Saturday 28th September 2024

Mike Kushy and John Cooper.

MK went in ahead freeing up the bang wire, which JC reeled in, and took the drill to the bottom. Then cleared loose rocks up the slope back to the base of the awkward climb. When JC arrived the pair cleared the rocks at the base of the climb back to Boulder Chamber. JC then set to moving rocks up cave whilst MK went to the sharp end to clear the bang spoil, mostly gravel. I believe a lot had been washed forwards with the rain. A good couple of slabs peeled off from the right hand wall and these broke up with a hammer. Once suitably cleared MK then headed up cave to join JC. JC then headed to surface to mix some cement while MK continued clearing rocks back to the bedding slope higher up. The big shelf is pretty much full. MK met JC on surface and the mix was poured into 3 buckets. MK took 1 to the dig face to use whilst JC made his way in with the other 2. A wall was built on the left of the dig face and clatch put behind. MK used the 2nd bucket cementing steps into the floor and patching up some of the walls. JC used the 3rd bucket in Boulder Chamber. JC went round into the old cave to check if we could get a light connection to the hole on the left where we think a chamber is. It turns out JC could get into the chamber from the Boulder Rift area. This could be opened up better from the Boulder Rift side and would allow a lot of spoilt to go that way rather than up the steep slope. JC then left and MK drilled 6 holes, 12mm x 400mm, 3 on the floor on the left and 3 on the floor on the right. 4 1/2 hours for me. Mike.

Before clearing. Photo MK.

After clearing. Photo MK.