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ATLAS ANNUAL REPORT 9 December 2010 to 8 December 2011 I started digging with ATLAS on 16 August 2006 in Balch Cave and on my second visit to the same cave on the 30th August there was a break though to a second entrance into JW Passage. Great I thought – some digging team only my second visit and new passage. It was suggested, I think by Gonzo, that it would be great if we could estimate the quantity of sand removed from Sand Aven in Balch Cave – so I have trawled back through the Thrupe Lite site. In November 2006, with the engineering work completed we started digging the crawl at the base of JW Pitch and after the removal of 1209 bags of mud, mainly deposited in Pool Passage, a tunnel 15m long was excavated which took nearly two years. Then Sand Aven was reached on 28 May 2008 and in early August 2008 the base of Geoff’s Rift was opened up. Sand Aven was lost twice in 2008 and after a massive rainstorm in August 2009 it was lost for a third time and was not found again until May 2011 only to be backfilled again in August. The infill removed from the wash in at the end of the dig is 3243 bags with an estimated 320 bags coming from Geoff’s Rift so the total infill removed from Sand Aven is 2923 bags. Estimating that each bag weighs ½ cwt the total weight removed is 73 tons which equates to 43cu metres = the volume of a single decker bus! Forward progress at the dig at the end of Carpel Tunnel 21 May 2008 to 23 November 2011 = minus 2m. Still the report on 19 October told of a rumbling of boulders for several seconds; so in 2012 after we have removed yet more sand there will be boulders then the entrance to the jewel encrusted Sand Aven? More highlights for 2011 – TJ’s Swallet – Hauling, cementing and digging out mud – to quote Clive “the consistency of half dried Araldite.” On 27 April Gonzo and Claire were nearly crushed by a rock weighing half a ton slowly lowering itself onto their backs and from this date TJ’s has not been revisited. Ham Hole – four visits (plus others) helping Chris with his solo dig doing the usual things such as rock and mud removal. Trips to Lundy and my 500th guided tour of Redcliffe Caves for ATLAS. Statistics – Balch Cave – 0m TJ’s Swallet - Ham Hole – A total of 309 caver digging trips during 2011 in excess of 618 hours. Our digging hours are dropping 2009 = 1126, 2010 = 962 however during 2009 and 2010 there were many guest visits to the Fernhill dig. TOP 3 Dig Sites
TOP 10 Diggers
Alan Gray
ATLAS ANNUAL REPORT - 20 December 2009 to 8 December 2010 A round up of the last years highs and lows – 2010 started much as we finished in 2009 digging in Fernhill Cave looking for the link with Duck’s Pot this continued until the end of April with dig increased in depth by about 2m. There were also several surface sessions to enclose the top ring of the pipe due to vandalism. Enthusiasm seemed to wane and a large underground cleaning session was held in the Main Chamber. In April we then moved on to TJ’s Swallet, near Green Ore, digging down the near vertical rock face and an aerial wire was installed to transport the waste to the top of the Swallet. Over the next seven months work continued and in November a small chamber was entered which led to a very small crawl at the end of which could be seen a small cross rift. Unfortunately to excavate this would destabilize the high mud and rock bank above so a wall was built and this part of the dig will now be used as a dumping space. Digging has now started at the other end of the rift. TJ’s – maximum length 15 m, current length 8 m. In May Alan and Mike could not put up with the dreadful biting midges at TJ’s so they returned to Balch Cave still excavating upwards in the sand infill in Geoff’s Rift. After just two sessions there was a breakthrough into a very small chamber with a howling draught unfortunately this occurred when it was time to leave for the Pub. Next week a larger number of us explored the new find and it was soon established that it just linked with a vertical rift leading to JW Passage. Length of new passage dug/found in 2010 – 5m Since digging and spoil hauling at TJ’s did not require a full team from the end of May some diggers returned to Balch Cave to continue the dig to once again enter Sand Aven that had then been lost (twice) by flooding washing sand down the dig. In early August the Aven was reached but sand fell down upon the diggers and at the end of the month flooding had washed about 3m of sand back into the dig. Last week a large number of bags were cleared and the dig put to bed for the Winter to allow the bats to sleep. Progress 0m Duncan has been surveying in many of the caves in Fairy Cave Quarry over the past year still a little bit more to complete. Statistics – Fernhill Cave = +2m Balch Cave (Geoff’s Rift) = +5m Balch Cave (Sand Aven) = 0m TJ Swallet = +8m Total Passage = 15m A total of 481 caver digging trips during 2010 in excess of 962 hours. TOP 3 Dig Sites
TOP 10
From Willie Stanton’s Log Books 3rd October 1964 – To Gough’s with Jim Hanwell, Mike Thompson, Richard Witcombe and Keith Barber. The latter two explored while the rest dug, exchanging witty sallies bearing n Swildon’s ironmongery and the Biddle anatomy! 23rd October 1967 – A trip to Sludge Pit Hole – John Cornwell’s unconventional caving gear consisting of helmet, shirt, swim trunks and boots had served him well and he had few scratches. 30th September 1970 – During a trip to Ragbolt Ledge in Reservoir Hole – Tim Atkinswine was also amongst those present. He panted up the ladder and arrived very unfit, protesting that this was not due to his recent marriage! 9th October 1970 – After a trip to the Black Hole Series in Swildon’s – It is strange how with Nife Cells and wet suits what used to be a frightening ordeal is now no more than an energetic romp! 15th September 1971 – Pounding Pot with Will, Alans C and T, Tom and Richard Witcombe who arrived in a natty suit to argue about conserving caves by commercialising them Alan Gray
ATLAS ANNUAL REPORT - 13 December 2008 to 9 December 2009 This report is not aimed at the cavers but their partners who may wonder what happens every Wednesday evening – Their beloved disappears early in the evening loaded down with all sorts of tatty clothing and around the witching hour they reappear. Covered in mud, with scratches and bruises; complaing about aches, surrounded with an aura of alcohol and some even smelling of rubber!!! What have they been up to? A simple answer, cave digging, but it is difficult to portray the obsession to find new cave passages; however you don’t want to miss one Wednesday evening because that could be the night they breakthrough! Still on to more mundane things a round up of the last years highs and lows – Fernhill Cave – After the excavator phase there were 69 visits hauling 1,181 skips of spoil to the surface weighing 32 tons and involving 982 hours of effort. This paid off because on 11 May we broke through into the main chamber and were then able to view the magnificent Curtain Passage which had not been seen since 1965. The main curtain was still intact with only about 18 inches of its tip missing due to quarry blasting. Digging has continued in the main chamber one dig has been temporarily abandoned (Manering’s Meander) and the current dig is in a mud filled rift where we are hoping to find the aven that will take us into Duck’s Pot stream passage. During the year there were 358 caver digging trips. Steve Sharp has made a documentary film which had a magnificent review in Descent. Balch Cave – Digging along the passage at the bottom of JW Passage has proved difficult with flooding bringing more spoil, from ahead, and blocking the dig face. However just before the end Geoff’s Rift (in honour of Geoff Dawson the renown latch photographer) is still heading upwards and draughting. During the year there were 109 caver digging trips. Withyhill Cave – A clearing exercise in the entrance chamber to prevent flooding of the cave. During the year there were 76 caver digging trips. Surveying – Duncan Price along with several willing helpers has nearly completed surveying all the caves in the quarry. When completed a 3D survey linking all the caves and surface features will be available.
A total of 563 caver digging trips in Fairy Cave Quarry during 2009 in excess of 1126 hours.
TOP 10
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