2012/03 JULY

Westminster Spelæological Group Exploration and Investigation President: Toby Clark esq. Newsletter No. 2012/3

Photo: Laura

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July 2012 Edition

Welcome to the July 2012 Newsletter. Here is the news.

Ben & Robyn’s Wedding

Congratulations to Robyn and Ben! In Robyn’s own words: I married Ben Lovett on the 11th May on the Isle of Mull in Scot- land. It was a small wedding and in true caving fashion, the wedding cake had two caving helmets on the top for the bride and groom.

AGM

The 62nd Annual General Meeting took place on 23rd June and was a quiet success. De- spite ample opportunity for animated misunderstanding, serious matters were addressed. More than one member commented on the level-headed atmosphere. Who knew?

New Faces in the Cabinet Reshufe

Chris, Robyn & Rupert stepped down from their positions on the committee. Chris left after a five(?) years as a committee member; Robyn after becoming a mum and Australian to-be; and Rupert to be elevated to Chair. Eagerly filling the power vacuum, Steve L. was elected Hon. Secretary and Amy P. was the next day voted in Caving Secretary. Many thanks once again to Chris and Robyn for their good work.

New faces Down Under

Farewell Robyn and Ben who are emigrating to Tasmania. We wish you the best of luck in your new life. Au revoir Fay who will be working and travelling in New Zealand for the next six months. Have a great time and please remember to come back!

Enjoy the Newsletter.

Headquarters The Club meets on first and Caerllwyn Cottage third Tuesday of the month at: Halt Road Ship & Shovell bar Rhigos Craven Passage WC2 ABERDARE (Off Villiers Street under CF44 9UW Charing Cross station) 01685 811080 www.wsg.org.uk Normally from 7 pm onwards.

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...While leaving Stalagmite to comment on taken straight in places. One was not im- the reply from one of the members of the pressed by the stability in parts. W.S.G. who was on the S. Wales rescue trip, When we reached the man, he had appar- we feel that his remark about the difference ently fallen awkwardly some 6 to 12 feet and between the miners work in the cave and had broken his right thigh in two places near comments on the air is worth further com- the knee. It was also discovered that he ment here. One of the sad but true fea- had cracked ribs, chipped bones in his neck tures of cave rescue is the amount of distor- and was suffering from concussion. Even tion introduced on many occasion by both under Morphia, he was moaning the press and radio/TV. With this in mind, occasionally. A temporary splint was ef- members would like to read a factual ac- fected, he was moved to a better spot and count of the episode, sent to the B.B. by the the splint remade. W.S.G. to whom we are indebted for permis- sion to print. At this time the rescue possibilities seemed to be three fold. A shaft could be consid- Toby ‘El Presidente’ Clerk ered as close to the antechamber where the accident happened, is Root Chamber where tree roots can be seen in the roof and the Rescue at walls. The depth of the roof below the sur- Llethryd Swallet face at this point was then thought to be about thirty feet. Improvements to the 9/10th February, 1964 original route was a second possibility. Al- though this was eventually done, there was Brian Bowell more than a slight risk that the route might be blocked entirely if bang was used and at least half the 300 to 500 feet of passage in- When the call out came through to the volved needed drastic improvement. The S.W.C.C. Headquarters at Penwyllt, the po- third possibility was to make a New En- sition was, fortunately, that the S.W.C.C. trance by digging a subsidiary dry swallet a member with the local knowledge, the gen little further upstream. It was expected on S.W.C.R.O. procedure and luckily, a that this would short cut the tightest parts. member with medical knowledge, had just returned from a dig. The W.S.G. party had The decision reached on the spot was to eaten, packed ready to return to London, concentrate on the shaft, with spare labour and was fresh. Important too was the fact employed on improvement work, however that the entire C.R.O. gear was packed and the progress of events rather changed ready for instant use. Due to all this, medi- ideas. Meanwhile further supplies were cal aid was on the spot with Butler with 70 brought in, the telephone set up, and non- minutes of the call out despite the fact that essential bods cleared from the cave. This Llethryd is about 30 miles away form was about 11 or 12 o’clock. The depth of Penwyllt. the cave at Root Chamber was measured us- ing an electronic method and was found to The conditions in the cave may perhaps be be a hundred feet. This was letter checked understated as being tortuous and wet. and verified. Something like Sidcot, only tighter and longer with more ups and downs and with a Around 2am, the miners arrived with a com- healthy stream to complicate matters. A pressor and started work on very sporting cave, but impossible to bring improvements. By all reports, the N.C.B. out an injured man on a rigid stretcher and the mine rescue men were surprisingly though. The stretcher in fact could not be at home even in the severe conditions

