Vince, Jake, Tav, Sam, Jon, and Nick
Got to the cave ahead of the others planning to reduce the lump of rock and calcite at the dig in Can of Worms. A slight distraction was caused by a pile of rocks, and I could not resist the temptation to add some of the stones to the spoil heap wall. Tore myself away to get underground and get on with my original objective. There has been a spell of fine weather over the last few days and in the cave, it is drying up noticeably, kit stays much cleaner.
I was just finished and packing away my drill and plugs/feathers when I could hear the sound of bag bundles being dropped down the entrance and I was soon joined by Jake. I got on with digging to the SW side of the chamber, Jake cleared the pile of rocks I had created and filled bags. Jake also had a poke in the SSW corner of the chamber but that did not develop into anything of further interest. Tav was hauling spoil from the ledge position with Sam and Jon clearing spoil to the entrance, Nick was enjoying the sunshine on the surface and hauling, emptying bags (and the rocks).
Sam and Jon decided to have a trip to the end of the Gnarly North because Sam had not been there before and to retrieve the digging paraphernalia left there several years ago. It was not a surprise to hear there was still water in the ‘spa’ and that it was cold! But, that section of the cave is now clear of stuff (this required two trips!)
Back in Can of Worms, as the morning passed by, the dig slowly inched forward, the roof began to rise, and more space was created. Most of the digging had been led on my side but at the close of the session I was now able to sit up and dig. The way forward looks promising – always good to finish on a positive note.
On the way back across the ledge something looked different and there was a ‘nose’ of sediment that would probably need tidying as it might soon come away. I was to learn later that there had been another minor slump that Jon had dealt with.
Today’s total = about 60 bags filled, hauled, and emptied plus another considerable quantity of rocks added to the wall. Another productive session, but now time for the Hunters’
Walking across the fields, a procession of diggers carrying lots of old skips and plastic bags to be recycled (instigated by Nick, I think)