With Roz, Tav, and Jon
Down on numbers today due to a variety of reasons so Roz volunteered to come along and help out.
Once underground there was a brief discussion regarding todays digging strategy which resulted in three filling bags. I was at the current dig-face, Roz next in line lowering and levelling the floor, Jon was widening the approach to the dig on the NW side, leaving Tav shuttling back and forth to the pot with the spoil. The filled bags were piled up ready for removal later in the session.
At the end of the dig the effort was concentrated on widening the passage to the right-hand side, the aim being to get around an obstruction ahead and to the left. The obstruction comprises re-cemented lumps of fractured stal and cobbles/boulders of conglomerate with two prominent stalagmites being exposed following removal of a considerable quantity of sediment. There appear, at this stage, two ways to bypass the obstruction either over the top or, as mentioned previously, around to the right-side of it, neither represent an easy option. It would be good if the stalagmites could be preserved in-situ, still looks an interesting prospect ahead.
There was a pause to the digging activities at around 11:30 but then, after a brief discourse, continued until midday. There was a pile of 100+ filled bags in the pot awaiting removal and the removal process was to take a bit longer than anticipated. Eventually, all the bags were on the surface. The next task was to empty the bags onto the spoil heap, then pack the empties into ‘tens’ and return them to the cave ready for use next session. It had been a productive morning.
We were later to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn as a consequence of a busy session and the refreshments were especially welcomed.
