Saturday 16th March 2024

Mike Kushy and Frank Tully.

MK got to the cave at 10.30. Time was spent moving excess rock up cave. With this cleared, 10 small buckets were filled and stashed at the top of the pit. Time was then spent breaking up a large boulder. With this done MK moved all the loose rock to the base of the shaft and climbed up for a rest, catching Tuska's tour setting off. Returning to the dig all the small buckets were emptied into the higher rift, 3 x 10 small buckets cleared in total. Some more rock broken up and left at the top of the pit for building. MK then headed out to start mixing cement. FT had just arrived on surface (2ish). With FT at the bottom of shaft and MK on surface all the rocks were cleared to surface. MK set about making a mix whilst FT went down cave to see the dig and clear a bit more. 3 loads of big buckets of mix then went down and was used stabilising the dig face. A good view ahead, beyond both sides of an obstructing boulder. Nice draughting hole in the floor ahead too. 5 1/2 hours for me. MK.

MKs YouTube video from today

View into right hand hole, looking down. Photo MK.

View into right hand hole, looking straight ahead. Photo MK.

View of dig face, obstructing boulder with left and right holes. Photo MK

View of left hole, looking ahead. Photo MK.

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.