Hidden Earth

We packed up in the morning and after a bit of cereal and tea, we drove the short distance to Churchill to find the school where Hidden Earth was being run. We arrived just after 09:00 and found some more breakfast after registering for the day. We realised that the first lectures had started 10 minutes earlier and joined a talk by Aubrey Newport about Carbon Dioxide in Mendip Caves.
Afterwards we had a mooch around the Trade Hall and saw Boyd and Jenny at the DCA stand. Keith and Karen had a try at the "Spelo Olympics" and didn't realise they were supposed tompick to pick up two tackle bags on their way through! Anyway, I bought a belay belt from Beat Products and an AV suit from Tony Seddon's "Starless River" stand. Karen bought a Petzl Ecrin helmet from Andy Sparrow ("Cave and Climb") . Keith meanwhile hummed and hahhed over the new 1200 "K" Scurion which was selling for around £650!!
Later we all saw a very good talk about very large caves in Viet Nam. Once this had finished we headed for home at around 14:30.

Swildons Hole, Mendip

As it was the weekend of Hidden Earth which was located in Churchill near Shipham down in Mendip this year, Karen and I had booked into the Wessex Cave Club hut and drove down last night. In the morning Simon Wynne and Mike Moore arrived as arranged by text messages yesterday and soon afterwards Keith Slatcher and Pete Collins.We had wanted to visit GB Cavern today and then attend Hidden Earth tomorrow but there were no Wessex members still around in the morning to issue a key as they had already gone to Hidden Earth. We decide on a trip into Swildons Hole as it needed no arrangements, Keith had brought a ladder anyway for GB Cavern Ladder Dig extension and we could walk there after changing at the Wessex Hut.As we were getting changed Karen discovered that she had left her furry suit and wetsuit socks at home after a mid-week mining trip to Mandale Mine! So as it was a nice sunny day and also unseasonably warm, she decided on a walk. So we said good bye and headed for the cave.I had suggested going in the Long Wet Way and returning via the Wet Way and as I was ready, I headed in through the entrance. The water levels were very low, but there was still some water flowing in the entrance passage. Simon was behind me as I tried the squeeze into the Long Dry Way and then it went quiet. He had buggered off and all the others had headed down the start of the Wet Way and then via Binney's Link and down Jacob's Ladder to the Short Dry Way! I continued on past Jacob's Ladder and the rest of the Long Dry Way and met them in the Water Chamber.Anyway, we continued onwards and downwards meeting a group including Chris Binding on their way out. We soon passed the usual landmarks with some of us willing others to fall in at the Double Pots - but none did! The Twenty Foot Pot was already rigged with a ladder and lifeline and there were no other ladders so we left ours in a conspicuous place and climbed down. We took the rift bypass to Barnes Loop and were soon at Sump One. The water was very clear and the sump looked very shallow due to refraction. I lay in the water and reversed into the sump to see if it was constricted by gravel but it was fairly clear. I put my head under the water and reversed into the sump part way and then returned. I asked if anyone wanted to pop through and only Simon wanted to try passing the sump. After telling him what to do, including giving three tugs on the rope, he popped through. We all turned our lights off and a few minutes later we could see Simon's light returning under the water and he popped back through. He gave his camera to Keith and repeated his trip through the sump while Keith used his camera to video his efforts! And, no - neither of us were wearing wetsuits.After a Mars bar break, we headed back out. Soon we were back up the pitch and back at the entrance and in the sun again. We drove back to Upper Pits (the Wessex Hut) and met Karen their back from her trip to Cheddar, After we had changed and some of us had had a shower, we all went to Cheddar so that those who hadn't seen it before could see the Gorge and Keith could investigate the new "K" 1200 Lumen Scurion and Andy Sparrow's shop "Cave and Climb". After escaping from the shop without buying anything, we returned to Priddy and booked a table at the New Inn for an evening meal at 19:30. We sat around at the Wessex Hut until 19:00 and drove to the New Inn. They were having a"Steak Night" which meant you picked the sizes and type of steak at a large table while a butcher cut it for you from a large piece of steak. Strange!