Vince, Jake, Jon, Nick, and Tav
Another earlier, solo start for me, more rocks to split. A suitable pile amassed, kit packed just as Jake arrived, followed by the rest of the team shortly thereafter. Jake kept going in a northeasterly direction to continue the dig beyond Trick or Treat, Jon set up to dig a Can of Worms, Nick and Tav providing support to the diggers. I set off to the NE with a plan to visit An Unexpected Development (AUD) to find out if we could establish a voice connection between AUD and the NE dig.
On arrival at AUD a voice connection with Jake was easily made – loud and clear – distance between the two points estimated 2-3m. A look around the chamber at the SW extent of AUD, and beyond some fine calcite formations, the passage appears to continue, the NE dig on current trajectory should pass closely this possible continuation. Reference to survey suggests the dig is to the SE side of the known passage (AUD) and leading towards a “blank” area. Very interesting.
A satisfactory result, time to head back to join the rest of the team and assist with spoil movements. Going through this part of the cave I was reminded just how extensive HR is, and how much excavation work has been done! It is a fine bit of caving. Back at the entrance hauled a few bags back from the Soft South, Nick suggested I might go to the surface and haul out from there. I, of course, obliged. Bags were hauled out and emptied, rocks were hauled up and another section of wall constructed, and the bags kept coming! It seemed a long time before I was joined on the surface by any of the underground team members. At the end of the session, about 100 bags had been filled, hauled, and emptied from the two digs, plus a good quantity of rocks pulled out and added to a wall somewhere or other. It was a bit later than our usual finish time.
Refreshment was, as ever, sought at the Hunter’s Lodge Inn.