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.