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encountered. There were some delays, up to the time that it was decided to give a naturally, of the sort that are bound to arise blood plasma transfusion. It is very likely in any such operation. The only valid criti- that this tricky task has never been at- cism of the miners was perhaps of over cau- tempted under such difficult and dirty condi- tion, but this was a fault on the right side. tions, and is a great credit to the medics. It The comments that were heard on the air was most unexpected to come across a caver and read in the press were mostly kept for with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows and the surface. It was noticeable that those his arms scrubbed. When Butler finally who did the most work underground were reached the hospital, his condition was said not the most anxious to be on T.V. to be generally good. At about 3pm Monday, the work was practi- The credit to this operation must go to the cally finished and the first stretcher party S.W.C.R.O., to the miners, the men of Thy- (consisting of cavers) went down while the sons Ltd., the Police, the W.V.S., the farmer finishing touches were put to the passage. and many others. Working in relays, with fresh bearers, Butler was brought, still under Morphine, in the remarkably short time of about two hours. Note: Members may be interested to know that Llethryd Cave was discovered by During the time that Butler was having Don Coase, a B.E.C. member. medical attention, his condition deteriorated

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals

Various cave rescue organisations are being honoured by the award of medals for long service and I have been given one for being a SECRO warden for no better reason than that I have the call out list to hand and a procedure to follow if there is one. Alas I missed SECRO’s only real call out when it occurred because I was away on holiday!

I don’t regard the medal as ‘mine’, rather that it is for all cave rescuers and as such I will get it mounted on the cottage wall to honour everybody who is involved in search & rescue.

Toby ‘El Presidente’ the Elder

P.S. Toby the Younger (Major Tobe) got one as well!

Photo: El Presidente

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footfall and laughter of cataphiles. It’s a Sat- Parisian Catacombes urday so the network is busy, but at first we’re on our guard as we’ve heard rumours of Laura the cataflics, the police force keen to stamp out any unregulated activity down here. But The plan was for 12 of us to go in. The usual after a while we relax and forget the world of way: frequented by cataphiles at all hours. rules and regulations we have now left far Previously we’ve bumped into them en route, behind. stumbling, drunk and happy on their way out. This time we walk past a few graffiti art- Having recently heard that many of the ists, smoking spiffs. “Salut!” We acknowledge rooms in the catacombs made famous by our mutual presence in this different land- sculptures have been vandalised, we decide to scape and our trespass into it. change tack and try to find those less known. Before we do, we decide to visit Le Passe- There were just six of us in the end, which Muraille, the cast of a man fixed to the wall, made progress easier. The trip and our created to look as if he’s walking through, as (slightly mad) intentions demand a lot of kit. per the story. He’s located in Aqueduct la I spend time faffing with carbide before we Vanne, a series of very pretty arched tunnels. enter. The smell, strong and acrid, is appeal- His head has been fixed up pretty well by the ing, reminding me of previous trips. The feel- cataphiles, but he’s still missing two arms. ing of impatience in the air is palpable how- Despite all this, he’s still an impressive sight. ever. Most in the group have never been in Not really something you expect to see down the catacombs before and despite all the there. photos and videos available, it’s always a unique experience to go there yourself.

