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1988: BCRA Caves & Caving report
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<center><font size=-1>CTS 89.1793: BCRA Caves & Caving 45 (Autumn 1989) pp 8-11 [ISSN 0142-1832]</font></center>
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<h1>CUCC EXPEDITION 1988</h1>
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<h3>Mark Dougherty</h3>
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<p>This year's expedition to the old faithful Austria turned out to be the
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largest on record. At the final count, 24 members took part, staying between
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two and three weeks. About half of these were new to the delights and horrors
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of Austria, having been swayed by stories of topless bathers, delicious
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ice-creams and glorious sunshine while in an alcoholic haze at the annual
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club dinner.
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<p>At this point we feel that we should apologise for the lack of reports
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over the last few years and hope that this will bring you up to date with our
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activities in the area. 1987 proved a very poor year as far as new caves are
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concerned, with 158, Donner und Blitzen Höhle being the only significant
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find. This was explored to a depth of -130m where a tight rift stopped
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progress, the passage could be seen to continue and widen beyond this
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constriction. This was reinvestigated at the start of this year's expedition,
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with hopes of passing the constriction, but resisted our hammering, a shame
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as this had the potential for a higher entrance to the Stellerweg system,
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therefore reclaiming the system from the Germans. Apart from much
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prospecting, and pushing some odd leads in 113, a large amount of time was
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spent surface surveying in collaboration with the Austrians to locate known
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caves to fixed points set by the Austrians using Laser Range Finders.
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<p>This year's Expedition started off with the usual race across Austria by
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various forms of transport, ranging from the Land Rover, 'Rover', the work
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horse of the party, carrying all the tackle plus 4 drivers which were
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squeezed into the remaining holes, with the more affluent members travelling
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by car, inter-rail or jet, resulting in everyone arriving at Hilde's at
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various unearthly hours, but being unable to beat last year's record of 12
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hours from Austria to Calais.
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<p>The first day saw everyone soaking up the sun and swimming in the nearby
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lake whilst consuming vast amounts of beer. Once everyone had recovered from
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the travelling and the effects of alcohol, a posse was mounted, with
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instructions to search for virgin holes in the inhospitable wastes of the
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Totes Gebirge (that's after the new recruits had been shown what to look
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for). This resulted in two promising leads, both emitting a strong draught. A
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site was also proposed for a camp, being relatively sheltered from the wind
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and having running water, a rare commodity on the plateau. This later formed
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camp 1.
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<p>A new day dawned with everyone keen to descend their new finds, even
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though the weather had turned for the worst. So vazst amounts of food,
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camping gear, tackle and rope were carried up onto the plateau, resulting in
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the setting up of camp 1. At the end of the day both caves were still going
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strong, both with undescended pitches.
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<p>The following day saw the discovery of 161, later to be named
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Kaninchenhöhle (after the snow rabbit's skeleton found along Adrian's
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route). This proved to be the cave we had all been hoping for, with a 37m
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entrance pitch situated on a prominent ridge between the Hinter and Vord.
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Schwarzmoos Kgl, giving a depth potential of over 1km before hitting the
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known water table. This entrance pitch landed in a boulder chamber with two
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ways on. The most obvious being a clean washed shaft, whihc was subsequently
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descended but unfortunately narrowed to a too tight stream canyon. A way off
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is known just before the canyon, which would involve crawling under a very
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large boulder supported on loose rubble. At the time no one seemed prepared
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to risk this, but it is thought to continue. After this disappointing start,
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attention was diverted to the other known way on 'Adrian's route' (after the
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rope). This entered a small phreatic tube, which opened out into a small
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chamber. This is where the rabbit skeletons were found showing how close we
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were to the surface even after descending the 40m entrance pitch. The most
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obvious route leads to a short pitch with a drip (very rare in this cave)
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followed by a 45m free hanging pitch in a large rift.
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<p>This news was brought to us by the day's pushing party whilst exchanging
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details with the German/French group also working in this area. Last year
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this group broke into the Stellerweg system originally explored by CUCC to a
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depth of -971m. This has since been linked to the Eishöhle. The extent
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of the full system is as yet not known to us as the Germans [actually
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French, Webeditor] are very secretive about their finds. They were shouting
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out 'copyright', 'copyright' as Mike produced a piece of tracing paper and
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proceded to trace their survey.
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<p>The 40m pitch landed on a very loose boulder ramp leading to yet another
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47.5m pitch in an inclined rift. This proved most difficult to rig as the
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rock was very shattered and there were few good naturals. This was eventually
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rigged, landing in a passage covered with large boulders. This continued
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until it petered out into a sand filled crawl with no way on, giving another
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disappointing end.
