in the breeze so Becka lent her an extremely unfashionable vest. Becka and Hannah set off down an A led heading off East (?) while Amelia and I headed off towads a very sediment-filled passage with a very climbable aven heading far away and drafting strongly down. The sediment had carved much pargenesis, with a lovely anastomosing half tube in the ceiling and many roof pendants. The clasts were occassionallyvery large (5cm diameter) indicating a high energy environemtn of deposition. We proceeded to destroy history in the name of progress by surveying on the sediment banks to a QMC. We then leaded back to the main passage to survey along a fault-guided passage (strike 015, dip 65degreeEast). This fun soon ended when we reached a pitch and had no rope with which to descend it. So we headed off to find the Japers, but no joy there either, as Jonty was busy sinking all the rope into Keanu Breeze (which predictably turned into a pissing wet no-hoper later on). So then headed out after crapping out a number of Luke's leads just by looking at them.
BECKA note: Becka and Hannah surveyed a complex area that connected back to known passage in 3 locations but via some sections of lovely walking phreas.
Enthusiastically we set out to do justice to the Keanu Breeze pitch. With drill, hammer, and spanner we made our way to the bottom of Fishface and layered up in preparation for the cold bolting job As this was my first pitch bolting job Harry came to help me while Luke and Joel split off for some survey work. After finding a nice natural for the leading line, the first Y hang was easy to install. We had a good discussion about game plan during which Harry kettle's love of deviations became apparent. I descended a short distnce and found a nice ledge witha potential clean hang to the bottom. The obvious place to place the bolt happened to be in a very large boulder that looked like it didn't want to be part of the wall. Harry did not seem concerned about this until we swapped places and he got a look at it himself, at which point we agreed to bolt next to the boulder instead on into it. As we did not have a skyhook this involved a sustained heel hook, during which I nearly lost a welly, as I drilled the first hole. After some time and some strange noises from the bothy I completed the rebelay. We then proceeded proceeded to descend the pitch and Luke soon appeared at the top shouting something about us having left the survey kit behind. As he descended the pitch he made some faces and muttered something about 'nasty water'. Joel and I had faith however and postulated that we may even have discovered the Loser master cave. Being the rigorous caving team that we are, we took our measurements and, having got slightly wet, left hastily despite Harry reckoning he could push the wet passage. The Keanu Breeze pendlum to a nice looking phreatic passage remains to be attemped by a bold caver who still has the energy to go to the bottom of Fishface.
Anthony guided us to the Custard Cavalry in Southern Pitstop using Becka's description. The survey was being used as a "no pissing" sign in Fishface. We rigged a pitch down an aven and off a natural and a hilti down on the left. Ascended the rope left in and began surveying. Alice started with sketching but soon retreated to the bothy. Anthony took over. Oaken weilded the disto with great skill and precision. Overall about 130m of cave were mapped. The tunnel continued down a straight line before taking an obvious right turn (with a B/C lead on the left up a 3m climb.)
A beautiful still morning drinking coffee whilst watching the sun rise over the plateau, basically I'm knackered.
Assisted Martin Green to install solar panel suspension in Traungold.
It is assumed that the solar panel got damaged because it was stored on top of the gear pile and point loaded when the blown in snow consolidated as it melted. There is a ledge on the left but it is known that this gets an ice flow which pushes stuff off it some years, so this is out.
It is intended that the installed ropes are used to suspend the solar panels from the dry roof high enough that they are not buried in snow. Or if powder snow is blown around them it drops away when it consolidated.
1. Basically pack up solar panels in their plywood case,
2. Attach to ends of rope,
3. Haul up into ceiling such the panels remain level and secure.
4. Tie off the ropes on the bolt, on the left wall. (the attached Mallion is a knackered one so try not to remove it).
The dropped battery
The battery has been wrapped in polythene bags and the bags have been partially holed on the sharp limestone, basically lots of the acid has leaked out and some of it is contaminating the polythene bags. Moving the battery causes the acid to splash.
The battery has been moved from the centre of the chamber to against the wall.
It is very important that the battery is not carried off the plateau in this state.
It will be very difficult to seal the acid inside any wrapping, leaving a high likely hood that the acid will leak onto someone. Battery acid is very strong sulphuric acid and will cause serious injury if it gets onto skin, and is not immediately washed off with lots of water.