So we crawl in, wearing our waders, helmets and heaving our hefty bags, crawling past the last injection of concrete aimed at preventing trips such as ours, as always underestimating the determination of Parisian explorers...

We’ve entered the GRS network. The largest and most popular network of limestone mines located directly under Paris. It’s a sprawling mass of passages, the shape and design of which change frequently, with some lovingly carved into something reminiscent of an Egyptian tomb. Every few hundred feet, a sign indicating the name of the street above greets you, allowing you to locate your whereabouts. However, in some areas these have been ripped off, we assume by Les Flics, Photo: Laura forcing you to use compasses to maintain your route. We take it in turns to navigate, From here we wonder through the galleries, occasionally losing our way, although never stopping briefly at La Plage, an expansive se- for very long. Every few hours we spot the ries of chambers featuring an impression of distant glow of a carbide lamp, the preferred the famous painting “The Wave”. A little fur- choice of light down here, followed by the ther on and we bump into someone familiar.

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Gilles Thomas -cataphile extraordinaire- terest within this rather labyrinthine shelter. sporting an impressive moustache. No map, The space is bare. Sparse. Not much is left, bag or refreshments are needed by him. He apart from a few rusted latrines and some runs around the limestone mines in a boiler- overhead lights. suit, needing nothing but his head torch. The map of the catas ingrained in his memory. He A few hours later we decide to sleep in one of ushers us to another room close by, where we the most famous rooms: Anschluss. A lad- find 15 people gathered around a limestone der leading to a manhole stands in the middle table. At least two have instruments and are of the room, surrounded by smooth benches playing some sort of folk piece. It’s an amaz- carved out of the limestone. This used to be a ing sight and the music is lovely. We sit down busy entrance to the catacombs, before the to join them. They seem neither interested manhole was sealed. Now a fountain stands nor bothered by our presence, so we listen above it. Three of us hang hammocks across for a while and then move on. the middle of the room, while everyone else, desperate with the need to sleep, finds a We make our way to a room not on the map. quiet alcove. Vandalism has meant that more of these are springing up everywhere. Someone has been Richard, looking not unlike a wild animal kind enough to let us know the details of one caught in a trap, attempts to sleep in his of them. It’s large and expansive and the hammock, succeeds and then keeps us all name of the room is engraved on one of the awake with his snoring (so loud, he wakes up walls, in usual cataphile fashion. the cataphiles sleeping all the way over in La Paolo). I probably should also use this oppor- We light some candles, cook up a meal and tunity to apologise for the strange sounds I relax a while, all the while in wonder of sometimes make in my sleep. where we are (ok, I can’t remember whether everyone was in wonder, but we were defi- We exit the next day emerging from a differ- nitely hungry....) ent access point in a busy part of the city. Upon leaving the network, we’re spotted by An hour later we find ourselves in a brewery, passers-by. Among the surprised glances, accessed via one of the many chatieres* there are a few smiles of recognition. which exist through the network; the cataphiles digging through everything they Thanks everyone. can in order to reach more and more inter- esting sites. There are some interesting *Cat Flaps = small squeezes dug by cataphiles squeezes into wonderfully dark and atmos- pheric rooms and alcoves. I spend some en- joyable minutes laughing at other people get- ting stuck, before getting stuck myself. Charterhouse Cave through We make our way back up to the north of the to 2008 Extensions network and our destination necessitates a 21 July 2012 diversion through one of the network’s many bunkers. This one is a German bunker. There Amy Pitch are at least four others in the catacombs, in- cluding one formerly used by the French Re- A trip by Phil, Steve L and myself – led by sistance. The walls of the bunker are deco- Stuart Gardiner (BEC) rated in colourful German signs, indicating which direction to go for various sites of in-