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<p>This left one other possible route, an eyehole spotted whilst descedning
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the second pitch (on the original route). This proved to be the key to a very
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complicated system, found after a week of continuous exploration. The eyehole
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formed a traverse along a ledge on an inclined rift (undescended) leading to
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an ascending boulder slope in a large chamber. At the top of the slope, a
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pitch on the right hand side ('Skull Pitch' due to its shape), so far
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undescended but thought to join up with the main route further down. The
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boulder slope ends in a 20m pitch landing on a very loose boulder slope
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'Hanging Death' leading to a further pitch which spirals round and lands in a
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small chamber with a canyon type passage leading off. This continues to a
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hole in the floor which had to be hammered out to gain access (still
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inaccessible to the larger members of the club). It is hoped to bypass this
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squeeze and the hanging death pitch by finding an alternative route via the
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skull pitch or by traversing over the hanging death pitch. The squeeze occurs
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at the top of an 8.5m pitch dropping into a large phreatic passage with many
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possible ways on.
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<p>A decision was made to explore the two main routes on simultaneously (Left
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Hand Route, Right Hand Route) so optimising time and manpower.
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<h4>Right Hand Route</h4>
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<p>This formed a descending phreatic tube about 5m in height, with a clean
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floor. This continues along with small drops, requiring ladders or hand lines
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to aid progress. This eventually leads to a chamber with holes in the floor
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(as yet unexplored) with the phreatic tube continuing over them. This leads
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to another chamber with a very bold step over a hole in the floor (Over the
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Rainbow). The area is characterised by huge rock pinnacles and rock sheets
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due to extremem weathering, and having a thin coating of moon milk. The
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passage continues with the roof gaining height all along as you descend down
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huge boulder ramps, with avens and routes leading off all along. This ends at
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a 32m pitch into a vast open space, forming the main chamber. TO give some
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idea of size, during the exploration of this chamber, the party got lost and
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it took ages for them to refind their rope, also resulting in the discovery
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of yet anohter chamber via a huge boulder choke known as 'Star Wars'
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containing huge blocks of rock ('Tower Blocks'). This is as far as the resent
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survey goes due to lack of time, but the way on is still wide open with
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another large phreatic level leading off, plus many other leads.
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<h4>Left Hand Route</h4>
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<p>The Left Hand Route starts off as an inclined rift, but soon opens out
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into a stooping sized passage with holes in the floor. This continues to a
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large chamber (Arrow Chamber) with two possible pitches to descend. It is
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thought that these two shafts are linked and so the one giving the cleanest
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hang and having the least loose boulders was descended. Our thoughts were
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verified as we landed on a boulder pile and climbed through an eye hole to
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the sight of a huge shaft (first seen in Arrow CHamber) that we had entered
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three quarters of the way down. This series of shafts continue down via a
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broken shaft to the top of a huge clean pitch formed by a phreatic uplift,
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now known as the 'Niflheim' (a realm of darkness and mist where hell lies
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within). This got its name due to its univiting nature and a vibrating boom
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as a huge boulder was dropped. This shaft has so far only been descended via
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a superb free hanging pitch to a rock bridge (Bird's Eye) with a 4 second
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drop still to be descended.
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<p>Apart from all the caving and walking, numerous tourist trips were taken
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to Hallstatt, and to the summer Bobsleigh run, giving a welcome break. Vast
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amounts of beer (totalling 0.5 metric ton) were consumed, as well as many
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kilos of muesli. The obligatory arguments between the vegetarians and
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carnivores continued again this year, as well as many hours spent drinking
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and reminiscing in the potato hut kindly lent to us by Hilde.
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<h4>Next Year</h4>
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<p>The incentive to return to Austria in 1989 is great, with the four second
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drop on the Left Hand Route, the large phreatic passage on the Right Hand
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Route. As well as these leads it is hoped to find an alternate route to that
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of the Death's Door pitch and the squeeze. Possible routes are that of the
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Skull pitch, bottom of the second pitch under large boulder, or by traversing
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over the pitch before Death's Door.
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<p>There are no known caves nearby and so the chance of a major new system
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like Stellerweg is great, and who knows, a possible link, and a depth well
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over 1km. It is interesting to note that the phreatic levels in 161 and the
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other known systems in the area all occur at approximately the same level.
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<p>As well as the continued exploration of this system it is also hoped to
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further explore 164 found in the first week, but exploration was hindered by
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the high rainfall experienced this year.
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<p>We wish to thank the Sports Council for their most generous grant, and
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also to Hilde the landlady for putting up with us for the three weeks. But
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most of all to the Austrian caving group for their hospitality, which we hope
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to repay by arranging an exchange visit during 1989.
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<hr />
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<!-- LINKS -->
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<ul>
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<li>1988 Expedition info:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="index.htm">Index</a> (more detail than in this list)</li>
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<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
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<li>Cambridge Underground Expo Report:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="report.htm">Austria 1988</a> expedition report</li>
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<li><a href="cavegd.htm">161 Description</a> to date (ie. 1988)</li>
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<li><a href="164.htm">1623/164</a> exploration</li>
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<li><a href="rover.htm">A Rover's return</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="to1989.htm">And so to 1989</a> work for 1989 expo to date</li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1988">Index</a> to all publications</li>
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<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a></li>
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</ul>
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