Friday 16th February 2024

Mike Kushy and John Cooper.

MK started at 11am, took in drill and used the batteries taking apart the big boulder, still some of it left over. Buckets of clatch were filled and emptied behind the retaining wall. At 13.30 JC arrived and came down the bottom to help move a few dozen more buckets of clatch. Cement mixes were then made. 6 decent buckets were used in total, John filling some gaps higher up and MK working on stabilising the bottom. A decent pillar was built up to an overhanging boulder and a step was created to ease getting in and out of the very bottom. Interesting holes appearing at the bottom, one deep hole in the floor and a few straight ahead. 3 big blocks to dismantle and we could be into a new area. Finished at 16.00. 5 hours for me, Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

The dig face. Photo MK.

Sunday 11th February 2024

Mike Kushy, David Morrison (Tuska) and John Cooper. Started with MK at the dig face breaking up rocks and filling up behind retaining wall with clatch, DM was on surface wall building. MK around 1pm being overwhelmed with rocks brought a load up to the base of the shaft. JC had just arrived and a dozen buckets were sent up to surface. MK then went back to the dig face to use up the rest of the batteries breaking up rock. The face of the very large rock came off but there is still alot more to demolish. Cement had been mixed and JC joined MK down the bottom for cement work. The retaining wall was raised further (nearly to the ceiling, but still a gap to tip buckets into). JC also cemented some more stuff higher up, there is still a small hole at the step down that clatch can be poured into. JC came down to inspect the bottom and work was done stabilising the walls at the very bottom. Some clearing out of the floor and this will need to be continued building upon next time. Strong outward draught today from new hole in the floor. Lots of fossils and some coral around. 4 1/2 hours for me. Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

Haven't had a photo of the surface for a while. Photo MK

The bottom after clearing, obvious big block still in place to downsize further. Photo MK.