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.

Wednesday 7th February 2024

Trevor Hughes, Mike Kushy and John Cooper.

MK started about 10.30 and went in to inspect damage after bang. Perfect charge and took out/down just what was needed. Filled up several small buckets of gravel and emptied them in the rift above. TH Showed up just after 11 and went to the sharp end. A mix of downsized rocks and small buckets were sent up to be stashed or buckets emptied in the rift by MK. This continued until just after 1.30 when JC showed up. MK then went to the bottom and broke up more rock whilst waiting for cement mixes. With cement mixed TH left and JC came down with 2 cement buckets to help with stabilising. Once 1 bucket was empty JC went and did another 2 bucket mix. 4 x large upright buckets of mix were used in total. MK stabilising at the bottom and JC cementing some of the gaps higher up.

The bottom is quite spacious now. At some point the draught changed when TH was clearing and now blows out rather than getting drawn in. There's a constant stream running through after the hard rain. A retaining wall has been built over the stream and upwards to brace the rocks higher up. It needs a scaff pole put in place to keep drainage running.

Looking down into the way on, the ceiling could do with some steel support at some stage. A few angle brackets and tactfully placed box section steel should sort this out, but not an immediate concern because digging down you are well clear of the ceiling.

Loads of gravel/clatch to come out and a few big rocks in the passage to be downsized yet. Small spoil can go either behind the newly built retaining wall or into the ongoing rift above, so easily digging with 2...we will try to stash building rocks in the cave going forwards.

Looking cavey!

5 1/2 hours for me. Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

Bang debris. Photo MK.

After clearing. Photo MK.

Tuesday 6th February 2024

Evening. John Cooper and Mike Kousiounis (Kushy). Whilst Mike set the cord in the holes I ran the wire down the shaft and connected the detonator. Once complete the boulders were popped. 1 hour. John.

Tuesday 6th February 2024

Afternoon. John Cooper. Drilled 7 x 10mm holes, 400-500mm deep, in boulders ready for Mike to demolish. Needs a good cementing session. 1 hour. John.

Sunday 4th February 2024

Dave Morrison, Mike Kushy and Sam Hill to start with. SH down in the pit, MK on the step and DM on surface winching. Lots and lots of clatch cleared, MK pulling up smaller buckets on rope from SH below, and transferring directly to bigger buckets to get winched up by DM. Constant work until 1pm, then SH had some large rocks to dismantle at the dig face. DM left about 1.30pm and MK went to the dig face with SH pouring small buckets into the rift at the end of the bedding bit. Around 2ish Alex Randall and Issac Whitcombe joined us. MK in the pit, SH at the step, IW at the bottom of the ladder and AR on winch (15 minutes later John Cooper and then Rich Witcombe joined the surface team). We cleared all the pit of any loose clatch. Holes all over the place. Lots of big rocks sent up to surface too. A very large boulder in the middle of the passage seems to be blocking a decent bit of space. SH decided to squeeze around the boulder to look at what's beyond. He said there's more boulders...but all looking a lot bigger. We need to keep heading down. IW came to look at the bottom. 5 1/2 hours for me. Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

SH squeezing around the offending boulder. Photo MK.

The offending boulder, view looking 45 degree down, from the floor of the pit . Photo MK.

Proposed drill holes, expecting some movement from above, but unable to stabilise so happy for stuff to fall. Photo MK.