9th December

Vince, Jon, Tav, Jake, and Brockers

Following the recent rains our expectations of finding a ‘dry and dusty’ dig were not high. At least the bags left hanging up on the surface were well and truly rinsed.

Heading down to the deep Soft South, then from the bottom of the pot following the ‘northeast’ passage, under and [almost] beyond Trick or Treat, Jon took his turn upfront digging. Sediment loosened with the mattock was placed into bags and thrown behind along with infrequent rocks to be cleared away by me. The spoil was carried across the chamber, a newly formed ‘lake’ required wading through, and the bags tossed over the ‘hump’, through a ‘monsoon-scale’ dripping of water’ to Tav. The spoil loaded into a drag-tray to be hauled along by Brockers. Between them Jake and Brockers moved the spoil along the NE passage, up the pot to the bottom of the entrance. And so, the digging progressed until that moment when we decided it was time to clear out the cave and we repositioned ourselves so that objective could be fulfilled. By the session end, about 90 bags of spoil were emptied onto the spoil heap. And then, to the Hunter’s for refreshments.

Todays attempt at imagery were not great!

Through the murk! Jon loosens sediment and fills bags. The drip was strong and it was wet and steamy at the dig face. photograph taken 7th December 2021