161 - France
Julian Haines
Plan was to push, survey, derig Sultan's of Swing (on the assumption that we'd get to the bottom) [me and Steve] whilst Kate and Duncan pushed hole in Hob Nob which Scout and Dave had comprehensively failed to do the previous day. No fuck-ups this time - Steve and I descended with drill, big battery and drill bit that I'd returned to base camp for the previous day.
For those who are not aware, drill bolting is the dogs bollocks. I placed 6 bolts (including an awkward ledge traverse over an awful lot of not alot) in around 3 hours. Then the shaft ran out. Why is it that a shaft of 50m+ depth and about 6-7m diameter just stops in a pile of rubble with two poxy sumps about 1/2m in diameter? So as predicted we surveyed and derigged.
Met Duncan in Algeria who said Kate had already left because we were an hour or so overdue. Not sure what Kate + Duncan actually did, but Duncan's light was by now pathetic, so it seemed like a good time for a hasty exit.
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