Issue 154 - June/July 2000

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Features

A Pioneer Cave Diver
‘... first a solo descent with heavy baggage, nine hours – a night below – a day with jumper and sledge – the arrival of a companion – a shot while dining under the poised blocks since fallen – exit – trousers freezing in the cold night air – a wild career over the misty flats to Taunton and bed ...’ Graham Balcombe writes here of blasting Sump 1 in Swildon’s Hole; he died on 19 March. Widely loved and respected, here is caving’s tribute to this cave diving pioneer.

BCRC Incident Report 1999
Here are the full details of all the accidents, incidents and analysis from the rescues of 1999 – as prepared by the British Cave Rescue Council.

The Abseiling Experience
An SRT trip where everything is doomed – have you been here?

Pitch after Pitch after Pitch
The Dales’ discovery of Trapdoor Pot plunges deep beneath the fells, pitch after pitch after pitch punctuated by squeezes. With names like The Ripper, The Gripper and The Stripper, are you tempted to tackle what lies below: Megatron pitch?

Crewe Caps it All
Not content with having opened up the Climbing Shaft in Derbyshire’s Whalf Mine, members of Crewe CPC tackled the nearby Engine Shaft – and discovered another, unsuspected shaft alongside. Fancy a superb free-hang and a new through-trip?

One Hundred Years of Exploration
In 1895 it was a Frenchman, Martel, who finally bottomed Gaping Gill. One hundred years later Sid Perou, with plenty of cavers to help, filmed a re-enactment of the descent. Now, after suitable editing and splicing new images into the sequence, a video is on sale courtesy of Bradford PC; it is reviewed here by Steve Warren.

Images from the Past
Your replies have identified last month’s image; can you help with details on ‘ballooning’ in Eldon Hole?

Gear Review
Crusader Wetsuits are new to the sport – how did the range of longjohns, shorts, wetsocks and more stand up to an underground test?

The Descent Caption Competition
Your last chance to enter the latest Descent Caption Competition has arrived – win yourself one of three books, but be quick off the mark.