Wednesday 13th March 2024

Mike Kushy, John Cooper, Sam Hill and Dave Morrison.

MK started around 2.45, moved rocks at top of pit up cave. Filled up buckets from the bottom and filled up the retaining wall at the top of the pit. JC arrived not long after and ferried the rocks to the entrance shaft. SH arrived and helped JC clear the rocks to surface. JC then set about a mix whilst MK and SH emptied small buckets into the higher up rift. SH then went to the dig face and released some more rock. Meanwhile MK helped bring 3 big buckets of cement into the cave and stashed them for later use. The big rocks were then downsized and stashed ready for wall building/stabilising. Really cool draught at the bottom tonight, with a good view along a sloping cobble floor. A bolt has been put in at the head of the final climb down, ready for a pulley. Arrived on surface to find DM wall building. 4 1/2 hours for me. MK.

MK's YouTube video from today

Bottom of final climb down, looking inwards and downwards. Photo MK.

A bit further in. Photo MK.

Further in again. Photo MK.

Looking ahead into the left hand hole. Photo MK.

Sunday 10th March 2024

Mike Kushy, Trevor Hughes and John Cooper.

Just MK to start with, filling up the retaining wall built yesterday, quite surprised how set the cement was already. Started breaking up some rocks then TH Showed up. TH in the bottom pit filling up small buckets, with MK at the top lifting buckets on rope. Every 4 small buckets MK ferried up cave to the higher up rift, at least a dozen loads of 4 done. TH broke up some decent sized rocks. TH had to leave so MK went down to use up the rest of the drill batteries. TH left taking 4 small buckets out with him. Drill batteries spent MK made his way out with drill looking forward to a rest and a tea at Upper Pitts. MK arrived on surface to find JC mid mix. After a short break MK then went back down cave and ferried 3 big buckets of cement to the bottom. This was used building up more retaining wall and supporting more underneath the climb down wall. 5 hours. MK.

Bottom of pit after clearing. Rock my right foot is on has now been moved. Photo MK.

View underneath the rock moved in first photo. Photo MK.

John Cooper. I thought all I was doing today was loaning my drill to Mike to use but during lunch in the Hunters',  post my Swildon's Hole trip, I was approached by Trevor saying Mike was expecting me to do a cement mix. Finished lunch then went across and was just preparing to add the water when Mike emerged. I think he regretted asking for the mix but it was too late so after I'd finished the mix, split into 3 loads as usual, he descended to use it up. I cleared up and packed things away then went back to Upper Pitts for afternoon cups of tea. There is 1 bag of sand, no cement but plenty of stone dust still on site. 1 hour. John.