If battery acid gets into your eyes it will cause damage before it can be washed out.
The battery itself is too heavy to be handled safely of easily, especially over the plateau.
Be careful, I am recommending the battery is carried off the plateau in the same way it was delivered, by constructing a two man carrying frame. It will be necessary to empty and flush the leaking cells before this is started. The current contaminated polythene will need to be double wrapped in thick polythene and transported off the plateau with the battery.
Neutralising the acid, (happy to be corrected here if there are any chemists.) The sulphuric acid reacts with limestone to form calcium sulphate, or gypsum and carbon dioxide. There is some lead sulphate which will contaminate the residue. Basically there is not that much acid and we need to make it safe before transport. Scan for pictures!!!.
Set off late after midday due to faff with 200m of new white shiny rope walked to the entrance. Some snow, skull from a few years back still there. Mike had derigged GSH in 2019(?). Keiran and Mike started to rig down the 1st pitch. Mike later returned to this and changed it to a traverse instead. Keiran taught Lucy to rig on the second pitch which she did. The third pitch was a bit confusing with too many bolts for what was needed. Lucy too start to rig.
scan for rigging guide
Continued on, sweets above 20m pitch, we did not descend this but instead traversed into a crawl on the left hand side. Exploring this, wind from thie crawl did NOT howl on and io connection with the previous passage (Keiran returned to pitch 3 to find out). This is therefore a phreatic passage connected to the window poking into the 30m pitch tothe left of the crawl. Looking down the hole in the floor, Mike thought it might be urinad d/f drips (???) and shape of hole, Mike rigged a pitch as descended,
scan for rigging guide. Mike's note: 1st pitch has been replaced by a traverse using the first 2 Hilti bolts of the original bolting, with 2 new thru bolts along the left wall.
up to 100m of rope into a big cylindrical chamber. Rope did not reach the floor by 2m. Big blocks and scree. Lucy and Keiran began prossicking, Mike explored and found a survey point marked 2.6. Is this Fishface?
Trip aim = to connect to Fishface
Prussicking up = fun. Lucy swang badly coming off pitch 3.
Exited the cave after midnight. Walked back under pretty stars. No survey equipment taken :. Need to survey big pitches.
Surveying and psuhing shallow leads (no deeper than top of 3rd pitch)
We went underground planning to survey the new ice plug which me and Wassil dropped last Monday, survey Tasteful Noods and then explore the lead going N at bottom of entrance pitch. First finished bolting and rigging down near ice plug, names "Hig the plug" - Andreas drilling. Put in a second Y hang then dropped to ice - squeezed around but qucikly crapped out. Surveyed (but not to link in - need to redo to close the loop) then got out as very cold.
Insert rigging guide!!!
Surveyed tasteful noods (spanking new trade route and 2nd pitch courtesy of me, Kieran and Mike with deviations galore) from station 14 at the top of ice tube, but again didn't bloody link into existing station.
Once done surveying, we went along the surveyed passage at bottom of entrance pitch to drop the unsurveyed pitch. Passage doubles back underneath with some nasty false floor but after another small pitch continues to glimpse a larger chamber with large boulders - needs another short pitch to get in but we were a bit done by this point. Will go back to survey and push into chamber to see where it links into - have left around 90m of rope.
After some last minute plan changed, Chris was able to convince me that a Balkon camp trip would be a good idea, despite the fact I'd only just arrived on expo/up the hill! We packed up the camp and assorted chattels (with Chris trying to unsuccessfully fat-shame Hannah and I into taking less food) along with rope, drill and hangers into several oversized tacklesacks. We managed to find some willing volunteers to assist with the ridiculous carry and we were off.
Steady progress was made down to Pitstop, with some minor route finding issues in Upper Balkon trying to avoid the sandy crawl. Whilst Hannah and I faffed, Chris has found an excellent [], so we commenced work. A while later a cosy camp, wellstocked with a variety of delicious foods, fluids and pits. After a full on day, we got an early night.
After trying to hide from Chris, who got me up at about 7:30, for a while, Hannah and I gave up and got up. After a leisurely start and a 45 minute/hour commute, we were at the pushing front, an about 50m drippy pitch that Hannah rigged under Chris' tutolage avoiding going down the wet shaft to land in a bouldery chamber (Tartarns). A lead off to the right has a cathedral echo and with various bottomless holes in the floor potentially leading down to the same place.
