Friday 24th January 2025

Mike Kushy, solo. Took in a bag of postcrete, bung with tap attachment and hose. Dismantled some of the dam and built it back up using the postcrete. Once this was finished I went to the dig face with some empty buckets to grab some sticky mud and give the postcrete time to set. Big puddle at the bottom! (Glad I didn't struggle bringing the drill in). The sticky mud was used to line the dam inside and out. Once this was done I fitted the bung into the pipe work and attached the hose. Need to render the dam up with cement ideally at some stage as there are still a couple of minor leaks. The hose was really effective and a good flow came out, enough that the dam doesn't fill up quick enough, to provide a constant flow. I've left the tap open and managed to put the hose into the boulders to the left. Turned the tap off for a while and then opened again. The water can be heard flowing off down the hose and into the diversion. Recommend leaving the tap open open when not there, then closing on arrival of digging trips ready to use for cleaning or flushing afterwards. 2 hours. Mike.

Youtube channel.

The finished dam. Photo MK.

Puddle. Photo MK.

Puddle again. Photo MK.

Wednesday 22nd January 2025

Mike Kushy, Sam Hill, Mike Wise and Kaz Noiri underground around 1845. Kushy found Kaz at the Wessex and Kaz wanted to see a Mendip dig. After an induction by Sam on what needed moving and what shouldn't be prodded, Kaz moved mud and rocks away from the face to the bucket loading area. Mike W dismantled the dam and rebuilt it to accommodate the 4" pipe and Sam and Mike K tidied up the dumping area before hauling up and dumping some of the filled buckets. Some buckets of nice sticky mud were used in the dam construction.  Some rocks were dismantled using P&F before being hauled out. After clearing up the dig face, Kax experienced an unexpected  (to him perhaps) aspect of digging when the forward part of the left wall collapsed.  This is visible in Sam's second photo.  A great time was had by all. Time down 2.5 hours. Some rocks at the bottom need reducing for hauling out. The dam is higher than previously and the inside of the dam base needs sealing around the pipe. Suggest a pea or smaller gravel concrete mix. It will cure underwater, although if anyone has any 30-minute curing cement, that would be good. Mike Wise.

I left the guys at the 2nd connection to the Boulder Rift Chamber and headed to Tooth Dig. After the initial squeeze down you can traverse straight across to the loop, rather than all the way down and back up. Now with a view to the hauling spot I started clearing the gloop further back. Sam showed up and  started pushing rocks and gloop back to me. Enough space was made to be able to slide small buckets through. Lots of clearing of the hauling spot and spoil from below. Recommend always doing it this way rather than blocking the way again. I then went down to join the others. Kaz and I left out of the old cave exit. Mike Kushy.

Before. Photo SH.

After. Photo SH.

Sunday 19th January 2025

Mike Kushy and Tim Rose. Got to the dig around 10.30, took in 2 drills and charge materials. TR went to the dig face to pull stuff back and break down rock, whilst MK went to the hauling spot and pushed spoil back to create more room. After this the whole of the top dam was fully cleared, including any rocks that would fit in the small buckets. The hauling spot is now full to the brim and really needs 2 people up there to create more space. TR then went to the front and with MK above him in the dodgy boulder bit, a dozen or so buckets of mud were sent high up there. I think TR got a bit fed up of sliding into the 1m deep puddle, which seemed a good time to swap places and start drilling for the charge. MK drilled 5 holes @600mm, 3 into the already shattered slab to the right and 2 in a slab further ahead (hopefully that clears the puddle). Awkward set up, just had to give in in the end and lie knee deep in the water whilst setting up. TR packed drills and bag up and we both left, filled and fired fine. Cold as usual. This site is getting a bit desperate, I feel if we don't find some space in the next couple of charges we're going to struggle. 5 hours. Mike.

The dig face after clearing. Photo MK.

Thursday 16th January

Mike Kushy, solo. Pool at the bottom pretty much dry on arrival. Cleared left over mud and rocks, then moved a very large rock in the floor. This was downsized and stacked to one side. Spent the rest of the session looking for a drainage hole. The 2ft crowbar goes right into silt and mud on the floor without hitting anything solid. Draught seems to be coming from out of the floor. 2 hours. MK.

