Monday 30th December 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Took in drill and set to reducing the 'too big' rocks. 1 & 1/2 batteries used before the crawl. The dam is now about twice as high as yesterday and is filled up with mud and rocks from the bottom - be careful not to tip it! Would be nice to build a permanent dam once all is cleared and set up a dam/hose wash system. Went to the face and jiggled the 2nd dam a little to allow more mud to come out and allow the boulder in the floor more movement. The next 1 & 1/2 batteries were used on said boulder. Being very fractured it splits up really nicely, but there's a lot of it. The dig has become 'self digging' and there's a little black hole about 2 inches wide that the stream flows off into. Big clearance next, only 2 needed. 3 hours, Mike.

The top dam and spoil.
The retaining wall is just over a foot high. Photo MK.

Drainage hole. Photo MK.

Boulder in the floor at the dig face. Photo MK.

Sunday 29th December 2024

Mike Kushy and Callum Simmonds. MK arrived just before 10.30 armed with drill (although it never got used). Went down and assessed the stability of the dig face after the last charge. All looked good and there was a lot of rock to move. The bedding chunk was completely shattered and unable to see the puddles. Built a little wall higher up and emptied some spoil behind it. CS then arrived around 11. With him hauling all the buckets and temporarily stacked spoil was cleared. CS then went to the very dig face and passed many buckets and rocks back. This is now littered all over the place and buckets poured behind the ever increasing temporary wall (do we make it permanent?). CS had to leave around 1.30. MK stayed on for another hour and worked on clearing the floor and opening some drainage. A big block in the floor moves and can be broken up later. A good clearance session needed with 4 people, 2 sessions for 2. It looks good and feels very fresh, Bang On! 4 hours for me, Mike.

MK's YouTube Video from today

Debris at dig face. Photo MK.

Debris at dig face. Photo MK.
Both photos looking straight on, horizontally

Monday 23rd December 2024

 Mike Kushy. Drilled 5 holes @600, all filled and fired fine, should be messy. 2 hours. MK 

Red holes drilled side on into the bedding slab.
Blue holes vertically down through the eroded solid floor. Photo MK.

Saturday 21st December 2024

Mike Kushy, solo. Took the drill in with the aim of moving rocks and breaking them down. That wasn't happening, everything is too big! Filled up buckets and moved a few rocks back. Spent the rest of the time widening the puddles in the floor ahead. Quite a stream coming in today, but floor draining away somewhere. Built some walls and put the spoil behind them. Draught seems to be coming from under a boulder on the right hand side. Easily enough spoil for another team clearing session. Then we may have to look at popping the rh boulder. Whilst looking for a drain hole with the long crowbar, in the puddle on the left, I was hit with a strong smell of oil/diesel and a thick band of grey clay. Towards the end I built a temporary dam and filled it up with gritty mud as much as possible, hopefully this will help to clean up a bit. 4 hours.

MK's YouTube video from today

Dig face. Photo MK.

Puddle on left. Photo MK.

Puddle on right. Photo MK.

Wednesday 18th December 2024

Sam Hill, Ed Ford, Kat Rosier and Callum Simmonds. Good session with lots removed. Started by moving all the rocks then dug the floor down. Large rocks to break up in the floor now and was getting rather wet with water pooling. Interesting sediment layers met as digging down and the draft seemed to ebb and flow as well. 2hrs. Sam.
We found a few bits which may be bone. Left by the black case. Ed.

Current dig face. Photo SH.

Closer view. Photo SH.