Mike Kushy, Ed Ford and Glen Thomas. Got into the cave around 11.30am armed with 2 drills (one very kindly leant by Lee Venning last minute) and HE materials. The aim was to get through the light connection using pfs only and have the HE on reserve if all else failed. With MK at the sharp end the new connection to the chamber was opened up using just the Bosch drill. Meanwhile EF and GT continued bringing the bang cable down to the dig face and joining the wires together (one end is near the shaft and the other end is just above the light connection with about 2m slack). After they had done this the pair continued to make some cement mixes and build up the retaining wall just under the scaffolding area. Meanwhile MK had managed to drop through into the chamber kicking stuff through on his way, super hard coming back out but lots of loose to push through still. EF joined MK to help lift out some more rock from the new connection then EF had a go at getting through to the chamber and managed succesfully. It is possible to free climb the last little bit but there's good scope to build a natural boulder stairway up from the chamber floor. It will pay to take in some caps or use the snappers to remove a couple of loose slabs from the edge around the top of the light conncetion. This and kicking more loose through (perhaps even taking a long rake or hoe in to pull the loose back from the chamber side). So there's that to do and more cementing as usual. 1 Daren Drum of sand in the cave, 1/4 BDH of cement and hardly any water so a fresh load of all materials will need taking in. We were tempted to set up a charge around the head of the new connection but time was short. Drizzly colder day today and a very cold draught. 5 hours. Mike.
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| GT building up walls. Photo MK. |
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| Part way through opening up the light connection. Photo MK. |
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| GT above the vertcal squeeze that's not much of a squeeze anymore thanks to SH. Photo MK. |
