30th December

Vince, Jake, Jon, and Tav

A small team assembled for the last digging trip of 2023. Spoil would be temporarily stacked at the bottom of the pot and removed to the surface later in the morning.

  Jake digging, Jon clearing away the filled bags across the chamber to the ‘hump’. A short drag-tray was installed over the ‘hump’ which proved to be quite efficient although a couple of bags of spoil were requisitioned to be used for hauling route improvements. A hole needed filling. I was on the other side of the ‘hump’ hauling the spoil and loading the next skip to be hauled away by Tav. Tav then lugged the bags along the NE passage to the pot. It was rather squalid although the dripping water in the cave was not as prominent as expected following the recent rain.

  There came a time when digging activity was curtailed and attention focused on clearing the accumulated bags from the pot to the surface where they were, eventually, emptied onto the spoil heap. Today’s count settled on a figure of about 80 bags filled, hauled, and emptied. It was noted that there were not many rocks within the fine sediment removed from the cave.

  All done, down the hill, changed, and to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for refreshment.