Carrying on down the passage (with various leads on the right) intersects in a passage going up/down (dip/~30degrees) with a wet trench at the bottom. Needing to survey up the pitch we headed back to camp after a long day. (Bed 3am)
After a late start we headed out, fettling various bits of rigging on the way out. (out 23:30). Bolted crappy pitch before Mongol Rally.
Awoke restless after terrible dream that I had spilt all the coffee and had no time to make more before venturing underground. Up the hill in reasonable time, however in just 15 minutes into the walk to Top Camp Mike managed to topple over and cut himself badly on his hand. We were very poorly equipped to deal with this but cleaned it as best we could with hand sanitiser and soldiered on to the Stone Bridge. Once we had begun packing in earnest Mike decided he was committed and rolled his karrimat in a big red AV bag. Packed the shiny nice 8.5mm, Mike's drill, bunch of hangers etc. Down the cave in reasonable time, discovered an excellent kitchen counter in the main passage towards Miracle Maze so began to decant food there. Then went to have a look at the leads in Coconut Chamber while waiting for the Jape to show up. Once he arrived, it transpired that his entire supply of food for the camp was three chocolates and 3 curries, the first jape of many. After setting up the cave link and failing to send/recieve anything we had a curry. Then Mike and I headed off to survey Balcony's arse while Luke and the Jape fettled the Cave Link. Got very muddy in the Arse only to break out at a junction, where we elected to look at the meander rather than the small tube higher up. Left a QMC pissing off upstream then back to camp for noodles. Schnapps and bed. Awoke around 8am for an enormous shit then off to survey Balcony's Nostril, just off the start of the Elizabeth line. That ended in a dig, then we tied up the phreatic tubes in the Arse whilst Luke and the Jape bolted at the end of Red Light. Quick noodle stop at camp then back to the front and down to the bootom of the pitch, heading east along a very big rift with phreatic development on the other side (big traverse needed from pitch head). Around 70m deep to ledges leading to a further 4s drop, very promising. Stripped the nice 8.5mm out leaving metalwork in (so that the light rope could be used for pushing). Then inserted noodles into the Japebefore commencing to kill Keanu Breeze by shuffling and scuttling across the big jammed flakey block. This done (after having to place a rebelay bolt above my head) I surveyed into a downstream meander and realised that the shrapnel in my eye was more persistant than I initially realised. Two more small pitches then the measnder continued as an utter shreadpiece and it was time to stop japing for the day. Surveyed back to an unlabelled Jape station then curries, candle worship and the last of the Schnapps. Tried to sleep the eye off but it didn't happen. Coffee grinding was a less involved process as Luke and Mike decided they couldn't risk it given the volume of shit in the Jape Drum. A final visit to admire the tarp and penultimate jape to surface via cave link then we headed out, abandoned the Jape to worship the candles, left him the drum, which he proceeded to empty into the Grike, sandwhich bags and all.
God knows what I was up to, probably caving down Bat country....
Lucy and Joel wento to link Tasteful Noods to entrance survey. Mealy and Andreas went to Captain Crunch to bolt the pitch left previsouly. Swapped ropes around in Captain Crunch. Joel and Lucy then joined us to survey Captain Crunch. Mealy dropped a pitch and found a survey station suspecting she was in Happy Butterfly she was pleased. Dropped antoher pitch 'flying cottage' found more survey points. Surveyed and left.
Popped down to derig Martin’s traverse in ‘Bat Country’ pulled the rope to the bottom of the balcony pitch in bat country.
Back to flying cottage. Suspecting HB was near, a team had gone that way to make noise. Unsure which was to explore the rift, we went one way until we had to chissle Joel out of a boulder choke and we could go no further. A small water hole was found. We went back to flying cottage. The day before we had found some hilti bolts making a Y hang over a large rift. Using these, Mealy descended. Kresh connection was found.
Visual/ Audio connection was made withthe HB team. However due to a lack of rope Mealy was levitating about 30m above/diagonal from Emily. We turned around with plans to bring more rope. Insert scanned rigging guide!!!
