24th March 2016: with the regular team of Jake, Tav, Nick, Duncan P, Brockers, and Bean came too.
Only clearing this evening, and there was a lot of debris from last weeks effort, plus the obstructing rock was dust! After some time shifting the fractured rock, gravel and some glutinous mud managed to squeeze through [eventually] into the open space beyond. To the left a rising rift c.2m high, c.0.7m wide and 3-4m in length with mud banks, this closes down with some stal blockage, there is a narrow solution tube on the right. This doesn’t appear to be the way forward. To the right of the squeeze there is a continuation of the rift downwards along what appears to be a narrow tube (?) with some air movement; unfortunately a good sight of what is ahead has been obscured by mud and debris pushed through while passing the squeeze. It is quite muddy. After I had extricated myself Nick came through to give a second opinion, which is always useful. One more session to apply some rock engineering technology will open up the squeeze and make digging much easier. What to do with the mud will be our next head scratching moment.
To the Hunter’s Lodge in for the usual debrief, even better when you don’t have to get up for work tomorrow.
