Post date: Oct 2, 2011 7:22:03 PM

Cavers: SteveBus, Róisín, Kayleigh, Fay, John, SteveMuh, Penguin

Trip time: 5.5 hours (felt longer)

After the triple birthday party barbeque on Friday night, Saturday got off to a sloooooooow start. The original plan was for a joint wet-n-dry trip into Prod's, with some bewetsuited cavers planning to dive sump 1 to Formation Passage, those in furries to do the dry bits. The forecast looked a bit iffy, so freediving was put on hold for a better day (though we could have done the dive in the end). After dinner in Enniskillen, we made it to the entrance around 5pm. Bus rigged, with Róisín's assistance. 'Twas my first trip into Prod's, and i enjoyed this fine pothole. Apart from deciding to do photography instead of diving and bringing my camera all the way down with a flat battery. Bah.

We foregathered at the bottom of the pitches and then went bimbling downstream; Bus was feeling a bit tender. Much merriment was had at the deeper sections, with John getting the first soaking. The final series of ducks towards the downstream sump 1 were cold. Heading back upstream we jooked into Papist Passage for some muddy shenanigans. We skipped Atheist's Arsehole and just before sump 1 in Papist Passgae Bus climbed a tight aven to a rift passage (on survey, going SE). I and then John joined him. The passage ended in a boulder-choked tiny sump but a small tube before this went right and then SE-ish again to a sand-floored chamber. I crawled out, and Bus and John disappeared in. Ten minutes later they hadn't reappeared and i was wondering whether to join them on what appeared to be a huge breakthrough when the shout came back for a small person. I was pushed headfirst into a small sandy hole and could see a passage opening out and swinging left beyond a sandbank. The three of us took turns to scoop out sand, then Bus and John used their legs to push the sand into the passage. This was enough to let me slide over the sand-mud bank to an ongoing rift passage which sloped up over rubble. It had a terminal look about it but was still draughting. After clearing out the squeeze (Presbyterian Purgatory) Bus and John joined me and we explored a cracking 10 metres of passage to another boulder choke. After a bit of poking around we relocated the in-blowing draught, still at floor level, but coming from the choke. A bit of work with a crowbar might open this up. It's reasonably promising and going in the rough direction of Papist Hall.

After 3/4 of an hour digging we returned to Kayleigh, Fay and Róisín, and headed back out of Papist to the mainstream. After an attempt at climbing a splashy aven we headed upstream to the Formation Passage sump and enjoyed the pretties. Back at the pitch, a belated Muh joined us, and since there was a bit of a queue he and i went back upstream to the sump, then up an old climb up on the right wall, and on our way back out Muh talked me into freediving the short 'sump' (tiny airspace duck) at the Cascade Inlet junction. I was only too glad get on the rope and warm up. Muh derigged. About 10.30pm we were all out and enjoying the dark drizzle. Kayleigh's casserole beckoned and after a tantalising wait in the 'Hoo it tastily materialised and was soon despatched to better places. This was some time after midnight 'cos the ingredients were unprepared, making it possibly the most involved meal made on the 'Hoo stove. Washed down with Corona and Cointreau. The party broke up well into the wee small hours.

Upper Cradle Hole, 2 October 2011

Cavers: SteveMuh, Kayleigh, John, Fay, Penguin

Trip time: 45 minutes or so

After a lie-in, and a washing up session, Bus and Róisín headed back to Belfast and the rest of us went for a wake-up trip into Upper Cradle Hole. The streamway was quite sporting and soon washed off the Papist mud and sand. After throwing some foam at Muh i was uncerimoniously ducked in the cold water by him and John.

Penguin