Sunday 31st July 2022

 

Sunday 31^st July 2022. John Cooper, Mike Kousiounis and Geoff Newton. Took across support beam and fixings. Mike and Geoff at the bottom fixed it in place. Then a constant stream of spoil was hauled out by John. Two buckets in use meant as soon as the empty one reached the bottom it was swapped for a full one. Probably more loads than Friday were hauled out. After a couple of hours lunch break and Geoff departed. John did a mix of cement which was sent down and used by Mike walling with John at the bottom as well providing made to measure rocks. 4 hours. John.

Mike, Geoff and John. Mike and Geoff at the bottom, takes two people to dig the bottom now. Mike was in about 8ft under the big boulder, cleared roughly 30+ buckets of big rock and clatch. Geoff had a go at the sharp end and pulled out 2 very large slabs. These were left in for cement work. Whilst Geoff was in the questionable scaff bar moved out of place, this was replaced with a larger bar now sat on much more solid rock. Oh! The first part of today’s session Mike and Geoff attached the angle iron high up on the right to support the ceiling (John hsd cut and drilled this at home), Geoff left at 1pm then John made a mix and came down with Mike to break up the big slabs, Great draught(s) as usual! I think the strongest came from the hole in the right wall I believe, but a pungent draught came from down below and forwards 4 ½ hours. Mike

Friday 29th July 2022

John Cooper and Geoff Newton. Took over another tub of water. With Geoff at the bottom John hauled out 14 loads of rocks left from Wednesday. Then John went down with drill and plug and feathers to create more rock. 10 loads sent up to the surface. Going in horizontally now. Roughly measured for a support beam to be fixed to the right hand wall. 2½ hours. John.

Wednesday 27th July 2022

John Cooper. Took over 4 bags of sand and a bag of cement. There are now 6 bags of sand and 1 ¾ bags of cement on site. Continued breaking up rock on the right hand side. There is now very little holding up the right hand end of the scaffold bars which support the roof. Need to fasten a support to the wall to help hold them up. Lots of rocks to haul out. Nice outward draught from way on. 1½ hours. John.

Saturday 23rd July 2022

John Cooper, Rob Harper, Mark Helmore and Mike Kousiounis. Mike banged a boulder ahead about 10.30am and the fumes cleared within the hour. Mark and Mike were breaking up boulders and when I arrived about 1.30pm Mark and Rob departed. Mike went back in and I supplied him with two mixes of cement and building rocks until calling it a day about 15.45. 2 hours surface work for me. John. 

Mike’s report. Mike arrived at the dig around 10 after picking up a det and 1m of 20g from Graham.
Solo trip down and drill 2 holes into the ongoing Boulder, all went well and set of charge about 10.40. Went to put gate back on but the fumes beat me to it, flying out in about 3 seconds, so 12m in 3 seconds is the maths for the draught speed at that time, slightly overcast.
Waited in the car and Mark/Rob showed up at 11. Went back into the cave about 11.15 and no problems with fumes at all. The bang did as hoped and the Boulder in the ceiling stayed in place, although still sat on a shattered pillar to the left (unsure if this is propping it, but it can stay there and get cemented in with enough space still moving forward).
Cleared some spoil and cut the angle iron out, Rob went to grab a hacksaw from Bean as my blade didn’t last long. Mark joined me at the bottom whilst Rob was away and started to attack the right hand wall. Lots of damage done, Rob was very patient at surface waiting for buckets to be filled, that right hand wall is very stubborn with no particular grain.
John arrived and Rob/Mark left.
I managed to fish some of the spoil ahead back and stacked the bigger rocks up to support the scaffold bar above the ‘abyss hole’, also managed to pull some more of the right hand wall out.
Cement was put in to stabilise the left hand wall, high up on the right and started on the dodgy stack further ahead to the left. Once set this will allow more of the right hand wall to come out and a safe exit if anything moves when pulling the rest of the stuff from ahead back/stabilising the dodgy stack.