Sunday, 17 August 2025

Sunday 17th August 2025

Mike Kushy and Ed Ford. Took in 4 Daren Drums with ready mixed cement plus some sand in a bag. First we used the drill, already in cave, to smooth out the path from the recent breakthrough point. EF above the squeeze then put cement in around chockstones that seem to be holding the ceiling up and building up the walls. Meanwhile MK below the squeeze worked forwards building retaining walls on the right hand side. There seems to have been a fair amount of movement around where we originally climbed down through to the new chamber. We decided that the light connection hole is the sensible way forward, but cement was still put in near to the original way in to minimise future movement. EF then had a go at kicking stuff through the light connection squeeze but there is one stubborn rock holding us back. We then used what remaining battery we had to pf some of the edge away from the hole. Next best step seems to be either pf or set a small charge into the vertical squeeze and the light connection area at the same time, maybe pf squeeze and set charge lower down might be best. Back into the chamber soon. Still 3/4 BDH of cement in cave and 1/2 Darren Drum of sand. 4 hours. Mike.

Main chockstone in ceiling above squeeze (6 inch wide roughly). Photo EF.

MK trying out the light conncetion hole Photo EF.

Where we originally climbed down to the chamber.
The closest big hole in the floor wasn't there before. Photo EF.

Same photo as previous but further back. Photo EF.

More cementing of the ceiling above the squeeze. Photo EF.