144
Nicky Davies
Having excited Dave + Pete to such an extent that they were willing to go down our previous hole, we led them more or less the same way back to the hole beneath the knoll and left them while they went off to collect their caving gear. We continued the 100 yds and one bedding over to the east to extend our other inward draughting hole. Tony changed and lay gasping in the extreme heat while Nicky went off to try to pinch some MRs from D + P - none available so Tony just rerigged as he went and descended a further 75' pitch (rather fine though not quite freehanging) which landed on a large boulder strewn ledge. Several large (tent-size) boulders formed the edge of the next pitch in a rift 15' wide heading east - the visible floor consisted of three (visible) large holes, one of which allowed boulders to drop for a count of 9, possibly 4-5 seconds. Prospects do not seem unreasonable but a free hang would require an interesting bit of work for bolting. Good luck to those who take over from us. Finding our way back was not as simple as the way over to the knoll.