Wednesday 9th October 2024

Sam Hill and Trevor Hughes. SH underground at 1815. Started clearing larger rocks from the bang debris. Then filled 6 bags and started shifting everything up until Trevor arrived. He then drilled 2 holes into the slab by the new connection point. Bags then emptied and all rocks moved to chamber above 10ft. A lot of loose stuff in the end to get out but will need a bigger team. Definitely worth enlarging the connection first to make clearing easier. Out by 2100. Sam.

I only drilled two holes (to the absolute full length of the 400mm drill bit): this should suffice to destroy the slab blocking the connection, especially if lengthened to 600mm; I don’t think it’s an area that you want to hit too hard so I would suggest 20g is used. The two holes are about 450mm apart so only 1 m of 5g will be needed. There is a huge amount of small spoil at the dig face that will be easy enough to shift once this connection is opened. There was also a really arse wetting stream flowing last night but in a way this is a good sign. Trevor.

Dig Face. Photo SH.

Dig Face. Photo SH.

 

Proposed connection. Photo SH.

Sunday 6th October 2024

Mike Kushy and Jake Baynes. Mike went down with both drills first then realised he'd left the batteries for one drill in the car, so left one at the base of the shaft. Went to the dig face and started drilling. Jake arrived not long after with materials and the other drill in hand. Whilst Mike continued drilling Jake took the surplus drill back to surface and retrieved the wire that MK had hidden in a bucket. By the time Jake got back I had just finished drilling. With charge laid Jake headed out with the used drill. 1 hole at 1m on the left and one hole just under 1m on the left. One 1m hole on the right. MK then continued the set up and reeled out to the base of the shaft. Charge set off from there. Could feel the pressure quite substantially. Took the wire up a little higher and tied onto ladder. Arrived on surface to some very wet weather and JB had headed home. 1 1/2 hours. MK.

Friday 4th October 2024

John Cooper and Mike Kousiounis. MK went down to free up wire which JC coiled on surface. Then MK loaded rocks which JC hauled to the surface. 21 loads later drill sent down to MK who went off to dig face. JC moved the rocks onto the walls before departing. 1½ hours. John.

As above, then MK took the drill down to the dig face. The bang had done a really good job (sorry forgot to get photos). Cleared as much as possible then managed to pry some large slabs off the walls. These were broken down with pfs. Sam Hill arrived around 6ish. SH cleared bags of clatch and rocks back up cave. After a while MK left SH to have a go at removing more rock. MK went round to Boulder Rift to look at the place he and JC saw each other through (see report of 28th September 2024). MK also squeezed down into the lowest point of the Boulder Rift chamber (a wide but narrow gap in bedding). SH shone his light straight ahead at the dig face and MK could see it roughly 10ft away. Back in the Boulder Rift chamber MK did some draught testing. No draught from Tooth Dig, but a strong draught coming up into the BR chamber from the lowest point, strong outwards draught coming out of the dig face too...signifies there's something between the current dig face and Tooth Dig going on. The current view at the dig face looks like the ceiling rises some 10ft ahead. Next step is 45° 1m long drill holes to work our way ahead. About 4 1/2 hours for me. MK.

Current end. Photo SH.

Wednesday 2nd October 2024

John Cooper, Sam Hill and Mike Wise. JC arrived first and started moving rocks from the shelf to the bottom of the entrance shaft. When SH arrived he started moving rocks along Boulder Chamber. When JC had moved all the rocks from the shelf to the bottom of the entrance shaft he collected SH and together they hauled 12 loads to the surface. MW’s arrival interrupted them. SH and MW went down to the dig face and SH assisted MW with reaming out the holes and setting the charge. Meanwhile JC continued moving rocks from the Boulder Chamber to the base of the entrance shaft. Once completed he went down and assisted with carrying out the drill etc. All went OK. At present the wire is down the entrance shaft and there is an unstable pile of boulders at the base awaiting removal to the surface. 3¼ hours for JC. John.

Arrived at 1810 and staggered through the gates carrying 3 bags and 2 boxes to meet John at the surface hauling rocks with Sam below.  Underground at 18.20 hours. Sam helped carry the kit to the face and also held the kit I didn't need from time to time because there are no usable flat surfaces to put things in reach. Looking down cave, first hole on left needed 50mm of crap drilled out, but the others were OK. Blowpipe used to blow out as much gritty water as possible.  Brought 3m of 40g and also 3m of 5g. Front 4 holes charged to their bottoms, back 2 holes charged with what we had left over. Needed at least 2.5m of 5g. On the way out the rock pile below the ladder collapsed under me, with 4 rocks moving. One big one fell down missing the wire. I held the other 3. One was stashed back in a more stable spot but the other two went up and over into the old entry passage. Fired from surface.  Back at the cars at 20.05 hours. Mike.

Tuesday 1st October 2024

John Cooper. Deepening and reaming out the 6 holes for Mike Wise to use tomorrow. Problems with water and mud flowing down into the holes so not sure how much useable depth they will have. Used the 600mm bit so a possible 500mm. 1½ hours. John.