Tourist trip for me :¬)Went down to the top of the defying gravity pitch and surveyed back across the traverse. As we completed the survey Amelia appeared high up in a parallel rift and much shouting and celebrating occurred, it was very loud. Not enough rope to make the connection.
The creche had made the connection between Fischgesicht and Happy Buttery on the previous day, so the plan today was for a group to go into Fishface to do the through trip and survey the connection, while another team followed to survey some unsurveyed passages in Fishface and derig behind the other team once we knew they were through to Happy Butterfly. Amelia, Joel, Charlotte and Rachel were on the 'throughtrip' team. Despite giving them a head start we caught up with them at the entrance. Tobias and I [] got dressed, not knowing what awaited us as it was our first ever expo trip. I was surpirsed by how cold the entrance was compared to the boiling temperatures outside. I was even more surprised when I bumped into the other team who had dropped their drill down the first pitch. After [] the bag, Amelia realised the drill was not working, so her and Joel left to get a reserve.
Out team continued with the original plan, so we dropped down to the pitch above the 50m above the connection. We were dismayed to see survey points here, meaning someone had done the job before but the data was missing. We completed the survey quickly and caught up with Rachel and Charlotte who were rerigging the 50m pitch above the connection.
Erik, Tobias and I then went up a couple of pitches to a passage Erik had explored on a previsou trip. This passage ended quickly in a boulder choke so the survey didn't go as long as expected. After completing the survey we went back down to the 50m pitch to see if we should be derigging on our way out. By this time, Joel and Amelia had returned and were bolting the traverse in Happy Butterfly. It sounded like they had a long way to go, so we decided to leave without derigging in case they couldn't get down Happy Butterfly.
Insert scan for 290 clap my pitch up rigging guide
Covid crew + Nathan headed tothe bottom of Fishface and had noodle lunch at the waterpool before checking out the Coconut Chamber leads. We started to survey at old station 11 (of Coconut Chamber 3) then, 3 stations later, tied into Coconut Chamber 3.14... oh well, at least it confirmed our tie-in. The rest of the survey trip was confusing - we surveyed back under ourselves to a deep canyon which is the same one in Coconut Chamber. However the two C leads above this seem to be sepereate and are still not pushed. We then headed in the opposite direction (N), up the canyon. This soon lead to a low but wide chamber with many rock pillars. The canyon continued N but it is deep with slippy, muddy, sloped sides which would need rigging to explore safely. The only other lead was a QMB in the top left of the chamber. We exited with a very pleasent curry, couscous and 2nd noodle tea before prossicking out in about 2.5 hours.
It was time for my penance. Adam Aldridge and I did such a shit job of surveying in 2017 that no survey was written up for half of Nothing to See. The purpose of this trip was to show this series to someone more competant to ensure it is further explored. It is heading to Bat Country - a T junction is encountered shortly before the pitchhead for tBat Country. Turn right at this T junction and a pit is encountered (left takes you to Bat Country). Traverse over the pit and drop a small pitch. Way on is true right. True left is a view of a lower passage that conencts to Bat Country; there is a hole in the floor that has potential to be dropped. Way on leads to GalactiRamp. GalactiRamp was dropped in 2017, and links to GalactiShaft. Exposed traverse around GalactiRamp leads to a 4 way junction. levft is an exposed traverse to GalactiShaft MAze. Right is a passage that soon ends with a too tight rift in the right. Straight on drops into a chamber with a pit in the floor (unknown if this has been dropped). Beyond chamber, a passage leads on and a passage to the left leads to Galacti-cock, a 200m (estimate) shaft dropping to Galactica. Carry on the passage to a T Junction. Right leads to Dead Battery Run a blind pit that has two leads from the top, a QMB and QMC. Left goes down into a Fucking Maze with leads A-Fucking-Galore and will be a treat to survey on a future trip.
Back to the entrance pitch there is a [] in the left of the high level which leads tothe GalactiShaft to maze series. I'm gonna have to survey that.
There is a load fo work still to do in this area so revisit will be done. Notable events of the trips were that K Brook's rigging is amazing and Rebelays are NOT TOO TIGHT. If you weigh less than 7 stone, you C rig, and the double stop method is optimal. Insert scan of rigging guide !!!
