Post date: Sep 6, 2010 12:02:28 PM

Cavers - Tony Furnell, Al Kennedy

Time - 2.5 hours

A short evening trip to take advantage of the continuing good weather and remarkably low water level in the MAC system and re-visit the 'Sheep Dip' dig in downstream Pollthainarees. After the previous digging trip we had decided to let the boulder choke settle, and although no dramatic collapse had occurred some of the boulders had moved. Tony took the first digging shift, and brought down some more boulders on the right-hand, which allowed me to carefully stand up and look at the continuation. I'd previously thought that the large, jagged boulders were jammed independently of the river-worn boulders, but as i carried out the standing up manoeuver i became less sure of this theory. The continuation was less exciting than it had first appeared. Tony took a look and we then discussed a new strategy. A large river-washed boulder was jammed just left of centre, preventing easy access along the left wall, which seems to be solid. This boulder was holding up some other river-worn ones, and possibly also larger, unworn blocks. To remove this and let the choke settle would the limit of our digging today. It seemed it would be an easy thing to do, as it was precariously balanced.

Tony successfully looped a rope around the boulder, and then forgot how to tie a bowline. Once secured, Tony backed up and we pulled on the rope but nothing happened. It seemed we could only apply force in the one direction in which the boulder was secure! I took a look, and eventually selected another boulder to pull. This was tied to the rope and pulled out easily, but brought nothing else with it. A little frustrated now, i returned with the crowbar. A gentle lift of the boulder should free it and bring it down... It moved but didn't fall, and it's new position meant i had to move a little closer for the next poke... Again it moved but didn't fall. A third and more forceful poke succeeded and i scuttled backwards to the noise of falling rocks. We left it to settle, and feeling cold after a long time lying in the water of the Sheep Dip decided to move on.

Just before the Sheep Dip there is a small aven in a cross-rift. I climbed this to a small chamber in boulders, which seemed to be stable apart from a couple of small flakes at the top of the aven. Tony then climbed and confirmed that there were no real prospects here, although there is a slight inwards draft. Back in the main stream, Tony climbed another small aven. At the top of this is some muddy calcite and a partially mud-filled tube doglegs off under an arch to what appears to be another ascent. Finally, we wandered briefly into the classic phreatic tubes in the upstream part of the cave, an area that may repay some careful exploration. There is a good, cold draft here.

Al