Sunday 26th February 2023

Mike Kushy and Mike Wise.

Started at 11am. Took 2 drills and 5 batteries into Tooth Dig to continue from the 2 Andy's work yesterday. Mike Wise started at the Tooth Dig whilst MK moved the spoil from yesterday higher up. Then MK set to work on Courtenay's boulder whilst MW was busy. After a short while we swapped places. Some rocks were pulled out from higher up allowing MK to enter the ongoing passage feet first, with a bit a of contortion. Tight going, even tighter over 2 rocks in the floor. A long triangular tunnel about 4-5 m long can be seen with a boulder collapse at the far end (potentially the other end of cement dig, and probably close enough for a light connection?). Half way along this tunnel the bedded ceiling has black voids undercutting the ceiling with a view of what looks a sizeable space, the draught was most prominent from here. Tried to dig the mud floor out a little, but unsure whether I was undermining blocks above without much room for an escape. On the way out some edges were hammered off and the blocks in the floor were reduced so should be easier and safer to go in head first next time and hopefully get into the void. Some more work can be done opening up the corner to get into the new passage. On exit MW had done the job of getting rid of Courtenay's boulder, allowing a crawl into a stand up chamber. No ways on but if we open up a way in higher up there's alot of room for spoil to go into. Both drills spent we went to cement dig to cement some more. 4 1/2 hours. Mike K.

The very end of the triangular tunnel

The very end again, a different view

Looking back to the corner from the rocks in floor

The rocks in floor, with the triangular passage behind. The rocks are now smaller and moved.

The start of the triangular passage, the undercut can be seen on the right part way along.

 

Another view

The corner squeeze with the ongoing passage being up and over to the left

The view from the start of the ongoing passage

Mike W working on the corner squeeze

 

Tooth Dig got a visit first with 2 drills, 5 batteries and a set of P+F. A few bits and pieces were finally knocked off some rocks blocking the way into the "passage" seen yesterday by the 2 Andys. Kushy got in feet first for about 6m into a small space in boulders. Rocks are very resistant to P+F!

The block at floor level mentioned in the report from 18 February was reduced to floor level and the approach was opened out. There is a small chamber on the other side floored with sand and cobbles with 2 places to stand up. The roof is made of the boulders beside the drop down and lights can be seen. Water was running down the "back" wall.

Having run out of battery power and abandoning a P+F stuck in a boulder we decamped to the Cement Dig. 2 mixes of cement were made and applied and the filled buckets at the bottom were emptied. Time digging 4 1/2 hours. Mike Wise.

Saturday 25th February 2023

Andy Morse and Andy Thompson

We arrived at Tooth Dig for 11am and quickly got to work. Very gingerly I removed a large block from the ceiling of the dig, squealing a little bit each time I hit the plug and feathers. This block was about twice the size of a microwave and directly above my legs so I was very glad to get it out without injury. Once this was removed I could work my way into the gap created, enough to see a very interesting looking continuation to the passage. Very excited to see where it leads over the coming month. We returned to the surface at 3pm. 4 hours A Thompson.

The Tale of the Tooth. Andy Thompson, finder of the tooth, had subsequently prepared the tooth into an identifiable condition. The tooth was able to then be confirmed as formerly belonging to a Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) possibly strolling around some 40,000 years ago. Andy Thompson and Andy Morse and myself (Tuska) met with Richard the landowner, who to say the least, was excited and shared with us his delight and interest in such a find. Richard welcomed the fact we would leave the tooth in his care and is happy for the tooth to go for more tests as needed and happy also to share the tooth with those wishing to see it. Hoping, I believe, for more similar finds that we all might better understand the Mendip environment at the time 'Fang' the Rhino roamed. All to play for. Tuska.

Saturday 18th February 2023

Mike Kushy, Courtenay James and Monica Bollani. Took in 2 drills and a Daren drum of cement. CJ and MB went to dig at Tooth Dig whilst MK went to the cemented dig. I carried on work enlarging the bottom, a strong acoustic connection with the others in Tooth Dig, estimate about 15m apart and probably at the same depth...but need to survey both digs. Some cement work will be needed at the sharp end to remove larger rocks in the ceiling, which will then allow access into the 'chamber' ahead. With all buckets filled and batteries used and no sign of the others I went to join them. 2 1/2 hours.

The other site is much more spacious since I was last there, a good draught. My feeling is the dig is going to force digging downwards at this point. Courtenay had been working on removing a large boulder at floor level opposite the squeeze into the dig. A good view beyond the Boulder can be seen with a floor strewn with black cobbles, also a very good draught emanating from here. 4 1/2 hours in all. The full tub of cement is in a red bag part way down the bedding and there's 2 and a bit half bags of sand (enough for a cementing session). Mike.

