Post date: Jan 9, 2011 7:25:30 PM

Cavers: Steve Bus, Steve Muh, Al

Trip time: 10.5 hours

It unfolded like some speleological video game quest...

Press space bar to begin...

At the start-of-season Thursday night in the Errigle, i tried to persuade Steve Muh that he really wanted to cave at the weekend. His excuses were plentiful so i desisted for a while. Enter Steve Bus, and soon plans were being bandied around and vetoed, eventually we settled on a Shannon survey and digging trip and Steve Muh was in.

Level 1...

To complete the quest we had to collect various objects and apply them at specific points in the game. First up was locating a drill and capping kit. We failed in this and consequently could not access the 'best lead in Fermanagh' level. The secondary digging objective, Mistake Passage, was still viable.

Level 2...

After entering Polltullyard we successfully found Petie's crowbar, and joyously carried it deeper into the cave. Bonus points were earned by tying the Pollahune survey into the main passage. At the Mistake Passage junction the crowbar was ditched and the survey kit and comestibles were dragged to the Aghnahoo Chamber.

Level 3...

The next level involved surveying a loop through the Aghnahoo Chamber. After some minutes calibrating surveyors in the main passage in an attempt to shoot the first leg, it was discovered that i was too magnetic to be much use (i personally blamed the foggy broken Tandem) and was divested of my Sten. Other illuminating sources were tried with varying degrees of success. Steve Muh insisted that various large parts of various cavers anatomies exerted a distorting gravitational pull on the clinometer, but we could not conclusively prove this. Finally we got started on the muddy slope, and groped up to the Orange Lodge. For the most part i saw little of the rather nice Aghnahoo Chamber, dragging my Sten around in my bag while i stumbled about with Steve Muh's woeful back-up light.

Game paused...

Reaching the descent back down to the main stream we stopped for chocolate and water before dropping the final few legs down ot the stream to close the loop. The angles caused some consternation with compass readings.

Level 4...

After a bit of a clean-up we again ascended to the Orange Lodge and started surveying the Contentious Route. This level was more constricted and tortuous than the previous one, and short leg followed short leg between stations located in various positions of inaccessibility. We surveyed through the Burning Car squeezes, passed the beginning of 'the best lead in Fermanagh' (Stand-off Dig?), and entered a small chamber, then enjoyed the final legs to the end of the larger Flowstone Chamber. On the way out some contention was made on the direction of the 'promising' dig.

Level 5...

With no drill and capping kit level five had to be bypassed by entering a cheat command.

Game paused...

We crawled into the Orange Lodge for some more nourishment and a few minutes rest. More objects were collected for higher levels, including a rusted saucepan and a bunch of slings.

Level 6...

Back to the Mistake Passage, and after collecting the crowbar we entered by the high level route to remain dry. We picked up a rope en-route to the choke, but in the end the Steves decided to bypass the dodginess and do some shoring instead. We made a start on the bypass route, digging for a few minutes, before abandoning the level. We left the rope and slings at the choke for future gamers to utilise.

Bonus level...

The wet bit at the downstream end of Mistake Passage was just below crotch level, so still reasonably dry we started on our way out. Passing Brown Shiver we decided to take a look at the new extension. After much knee-wrecking crawling, and dodging a large boulder dislodged by Steve Bus, we reached the gravel bedding plane dig. I decided to remain dry but the Steves went on to the bitter end. I contented myself with digging a drainage channel to try to lower the level of the pool into which the water splashed from the ceiling. After a few minutes the Steves returned to the pool, now soaked, and we spent some time debating the advisibility of checking the water splash. Steve Muh was eventually forced in but failed to get very far. I tried next, figuring that going feet first would keep me drier. I managed to get my feet into a space in the ceiling, before hurriedly retreating, soaked and frozen. Steve Bus then bravely went in head-first, surfaced in the ceiling space, found nothing, and was dragged out by Steve Muh and i. No bonus points were earned.

Level 7...

With all suffering from the Brown Shivers, tiredness, pizza cravings, and aching limbs we caved out as quickly as we could.

Game over.