Before clearing. Photo MK.

After clearing. Photo MK.

Sunday 5th January 2025

Mike Kushy and Sam Hill. Got in for 11, took in 2 drills. Bloody wet couple of days, drippy throughout and nice stream coming in at the top Boulder Rift Chamber connection. SH went to the front and sent rocks back, some too large for buckets (will need breaking down). Lots of buckets tipped into the dam, which is now over full and needs clearing next. After rocks had been cleared the water had been found. After clearing as much mud and grit out as possible, it's now over knee deep. The pool is a 1mx1m. Unable to find a plug to drain the pool but there was easily enough water coming in today, that it should have flooded. MK had a go at the front for a bit, until stacking got desperate. We decided it was too wet to get drills out. 2 hours. Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

Before clearing. Photo SH.

After clearing. Photo MK.

SH in photo at the wet end. Photo MK.

Tuesday 31st December 2024

Sam Hill, Alex Randall and Mike Kushy. Took 2 drills and HE kit in. SH attacked the boulder in the floor at the face, whilst MK hauled and AR fed him buckets. After an hour or so MK got tired. SH then did some hauling with MK bucket filling, meanwhile AR had a go at the front. This lasted another hour or so and all the stacked top dam was cleared. AR had to pop out for half hour or so, MK and SH rebuilt the dam and filled it right up again. When AR got back MK went hauling, with AR bucket filling and SH at the front. MK came down and he and AR rebuilt and refilled the dam once more. All the pf work done, MK went to drill for charge. Meanwhile SH did more hauling, with AR filling buckets. 5 holes drilled @600, assisted SH and AR on set up. Filled and fired fine. Fresh at the bottom all session. The current stacking area is getting a bit overwhelmed. There's loads more that can go up there, but someone will have to go to the other side of the Tooth Dig loop and rake the stacked spoil right back. It's no longer possible to drop down from The Boulder Rift Chamber to the current dig site...unless of course you come from the Tooth Dig way 😬!  No photos, we were too busy enjoying ourselves getting covered in gloop and listening to Sam's German Propaganda music. Hard to describe the bottom, a rumble of rock was heard after the initial shock wave. 5 hours, Mike.

N/S survey overlay.

Happy New Year, from all us Conglomerates.

Monday 30th December 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Took in drill and set to reducing the 'too big' rocks. 1 & 1/2 batteries used before the crawl. The dam is now about twice as high as yesterday and is filled up with mud and rocks from the bottom - be careful not to tip it! Would be nice to build a permanent dam once all is cleared and set up a dam/hose wash system. Went to the face and jiggled the 2nd dam a little to allow more mud to come out and allow the boulder in the floor more movement. The next 1 & 1/2 batteries were used on said boulder. Being very fractured it splits up really nicely, but there's a lot of it. The dig has become 'self digging' and there's a little black hole about 2 inches wide that the stream flows off into. Big clearance next, only 2 needed. 3 hours, Mike.

The top dam and spoil.
The retaining wall is just over a foot high. Photo MK.

Drainage hole. Photo MK.

Boulder in the floor at the dig face. Photo MK.

Sunday 29th December 2024

Mike Kushy and Callum Simmonds. MK arrived just before 10.30 armed with drill (although it never got used). Went down and assessed the stability of the dig face after the last charge. All looked good and there was a lot of rock to move. The bedding chunk was completely shattered and unable to see the puddles. Built a little wall higher up and emptied some spoil behind it. CS then arrived around 11. With him hauling all the buckets and temporarily stacked spoil was cleared. CS then went to the very dig face and passed many buckets and rocks back. This is now littered all over the place and buckets poured behind the ever increasing temporary wall (do we make it permanent?). CS had to leave around 1.30. MK stayed on for another hour and worked on clearing the floor and opening some drainage. A big block in the floor moves and can be broken up later. A good clearance session needed with 4 people, 2 sessions for 2. It looks good and feels very fresh, Bang On! 4 hours for me, Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

Debris at dig face. Photo MK.