Monica at the sharp end of Tooth Dig

(Photo at a horizontal angle)

Photo of the sharp end, 1ft chisel

Clean washed rock above the sharp end, the sound connection from the cemented dig comes through here.

Sunday 12th February 2023

Mike Kushy, Andy Thompson and Frank Tully. Took in 2 x 1/2 bags of sand and a drill. Andy and Frank went to recent dig at the Boulder Rift dig, now referred to as the 'Tooth Dig'. Mike went to the cemented dig. Some more space made in the small boulder chamber, filled up 7 small buckets of spoil. Was able to squeeze into the horizontal part. A view onto what looks like a chamber with a solid wall, all clean washed and where the strongest draught comes from. Should be able to chip off the boulders either side to get into it, but it may take a few more sessions yet. Andy and Frank joined me about 2ish and the buckets were cleared up cave, one more load of 6 small buckets were filled and lifted up also. Ended the session with some cementing, whilst Frank and Andy opened up the top rope area to make hauling easier. 2 and a bit half bags of sand and no cement at dig site  Not sure how long, est' 4 1/2 hours. Mike.

https://youtu.be/YQ8h5c_rVx4

Frank Tully, Andrew Thompson. We arrived at the dig for 11.30 and Frank took the first shift removing the floor to create some more space in the Boulder Chamber dig. After many buckets had been passed out, and Frank's legs had gone dead from the awkward position, I moved in to start removing the mud going forward. We managed to gain another foot or so. Amongst the spoil that was removed, we found a tooth. It is believed to belong to a Woolly Rhinoceros and will see the dig rechristened "Tooth Dig". Once we had both spent all of our energy and had a little play with the crowbar, we backed off to help Mike remove his spoil and mix him some cement. 3 hours. A Thompson.

Sunday 5th February 2023

Mike Kushy, Andy Thompson and Tim Rose. Took in sand, cement and 2 drills. Andy and Tim went to dig at the Boulder Rift dig, Mike went to the cemented dig. I opened up the dig face a little more and managed to pull the obstructive Boulder out of the floor. There's a big calcite blockage further down which I've started to remove some of but a lot more will come out. Tim and Andy joined me about 13.30 and clatch was removed from the very bottom, some interesting holes appearing in the floor. We finished off with a cementing session. Dry and bright day outside and a very good druaght at the dig. Note: I could smell Andy smoking in the other dig and the smell was coming from the floor in the dig I was in. There's half a Daren drum of cement and 2 x 1/2 bags of sand. 4 hours. Mike.

We met at Upper Pitts on Sunday morning for an hour of faffing around, drinking tea and discussing how tortoises go around knobbing each other. Monica & Courtenay tried their best to convince me to go to a proper cave with them but for some reason I honoured my promise to assist Mike in his Rabbit Hole. We headed over to the cave about 11am after we'd cleared up the important business of deciding what length a fossilised sperm whale phallus would be. The last time I saw Mike's hole it was just a hole. Now it's a certified, fully fenced off ring piece. Between the three of us we carted a load of sand and drill into the cave. I thought the general idea of a dig was to remove spoil from the cave, not take it in. Once through the initial passage and maze of gaps in boulders an impressive 45°  bedding plane is entered. Quite a bit of stal. and plenty of interesting formations. Mike sent Andy and I off through some more gaps in boulders to continue one of the two current dig sites, this one is found at the lowest point in the boulder rift. Andy did all the hard work removing a few rocks and plenty of clatch which I lost into various gaps in the boulders. The way on appeared to be horizontal. Meanwhile I took the drill to a few boulders on the approach to make life easier. One boulder in particular was proper fucking me off! Definitely a draft emanating from somewhere in that area and the whole time we could hear Mike drilling in the other dig. I'm certainly not qualified to comment but my gut feeling is that this dig will just follow the bedding and appear in the wall of the main chamber. I think I'd head down rather than horizontal if anything, but that looks a lot of effort. After sufficient punishment Andy and I headed to Mike's hole in the floor. This looked like a much more promising site to me. We helped Mike haul and lose a load of spoil from the bottom of the dig. Andy then whipped up a tray of sloppy and Mike smeared Andy's sloppy all over the walls before cleaning himself off on the curtains. All spent, we made a hasty exit and got back to the car at 15:30. Great to see the place and I look forward to stomping down a mile of clean washed streamway once it's found. Meanwhile I'll stick to Portland Boulder bashing. Tim.

On Sunday Tim and I left Mike at the cement dig to go and take a further look at the Boulder Rift dig. I removed a large boulder from the floor and with Tim's help managed to remove this from the dig. After creating a little more space I was able to get headfirst into the continuation. A strong draught could be felt and despite Tim's hesitance I believe it to be worth pushing. The next task will be removing the floor in the chamber we have created, to give us the space we need to dig going forwards. 3 hours. AT