Post date: Apr 24, 2017 4:50:48 PM

Hugh, Jock - Prods (~1hr), Pollnatagha-Pollprughlisk(~1.5hr), Noons(~1.5hr)

Some of my colleagues in the Shannon group may be pleased to hear that I have recently acquired some shiny new SRT equipment from Tony at the student forum in Kilty over Easter.. including adjustable foot loops, jammers, cows tails, pantin etc. Some deep caves in Spain are on the agenda this summer so I figured that it is high time I taught myself how to SRT properly. With that in mind I was very pleased to catch up with Hugh while purchasing said new toys. Signing up for a day of epic derigging and Trump inspired cream egg collecting in the pre-rigged caves that Hugh and UCD guys had kindly installed for guests at this year’s student forum.

After a cosy night in the hoo an early start helped avoid any of the recent/ongoing traffic madness on the Marlbank. Bottom of prods by 11, back changed at the car by 12. Then off up to East Cuilcagh, Hugh dropped Tagha and I dropped Prughlisk, crossing over for our respective de-rigs. A simply fantastic piece of caving… can’t believe that it has taken me over 10 years to get my finger out for this one! Back on top we headed off to Noons, in for 4, out and fully derigged by half 5. With plenty of time for a quick tyre change an victory pint in Franks Eddies by 6!

Massive thank you to Hugh for my introduction to ‘sport’ caving. We were thinking of dubbing this combination as the ‘Fermanagh 250’, it could quite feasibly be fully rigged and derigged in a day if folk are game and fancy helping me to get my shit together for Espanola at some point between now and the end of June :P

In other notes:

• Hats off to Hugh and UCD for the excellent pre-rigging and donkey work for the student forum. The hoo log reports a rather epic day getting this all installed in under a day, including a 6am start from Dublin 2 weeks ago!

• I haven’t been in Prughlisk since the rescue (5 years ago now?). Thinking that I couldn’t possibly get my directions wrong for the thru trip I still managed to head towards the ducks arse… noting a handful of random bolts along the rift on approach to the DA crawl reminded me that I was heading in the wrong direction.. should we take these bolts out?

• Removal of SRT kits is advised before attempting the thru trip or leave kit at the bottom of the pitches for the swap over.

• Stunningly beautiful as Thaga is it was somewhat tempered by the smell of something very dead stinking the whole length of the pitch

• 20 cars, 2 security guards and 3 portaloos were busy in the Cuilcagh car park by 10am on Sunday morning. 2 more security guards were in attendance at the gates for MAC… it would seem that quiet, lonely caving weekends on the Marlbank are officially a thing of the past. Folks are going to have to start planning around traffic for anything in or around MAC on a weekend, especially bank holidays)

• An absent minded caver(s)? had left the fence clipped up at noon’s - bad children… seriously no need!

jock