Issue 152 - February/March 2000

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Features

Images from the Past
Have you an old cave photograph that you know little about? Who is the caver, where was it taken, by whom and when? Images from the Past introduces a new feature to Descent : can you help with information?

A Century of British Caving
As we enter the year 2000, Ric Halliwell takes a look back across the last century of British caving – the digs and breakthroughs, the highs and lows that have helped to shape our sport.

Days Under Pressure
The pressure was on with seven French cavers trapped by floods. It was not even known if they were alive or dead, as one of the largest rescue attempts – and almost certainly the most expensive – of the millennium was set into motion. Meanwhile, the victims were under a different form of pressure.

If at First You Don’t Succeed ...
When it comes to digs, cavers in the Forest of Dean are renowned for stopping at nothing. If a shaft fails, you dig another. If that fails, how about a tunnel? But aren’t nine shafts pushing it a bit? Not if you break through in Big Sink.

A Kilometre a Day
A six-day camp in the depths of Tecolote, Mexico ... Four days pushing, surveying, finding lead after
lead ... Four kilometres of passage, and still there’s more to do ...

Gear Review
The cave environment is not kind to equipment – so tear-proof, waterproof paper sounds useful for surveying. Zecom is under test.

War Underground
What does this remind you of? Digging in darkness and oxygen-poor air, setting off explosives ... No, it isn’t a cave dig, but the extraordinary exploits of tunnellers during the First World War.

The Descent Caption Competition
At last, a winner. Are you the owner of a new helmet, courtesy of Inglesport, or will you simply sit back and laugh at this month’s entries?

The Importance of Being Earnest
More irregular observations on life, the universe and caving from Alan Jeffreys.