Debris at dig face. Photo MK.
Both photos looking straight on, horizontally

Monday 23rd December 2024

 Mike Kushy. Drilled 5 holes @600, all filled and fired fine, should be messy. 2 hours. MK 

Red holes drilled side on into the bedding slab.
Blue holes vertically down through the eroded solid floor. Photo MK.

Saturday 21st December 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Took the drill in with the aim of moving rocks and breaking them down. That wasn't happening, everything is too big! Filled up buckets and moved a few rocks back. Spent the rest of the time widening the puddles in the floor ahead. Quite a stream coming in today, but floor draining away somewhere. Built some walls and put the spoil behind them. Draught seems to be coming from under a boulder on the right hand side. Easily enough spoil for another team clearing session. Then we may have to look at popping the rh boulder. Whilst looking for a drain hole with the long crowbar, in the puddle on the left, I was hit with a strong smell of oil/diesel and a thick band of grey clay. Towards the end I built a temporary dam and filled it up with gritty mud as much as possible, hopefully this will help to clean up a bit. 4 hours.

MK's YouTube video from today

Dig face. Photo MK.

Puddle on left. Photo MK.

Puddle on right. Photo MK.

Wednesday 18th December 2024

Sam Hill, Ed Ford, Kat Rosier and Callum Simmonds. Good session with lots removed. Started by moving all the rocks then dug the floor down. Large rocks to break up in the floor now and was getting rather wet with water pooling. Interesting sediment layers met as digging down and the draft seemed to ebb and flow as well. 2hrs. Sam.
We found a few bits which may be bone. Left by the black case. Ed.

Current dig face. Photo SH.

Closer view. Photo SH.

Tuesday 17th December 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Breaking up rock and filling buckets ready for Wednesday. Loads to clear. Being a very mild morning the draught was present but not as strong as it has been. A growing puddle at the bottom. 3 hours, Mike.

A view from higher up of the dig face. Photo MK.

The dig face. Photo MK.

Sunday 15th December 2024

Mike Kushy, Ed Ford and Trevor Hughes.

MK went in just after 11 armed with drill. Lots of big rocks to break up. Filled the bags and buckets and moved all the spoil up cave a bit. Ed arrived just after lunchtime and we cleared everything back to the main chamber. Me and Ed then both squeezed through the recent (3rd) connection to the dig face and looked at the prospect of bringing spoil out this way. MK then went into the new 'chamber' and raked the floor, chucking all the spoil into the bouldery side. This revealed a very nice looking waterworn trench, the floor is composed of alot of sandstone and grit. EF in the meantime was losing what he could on the other side and filling the buckets up. Then with MK above the 3rd connection EF handed him buckets up. After a while we opted to go get the rope and krab and this was a lot more efficient. TH then arrived (est' 2pm), we left TH to prise rock and pf the stuff down to size. MK and EF meanwhile hauled a lot up. Rocks were strategically placed to prop up rock and build walls. There's a lot more space to fill up there yet and with a 4th person it would have been possible to pass stuff through the window towards the Tooth Dig loop. Batteries spent we all left, very cold from the draught. Loads of room at the bottom and it's now possible to clear the floor without going into the 'chamber'. 5 1/2 hours for me. MK 

MKs youtube video from today

Dig face after clearance. Photo MK.

Trevor at the dig face, then Ed, then Mike. Photo MK.

Hard to see on camera but this is stacked calcite layers right above the dig. Photo MK.

Dig face before clearing. Photo MK.

Thursday 12th December 2024

Mike Kushy. 5 holes drilled @600mm, all filled fine and fired fine. 3 holes on the right hand wall/floor and 2 in the floor just before the new squeeze. 1 1/2 hours. Mike.

Wednesday 11th December 2024

Mike Kushy, Callum Simmonds, Sam Hill and Mike Wise.

