Saturday 27th August 2022

John Cooper, Pete Hann, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Capping kit taken in but not used. One mix of cement taken and used in the bottom stacking space before more spoil moved up from the bottom to the bottom stacking space until nearly full. The consensus is that the way on is down at the end. Cold outward draught. 2 hours. John.

Thursday 25th August 2022

Richard Carey, John Cooper, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. The 21 loads hauled from the bottom stacking space to the Tunnel became 13 rather heavier ones when hauled to the surface. 2½ hours. John.

Saturday 20th August 2022

John Cooper, Alastair Gott, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Capping kit taken in. Lots of spoil moved up from the bottom to the bottom stacking space until nearly full. The consensus is that the way on is down at the end. 2½ hours. John.

Saturday 12 August 2022

Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Adrian Vanderplank.To the bottom with capping kit, 12gm cord plus 650 mm drill bit. After an abortive attempt to cap the left hand side of the passage, to widen it, attention was turned to drill a 600 mm hole in the large boulder at the end. With that completed another attempt was made on capping the side with more success, this made it easier to load the hole with 12 gm cord and attach the det. Nigel and Pete transported all the kit out leaving me just the wire to unroll. Started to wind in the wire but with fumes coming up past, abandoned that and made my way out. Despite all the frustrations of the trip all major objectives achieved. Adrian.

Boulder being demolished Photo AV

Thursday 11th August 2022

Richard Carey, John Cooper, Jess Eades, Martyn Grayson, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. After Jess and Martyn had had a look at the dig face we moved the spoil from the bottom stacking space to the Tunnel, then on up to the bottom of the entrance shaft and finally 12 loads were hauled to the surface. It was 30°C on the surface when we went in and 25°C when we had finished. 2 hours. John.

Saturday 6th August 2022

John Cooper, Pete Hann, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Double mix of cement taken to bottom and used wall building by John. Adrian took down long crowbar for poking boulders ahead. When asked for a progress report at end of session he said “Minus 4ft.” 2½ hours. John.

Boulder in end rift Photo AV

Thursday 4th August 2022

John Cooper, Mark Kellaway (Mak), Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Moved the spoil from the bottom ledge up to the bottom stacking space. John and Mak then retrieved Adrian’s flake from the end and left it in bits on the bottom ledge. 1½ hours. John.