Trevor Hughes, Mike Kushy and John Cooper.
MK started about 10.30 and went in to inspect damage after bang. Perfect charge and took out/down just what was needed. Filled up several small buckets of gravel and emptied them in the rift above. TH Showed up just after 11 and went to the sharp end. A mix of downsized rocks and small buckets were sent up to be stashed or buckets emptied in the rift by MK. This continued until just after 1.30 when JC showed up. MK then went to the bottom and broke up more rock whilst waiting for cement mixes. With cement mixed TH left and JC came down with 2 cement buckets to help with stabilising. Once 1 bucket was empty JC went and did another 2 bucket mix. 4 x large upright buckets of mix were used in total. MK stabilising at the bottom and JC cementing some of the gaps higher up.
The bottom is quite spacious now. At some point the draught changed when TH was clearing and now blows out rather than getting drawn in. There's a constant stream running through after the hard rain. A retaining wall has been built over the stream and upwards to brace the rocks higher up. It needs a scaff pole put in place to keep drainage running.
Looking down into the way on, the ceiling could do with some steel support at some stage. A few angle brackets and tactfully placed box section steel should sort this out, but not an immediate concern because digging down you are well clear of the ceiling.
Loads of gravel/clatch to come out and a few big rocks in the passage to be downsized yet. Small spoil can go either behind the newly built retaining wall or into the ongoing rift above, so easily digging with 2...we will try to stash building rocks in the cave going forwards.
Looking cavey!
5 1/2 hours for me. Mike.
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| Bang debris. Photo MK. |
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| After clearing. Photo MK. |
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