Saturday 30th March 2024

John Cooper, Pete Hann and Nigel Graham. John and Nigel did one double mix whilst Pete descended to see what needed doing. The mix was split over 3 buckets as usual which John ferried down as required. At the start Pete had been digging clatch out of the floor to stash behind the rock John had been cementing in last Wednesday. Once sufficient floor had been cleared Pete started to build up the wall on the left, the intention being to support the left hand wall so the big block in the middle could be removed. John assisted Pete by getting the rocks from the top stacking space together with smaller bits as required. Once Pete had started on the third bucket John ascended with the two empty buckets to get a second double mix underway. Once this was ready two thirds was loaded into the two buckets which John took down. Retrieving the third bucket this was sent up to Nigel to load and then sent down to John. Once Pete had used up two buckets from the second mix John took them out and escorted Nigel down as far as the final drop. A very useful cementing session. No photos. 3½ hours. John.

Wednesday 27th March 2024

John Cooper, Trevor Hughes, Dave Morrison (Tuska) and Wayne Starsmore. John started a mix whilst Wayne went down with his drill to start breaking up boulders. By the time John had put the mix in the buckets Wayne was back with his drill saying there nothing safe to drill. The first bucket was taken in and John decided to cement in a boulder on the right hand side before the current end. Trevor came down, had a good look round and agreed with John’s strategy. The second and third buckets were used up on the same boulder but more will be required. Tuska came along to haul but was told the rock was needed for walling and the clatch couldn’t be moved whilst walling was in progress. Both John’s and Trevor’s drills never left the surface! The end does look interesting but not safe at present. No draught tonight. Sleet on surface. 2 hours. John.

Sunday 24th March 2024

Mike Kushy, Adrian Miles, Monica Bollani and John Cooper.

MK got to the dig just after 10 and started downsizing the bouldery mess created from Wednesday's bang. AM joined not long after and cleared all the rocks back to the entrance shaft. Small buckets of clatch were filled and tipped into the rift up cave. More rocks were broken up and stashed on the ledge above the climb, this is now full. MB arrived at some point to inspect the dig and take the obligatory rock to surface. At some point some rock tickling and a collapse opened a considerable window into a decent sized space beyond. As tempting as it was to climb through we decided to keep clearing out the floor as this looks a safer prospect for continuing. A lot of cement work needs doing next. On the way out JC was on surface so with AM and JC on surface and MK filling buckets all the rocks at the base of the shaft were cleared. 5 hours for me. MK.

MK's YouTube video from today

Dig face before clearing. Photo MK.

Looking down into the floor, boulder above crowbar needs cementing in. Photo MK.

The view over the boulder. Photo MK.

The window above the boulder that opened up mid dig. Photo MK.

Wednesday 20th March 2024

John Cooper, Trevor Hughes and Adrian Miles. Trevor drilled and charged the boulder ahead, although there is another one immediately behind it, whilst Adrian did the floor (supervised bang). Trevor took pictures. The view past the left hand side of the boulder was interesting. Good outward draught. Nice and quiet at the surface. Misty. 1½ hours.John.

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.