MK went in early to fill up bags and buckets and with drill. By the time all the bags and buckets were filled SH arrived and started moving them up cave. When MW arrived he and SH moved up cave to empty stuff into the Boulder Rift Chamber. Meanwhile MK started reducing bigger rocks with pfs. CS arrived at some point and took rocks and bags from MK and started ferrying them up cave. A large rock moved from the floor and blocked the ability to fill and more buckets, so whilst MK set to on this the others moved stuff as far up cave as they could. Big rock dealt with, more bags and buckets filled until the hole in the floor looked passable. MK wiggled on through, a flat out horizontal squeeze through the bedding ceiling into an erratic boulder 'chamber'. All the boulders were very big and well calcified up, so it didn't feel too dodgy. In the chamber it is possible to stand up and climb around a little, there's plenty of space to pack spoil into. Being in the 'chamber' the draught was not obvious anymore. Looking back towards the squeeze (out) everything on the left looks very clean washed, everything on the right is uninformed and erratic, the floor of the chamber was also bone dry! It is possible to squeeze through head first, turn around and come out head first too. The floor could be dug more when in the chamber, the floor leading up to the squeeze is solid bedding. Next step I think is to try and take away some of the wall and floor and get back to the line that heads into the "cliff". SH came down at the end of the session to have a look/take photos and squeezed through into the chamber too. 3 1/2 hours for me. Mike.

Mike in the new chamber, scraping the floor back. Photo SH.

Mike coming out of the new chamber. Photo SH.

 

Sam with his legs in the squeeze that lead to the chamber. Photo SH.

The current face. Photo SH.

Closer view. Photo SH.

Mike going through the squeeze. Photo SH.

Sunday 8th December 2024

Mike Kushy and Adrian Miles. 

AM went ahead with drill and started on holes whilst MK moved the bang wire further down cave. 5 hopes drilled and MK assisted AM on the set up. 2m of 40 used and fired, all went off well. The shock wave felt a lot greater this charge than any previous, even though we didn't use much material. 1 1/2 hours. Mike.

AM drilling at the dig face. Photo MK.

Wednesday 5th December 2024

Mike Kushy, Mike Wise, Sam Hill, Oli Hill, Trevor Hughes, Mike Moxon, Jake Baynes, Adrian Miles and Ed Ford.

MK went in just after 5 armed with drill. Broke up a big loose rock then filled up bags and buckets and stashed ready for the others. I then managed to move a big chunk of the bedding floor and this was downsized, allowing a lot more room at the bottom.

Around 6.30ish everyone started to arrive and all the filled bags and buckets were cleared right back. Lots and lots of bags and buckets cleared and many large rocks pulled out of the muddy floor. At some point a decent sized opening appeared in the dig face floor, between the corner and the hole at the far left. An incredible and very icy draught emitted from this, very clear that this is our direction. Lower down it looks to cut back right towards the corner and also there's signs of water carving its way down vertically through the bedding. It got difficult to clear any more without taking another large chunk of the floor away, which is best done with a charge. All the rocks are cleared though so hopefully some rain will wash alot of the remaining mud through. A very active stream and a good soaking at the point position. It was very clear to see the streamway pick up and it was easy to tell that it had started raining heavier outside, a very reactive streamway! 3 1/2 hours for me, just over 2 for the others. Pint and food at the hunters afterwards. Mike.

See comments below. Photo SH.

Didn't have camera, but here's a pic from last session. Photo is taken sat at the corner looking left across the bedding.

Red is the hole to the far left, green is all the loose bedding floor removed this session, pink is where the new hole in the floor is and blue represents the corner.

Saturday 30th November 2024

Sam Hill, Mike Kushy, Callum Simmonds, Ben Ashley and Mysti Ommer met for half ten, underground by 10:45. SH cleared bang debris and then broke up a few larger chunks with PF. CS then took over digging and cleared out a lot of mud and some large boulders. Ben and Mysti were ferrying up to the connection where Kushy was stacking. Ben and Mysti then dug a few buckets out and we called it a day after 4hrs. Good draft coming out the left hand hole this time. Lots more mud and rock to come out of the floor. Sam.

