Cavers include all members in the system. This was part of the BRCC tenth anniversery where we rigged many entrances:
In
•Pete & Dan – Rat hole
•Rob – Main shaft
•Mike Skyrme – Dihedral
•Me and Daz of – Corky’s
•Dunc, Chris and Neil – Bar Pot
Out
• Rob would de-rig Rat Hole
• Pete and Dan would de-rig Corky’s
• I would de-rig Dihedral
• Daz would Exit Bar Pot
So my trip:
Still being rather in-experienced at rigging I was hoping that someone with more experience than
me would be sent down to supervise me rigging Corky's, but alas Daz of was chosen.
Daz found the cave instantly too keen maybe? We were down the ladder and in. I was told that
under no circumstances should I do the “first bit” head first, so I went feet first and climbed down a
5 foot drop. Thinking this was the skydive they were on about proceeded head first for the rest of
the way only to be confronted with a 4 metre drop (pitch) and no way to turn around. After a rather
hairy maneuver I got out over this small pitch and rigged it for the others. I climbed down it, as it
looked free climbable.
Once at the bottom, Daz decided to use me as bit of target practice and knocked a decent sized
henry down which whacked me on my shoulder and ear. Thanks Daz. After recovering from that, I
then rigged the second little drop and left a spare rope attached to the bottom (as I rigged both drops
with one)
Rob had told me against my wishes to rig all the pitches except the main one as single anchor hangs
and only supplied me with enough crabs to do so as we were short on gear. Apparently one of the in-situ anchors I had chosen was a bit loose! (Seemed okay on the way down, which pitch was it Pete?). After the jip I got off Pete I refuse to rig that way from now on, need to always have a backup where possible.
Anyway after several pitches, a few slightly thrutchy crawls we were at the second to last pitch
which had a sketchy climb leading down to it. I found I had enough krabs and mallions left over to
rig this one properly and used a sling I had to provide a backup for the climb down to the pitch.
The last pitch, I will admit was a bit of a faff as I had to re-rig the bottom hang again when I
realised I had not given my self or anyone else for that matter enough rope to get on and off. The
bottom hang it self was one of those little ones where the bolts where 6 inches apart one above the
other. A bowline on the bite may have been a much better choice here, but as I am not confident
enough in that knot I stuck to what I knew. I ended up with something I knew was not perfect but
nevertheless it was safe. (Not a smiley face but acceptable according to Alpine caving, fig 235).
The pitch was fantastic drop as you emerged into open space twenty meters down. We met Dunc in
the main chamber followed by a very cold Pete & Dan. Later we were joined by big a whooooop,
followed by Rob who had come down the main shaft. Daz wanted to exit Bar so I sent him out with
my bag and I headed for Dihedral. I forgot we used that bag for some of the rope while rigging
Corky's, sorry Pete and Dan. It was they who would be bravely exiting Corky's on my rigging,
carrying the top pitches rope by hand.
Dihedral was fun and offered some great views I also kept in touch with Rob next to me on the
other rope. All was going swimmingly until I reached that bottom deviation 40 metres above the
floor. This deviation was made by Satan him self to teach all those cavers with short legs a lesson!
De-rigging, I first had to remove Mike's sling which he used to rig it with as he could not reach the
insitu tat to use that. I got that off all right but unfortunately in doing so I had clipped my self into
the tat with my cows tail. The now released rope proved to be a monumental force that pulled me in
the wrong direction. My cows tail was holding me fast on other side. I was now suspended in the
middle out of reach of both walls with no where to go.
What followed was a very long struggle to release my cows tail. If my knife cord was long enough I
would have cut the ancient tat without a second though but alas it did not reach. I was one attempt
away from cutting my own cows tail when I used one last monumental effort powered by an
almighty primal scream and pulled my self up against the rope with one hand while the other hand
was used to release cows tail.
“Whack” I was slammed against the other wall. I now know why I am aching this morning. Suffice
to say, that I was now rather knackered and the rest of the ascent was a slow slog. I cared not for the
view any more, my eyes only set on the surface. I was also rather un-nerved when I heard a large
crashing sound coming from Rob's direction in Rat Hole. He was having troubles of his own.
That deviation almost ruined the trip but in the end it proved to be a challenge and what is caving if
it is not overcoming challenges. It was a great day and well done to all.
