Monday 26th June 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Warm and dry again today. Half a dozen loads of rocks hauled up to top of Pensioners’ Pot. Then while another half a dozen loads of clatch were moved from the bottom into holes in the wall the rocks were moved on up to the bottom of Father Duckmas shaft. A final load of rocks were then hauled up and Adrian tried to take photos with his pager (doesn’t work!). Nice outward draught. 2 hours. John.

Thursday 19th June 2025

Kate Lawrence, Adrian and Jude Vanderplank. All three to the bottom of a dry cave, with Jude and Kate taking out eight buckets of mud and gravel from the bottom of Pensioners' Pot and stashing it higher up in the walls. A lot more holes appearing in the floor, making it easy to poke the crowbar down in between. Lots of easy rock to clear and a steady draught blowing out the cave. 1½ hours. Adrian.

Monday 19th May 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Warm and dry today. One mix of cement split between 2 buckets. John at the bottom building supporting wall again. Was drier again at the bottom. Brought out one rock from the very bottom of the dig to the surface. 1½ hours. John.

Tuesday 13th May 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Arrived today just as the heavens opened and thunder and torrential rain started. Sat in Adrian’s van for 20 minutes until it passed. One mix of cement split between 2 buckets. John at the bottom building supporting wall again. Was wetter at the bottom than last week. Was raining again when Jude came out so she waited at the base of the entrance until it stopped. Another cementing session still required then might think about going down in the floor. 1½ hours. John.

Tuesday 6th May 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Cave breathing out again today and still nice and dry. One mix of cement split between 2 buckets. As the mix was being done John Small called by and asked that, for the next 2-3 weeks while lambing was in full swing, we drove across the field not follow the road. John started off down with the first bucket of cement whilst the surface team discussed the latest large shakehole that had appeared near Cheddar crossroads (on Whitestone Farm). By the time John had used up the first bucket the second appeared. The full bucket replaced the empty bucket which was hauled up and ferried to the bottom of Father Duckmas by Jude. Once the second bucket was finished this followed and both were taken to the bottom of the entrance shaft by Jude before she finally hauled them to the surface. 1½ hours. John.

Tuesday 29th April 2025

John Cooper, Mike Kousiounis (Kushy), Kate Lawrence, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Cave breathing out today and still nice and dry. Clearing rocks from the bottom of Father Duckmas, then to the Tunnel, then to the bottom of the entrance shaft and finally 9 rather heavier loads reached the surface. Kushy visited the bottom, his first time down Pensioners' Pot. 2 hours. John.

Thursday 24th April 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Clearing gravel from bottom and losing it in the wall of Pensioners’ Pot. Cave breathing out today and still nice and dry. 15 loads moved. 2 hours. John.