Before clearing. Photo SH.

After clearing. Photo SH.

After clearing. Photo SH.

Friday 29th November 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Drilled 5 holes, 3 @600 and 2@400. All went off fine. 1 1/2 hours. MK.

Wednesday 27th November 2024

Mike Kushy, John Cooper, Sam Hill, Mike Wise, Trevor Hughes, Ed Ford and Jake Baynes. MK, JC and SH in a bit earlier. Started by moving the stashed rocks up cave, others arrived randomly and eventually rocks were daisy chained straight to the Boulder Rift. Once MK at the front had moved rocks up to JC from the face he then squeezed through the latest connection (3rd) to Boulder Rift to help JB moving rocks further away. *note: the squeezes through the 3rd connection are not easy, unable to do on your front..and there's 2 like that*. Once bags started being filled with clatch everyone moved down one position. Then MK joined JC at the dig face so bags were getting filled twice as quick. It got to a point where reaching the floor for spoil became difficult again, a large rock sticking out the floor needs banging to progress. Draughty black hole appeared in the floor and takes all the stream water (about an inch). Est' 50 bags and 25 rocks moved this evening. Sterling work by everyone. 2 1/2 hours for me. MK.

Sunday 24th November 2024

Mike Kushy and Geoff Newton. Geoff's first time into the new dig area, think he was impressed by how far it went. Very wet in the cave, an impressive stream flowing towards the dig once you pass the 1st connection point. Sounds of water below us somewhere and all the water seems to sink straight ahead rather than heading off left. Anyway, MK reduced the slab down to size whilst GN ferried some rocks to the connection point. After rock reduced MK then joined GN and they passed a few large rocks through into the stacking area. 2 hours. MK.

Thursday 21st November 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Took in drill to reduce boulders down with pfs. All went well, even managed to take some big bits off the bedding floor. At the end I tried to take a corner off to allow me to get in further, but a big slab peeled off which will need more battery power to reduce. Strongest draught coming from straight down rather than off to the left. 3 hours. MK 

MK's youtube video from today

Big slab that peeled off and a view of off to the left at the bottom. Photo MK.

Wednesday 20th November 2024

John Cooper, Sam Hill, Mike Wise and Mike Kushy. MK and JC started by clearing the stack of bags and rocks. JC then went to the sharp end, followed by SH, then MW with MK in the chamber. Many rocks and bags moved. MK moved rocks further back and finished off building the big retaining wall. Didn't use bang as there's a lot of rock to be broken up and will probably get into the next bit with plug and feathers. 3 hours. Mike.

Dig face. Photo MK.

Wednesday 13th November 2024

Mike Kushy and Sam Hill. MK to start with. Unwound bang wire and pulled some slack through to the front as its been getting a bit tight lately. Went to the sharp end and started moving rock and bags of spoil up cave. SH arrived not long after and he transferred everything to the stacking chamber. Meanwhile another round of bags were being filled. More rock, a couple of large rocks needed plug and feathering. Being hard work with just 2 we decided to drill and set charge early, even though there was a lot more spoil to come out. 3 holes all filled nicely, everything went off fine. Will want a team of at least 4 to have a big clear out. 3 hours for me. Mike.

Sunday 10th November 2024

Mike Kushy and Trevor Hughes. Started around 3ish. TH went to the sharp end to fill bags and move rock. These were moved up to the connection point by MK. When everything was filled MK went through the connection and received bags and rocks from TH. After this holes were drilled by TH. All set and charge went off fine. 2 hours. MK 

TH drilling at the sharp end. Photo MK.

Friday 8th November 2024.

Mike Kushy, Sam Hill and Tom Jackson. MK to start with  filling bags and moving rocks. SH and TJ arrived just as they were full. They moved the spoil back to the chamber. Several more bags were filled and moved. 4 holes were drilled, 1@1m, 3@600mm. Set and fired all fine. MK managed to squeeze down the rift at the front and managed to connect to the Tooth Dig loop. 3 hours for me. MK.