2 Teams descended Fishface. I'd never been so was relieved of the pressure of knowing anything remotely navigational. Mealy led the way through the entrance, immediately tossing her tackle sack with the drill and batteries down the entrance pitch and onto the traverse line. After an enormous thud, she went to retrieve it and hid in the sandy crawl. This entrance pitch is still a bit loose and we descended one at a time. I abbed to the the sound of her sad 'Oh's. Mealy called up the pitch, 'is it allowed to ooze?'. Unsure whether she was talking about the drill or batteries, I shouted to her to keep her hands clear. Ooze was something I was fairly sure was not good. Thankfully, the batteries were not oozing, just the drill. Everyone else descended, we faffed and discussed what to do. Erik's team had caught up with us by this point and it was decided he could show Charlotte and I to the lead, whilst Mealy and Joel went to investigate if there was a spare drill at the Stone Bridge. They removed the drill and batteries and lef tthe rest of the bolting gear at the bottom of the entrance pitch.
Erik showed us the way. We were baffled to see our route had been previsouly bolted on hiltis and survyed, and wondered why we were back there. To kill time, I rerigged the 50m pitch above the connection to a long, thicker rope. Charlotte dropped it as a sub-optimal free hang, noting the reblays we didn't have the bolting gear to utilise. Unable to get safely off the rope, she ascended and we survyed the top of the pitch area and waited for Mealy and Joel.
They reappeared, and Joel rigged the remainder of the pitch and bolted a traverse below that headed along the rift to a stone bridge. Down and across the traverse, we passed under the Bridge and formally into Happy Butterfly. Wuheyy. Found HB survey points to tie into. Erik's group were due to derig behind us, but due to us being 4 hours behind schedule, they'd left, leaving the traverse and pitch into Fishface rigged. There was a climbing traverse into HB that Mealy was hesitant to derig and despite lots fo tickling, that got left. Down the hill, we found out there might be potential leads there anyway.
Left via Happy Butterfly, myself derigging and Mealy derigging a pitch where the bolts weren't a meter above her head.
Expected time underground - 6 hours. Actual time underground - 11 hours. A warm welcome to the creche. Insert Kreshconnection rigging topo below.
In Mealy's defense account: The donkey's dick failed me, it was very sad. Braking drills is sad
Quick trip into Bakcon HiltiAPlenty, nowhere, Headed in and lifted the rigging kit from ‘top of ‘bat country’ to ‘lets be appalling’, so that we could rig across the traverse into nowhere. Rigging down the small pitch is a bit rubby an it hooks under a flake, it might be easier to rig it as a traverse towards the maze traverse.
Surveyed from the large boulder overlooking the pitch to the sandy climb down – dead battery run, so named because Christian tried to drop the pitch only to find the drill battery was flat, so went out to the Stone Bridge to get another battery and that was flat too… a 2018 story.
The rigging gear is stored at the top of the 40m pitch between ‘lets be appalling’ and ‘bat country’
Notes on leads left around here: (Before I head home) The ‘Suffolk by the sea’ survey went up the bed from the bottom of the ‘lets be appalling’ and ‘bat country’ 40m pitch. It stopped where a shaft came in probably from the QMA above, see survex.
The passage is very windy with the draft blowing down the bed. The upper ‘lets be appalling’ is believed choked? So the draught must be coming in from across the pitchy area.
Down from lower ‘Suffolk by the sea’ there is a traverse across a pitch which appears to already be on survex, however it appears the passage continues. Probably requires a few bolts.
The ‘bat country’ (martin’s traverse) has been de-rigged and the rope is at the bottom of the balcony pitch in bat country. We could cut the bottom of the rope and rig the pitch down into the unnamed passage which connects the top of ‘sloppy seconds’ and ‘Galactica’.
Japers - any crechling whose name begins with J
Crechling - member of the creche
Creche - group of new expo goers who enjoy japing, wittering and giggling
Jarry Crechle - Red Bull Athlete and vlogger
Plague pit - Potato hut in 2022
<<<<<<< HEADTrip beganvery efficiently due to Captain Chris and I deciding not to part take the evening prior and due to pre-trip packing the evening prior. Underground by 10am after arelaxed breakfast. Quickly down pitches and arrive at the Forte, show Chris and Eric the start of the survey at the Mourne of the Moths then headed off to continue bolting down 'Clap my Pitch up'. Chose to name
======= >>>>>>> d0f3fe72 (Added 2022 log book entries RT)