Post date: Sep 4, 2011 11:09:41 PM

Cavers: Gaelan, Penguin

Trip time: 6.5 hours

Raining: yes

Flood: yes

Gaelan's suggestion of climbing an aven in the Main Passage of Pollnagollum before the ICRO stretcher handling workshop weekend sounded like a good idea, so on Friday evening we rolled up to the Pollnagollum layby and sat and looked out at the rain. We eventually got out and started changing, and after some moderate faffing we managed to enter the cave about 2045; our callout was left with Ciara - if we didn't show up for breakfast...

It was my first time in Pollnagollum, and it was quite an enjoyable bit of caving to reach the aven, apart from the bits that were a bit too short for a penguin's legs; however i didn't get time to really look around and do the touristy stuff as Gaelan was a man on a mission. We wore SRT kit in, saving the effort of carrying it and getting changed at the aven (i don't think it has a name).

While Gaelan sorted out kit I set two screws for belaying from and to ultimately use as pull-through anchors*, and we roped up. Since it was Gaelan's project i gave him the chance to top-out and set off first, awkwardly and not very stylishly crawling up a short overhang. After 4 screws in 40 minutes i had to come down to rest. The next two, on less of an overhang, went in at good distance apart, then i came down again to let Gaelan have the second half.

We were just remarking that about 6 more screws should reach the top when a distant rumbling sound was heard. We stopped and listened as it grew louder and a tiny trickle of water appeared from the rift on the other side of the aven. A quarter of a minute later water spouted out in a sizeable waterfall. I started frantically unroping and calling on Gaelan to pack the bags. He laughed and assured me that we would be ok and would get out. Mollified, we settled down to eat Maeve's sandwiches and admire the new waterfall.

Dinner over, Gaelan set off. The waterfall made communication increasingly difficult, as it continued to increase in flow. Then on his second screw the drill battery died and he had to come down to replace it. We were now getting a bit tired, and hoarse with yelling at each other. Gaelan re-ascended, finished his second screw and set a third, before asking to be lowered down, sign language. He commented that he was unable to hear the soundness of the rock he was drilling. We made about 6 metres progress out of about 10 metres total climb. Being rested, i made a final ascent and set a pull-through Y-hang from the top two screws.**

The exit took 35 minutes, and we had take turns to break water in the main streamway; the waterfall at ??? was spectacular, spouting white water and filling the passage with spray and noise. We surfaced at 0315. Gaelan remarked that he should really check the weather before caving.

Penguin

*The upstream one's pretty sound and could be re-drilled for a permanent or P-bolt if required, the downstream one went in a little too quickly.

**Both Y-hang screws seem to be ok, i'd hoped to link the 3 at the top but the sling wasn't long enough. Each is independently tied off on the sling with figure 9s. Pull-through cord in place to allow climbing to continue, the waterfall appears to be a good sign that there's something up there...