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Descending into the darkness of the cave felt The glowstone shone unmuddied, stalactites bittersweet midday Saturday, as the sun had and straws remained intact. The quality of made an unusual appearance across the soft, the cave was ethereal, reverential, so rare rolling . that such beauties had remained undisturbed for so long. Still, it’s not every day there’s a chance to head down Charterhouse Cave – our guide Whilst interspersed with large chambers Stuart had offered us the opportunity as rec- more familiar in the Dales, and a few pas- ompense for not finding a St Cuthbert’s sageways in which those above hobbit-height leader, but we were far from disappointed. could stand up straight, I wouldn’t recom- mend this cave to those who are a) of a larger It wasn’t long before the physical challenge build, b) claustrophobic or c) long limbed. of the cave began. The first shaft down from The notorious Narrows had me unable to the entrance series was extremely tight and turn my head, fully committed to a kind of there was a bit of “Superman” style body pos- crucifixion crawl [to borrow a phrase from turing before I popped out of a small hole Noone’s Hole] until I ungracefully toppled into a chamber that would have been the out at the top of Dragon Pitch. original entrance. Dragon Pitch is a fairly straight-forward 6 The way continued down at that most noto- metre ladder pitch, so named due to the roar rious of Mendip cave gradients (45°), before of water cascading down it after heavy rain. opening out into Splatter Chamber, so named At the bottom of the pitch we were nearly at on account of a large subsidence splattering the Frozen Cascade, which led to an unglam- the formations on the opposite wall with orous sump, marking our turnaround point. mud. Stuart told us that miners had entered the cave via this chamber many years before With our ‘cave out’ heads on we stormed the Cavers arrived, prospecting for lead back upstream. Heading up was easier than seams. Finding nothing but an empty cave down now that we knew what the obstacles they retreated, and no one has figured out were. As we were making good time, Stuart how they got in since. also diverted us off the main course a couple of times to ogle The Citadel and Midsummer At the end of Splatter Chamber was a long, Chamber. Again, it is hard to believe how this rather wet and unpleasant crawl to the cave (even the old part) is preserved so well. Chamber of the Singing Stal, marking the end of the old cave. The choke was to follow, All in all, a sporting 3 hours 40 underground leading us to the 2008 Extensions, which with plenty of bruises to evidence my en- have taken 13 years to dig. It seemed never- deavour. A great cave if you like gnarly ending. By the time I had grunted my way squeezes although the effort is well rewarded through I realised that digging out such a by the best formations I’ve seen in a long huge choke during holidays, evenings and time. weekends across 13 years wasn’t bad going at all. Many thanks to Stuart Gardiner for offering to guide us at such short-notice. I’ve already Whilst the old section of the cave was hand- discussed running a Cuthbert’s trip with him somely decorated with stals and flowstone, for the next time WSG are in (De- the formations in the 2008 series were jaw- cember), so watch this space. droppingly beautiful. Never have I seen such unspoilt curtains, helactites and stalactites in Mendip, far outdoing the neighbouring GB.

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Last Gasp! Calendar Many thanks to all those who have contributed to this Aug 18, Wales issue. The next will be published in October. Please Working weekend at Caerllwyn ensure that all contributions reach me before the 4th of Aug 25, Yorkshire October. Caving in Upper Warfdale

Send anything that you would like included to me at the Sept 4, London usual email address. Tuesday Pub Meeting, The S & S Sept 15, Wales See you underground. SRT Training and Caving

Sept 18, London Steve Tuesday Pub Meeting, The S & S

Sept 21-23, Burnley, Lancs Hidden Earth

Contributors Brian Bowell Toby Clark Amy Pitch Laura

... The Cast of the WSG ...

El Presidente Toby Clark Chair Rupert Bateson Hon. Secretary Steven Lloyd Hon. Treasurer Pete Jurd New Members Secretary Andy Sewell Membership Secretary Ralph Leech Cottage Secretary Heather Crawford Caving Secretary, Rescue and Amy Pitch Tackle Warden Committee Those in bold oblique above Librarian Matthew Setchfield Trustees Colette Johnson, Tim Barter, Gary ʻFumpaʼ Cockburn, Graham Adcock, Rik Saldana

SECRO Warden Toby Clerk

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