Wednesday 6th November 2024

Mike Kushy and Mike Wise. MK to start with, filling up bags and moving rocks. A lot of spoil has gone ahead and is unreachable. MW arrived just as the bags were full. These were moved up to the connection  then with MW in the stacking chamber everything was cleared. 4 holes drilled and set. All went off well. 3 hours for me. MK.

Tuesday 5th November 2024

Mike Kushy, Sam Hill and Alex Randall.

MK to start with, filled up bags and moved rocks up cave. Hammer and chiseled for a while. AR and SH arrived and moved the spoil to the stacking chamber. 4 holes drilled  2@750 and 2@600. Good holes. All went off well. 3 hours for me. MK 

Spoil. Photo MK.

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Mike Kushy, Sam Hill and Joseph Mccomb. MK started around 11am. Took in drills and charge materials and left John's drill at the base of the entrance shaft. Set to work taking the point off the pointy boulder that's causing a nuisance with the hauling. Sketchy work but removed the proud bit and a lot of the face. After this I set to filling up bags and removing rock from the end. All the bags filled just as SH and JM arrived with John's drill. They started transporting the bags and rocks into the Boulder Rift Chamber. Meanwhile MK started drilling holes ready for the charge. 5 holes drilled but only 4 usable, 1 1m hole packed, 2 600mm and one about 350mm. Very very cold at the end, struggled handling the cable ties. Hard to describe the end currently and I forgot to take a photo. SH lowered the cable and JM then brought it to me. All went off fine. 3 1/2 hours for me.MK 

The pointy rock, no more. Photo MK.

Friday 1st November 2024

John Cooper. Three holes drilled in left hand floor. Met Mike Kushy coming in at Boulder Chamber as I was going out. 1½ hours. John.

Mike Kushy. Met JC on his way out after drilling. 3 good holes packed, just over 2m of 40gm. All went off well. MK.

Wednesday 30th October 2024

Chris George, Sam Hill, Stuart Jellis, Geoff Marchant, Milo Marchant, Adrian Miles and Simon Wedgewood. SH got to the dig for just after 6. Made a start clearing bang debris, filled 6 bags and shifted larger rocks back to the connection. Then joined by AM and more bags were filled and shifted. Kept clearing until 8 with 5 others turning up to help clear. Decent water worn tube in the right hand floor but more enlargement will be needed around area of previous bang. Two body  lengths down it looks like the floor levels out and cuts in right. Good cool draught. Finished by showing the others the rest of the cave. 2.5 hrs for me. Sam.

Before clearing. Photo SH.

After clearing. Photo SH.

Sunday 27th October 2024

Mike Kushy, Tim Rose and Sam Hill.

MK and TR to start with. Took in the materials and two drills. Left bang wire in situ and MK freed it from below the awkward climb, TR then coiled it up and left it in Boulder Chamber above. With the coast clear we took all the tools down cave. TR went to the sharp end and started sending rocks up and a couple of bags. With stacking looking dodgy MK then went through the connection and TR handed the rocks and bags through to him. SH then arrived. MK stayed where he was, TR sat at the top of the rope pull and SH went to the dig face. Many bags and rocks cleared. Over an hour of clearing and SH said it was about ready for drilling/banging. MK went to the front and cleared a few more bags and several rocks. In the mean time SH and TR cleared rocks further back in the Boulder Rift chamber. All hands on deck to pass drills and materials to the dig face. Couldn't drill any more than 600mm deep without hitting mud. 5 holes drilled, only 4 of these got used. 3 holes with 600mm of 40gm and 1 with about 400mm. TR headed out with drills and unwound the cable down the awkward climb. Charge went off fine. The draught at the dig face got stronger the more that was cleared. The Boulder Rift connection now draughts the opposite direction to when we first found it. Deep trench beyond a calcite ledge at the sharp end. 1-2 inch crack in the ceiling full of calcite heading off to the right. It's looking really wide at the end now, just need some working height. 4 1/2 hours for me. MK

Current dig face after clearing. Photo MK.

Skeleton in Boulder Rift. Photo SH.

Skeleton in Boulder Rift. Photo SH.