204 - Rhino Rift

Sat 14 Jul 2007
Richard Mundy



Andreas joined us, all the way from Sweden, hunting meteorites, in order to check out our link from the previous day. A couple of survey legs swiftly led to where we had been. Dave was thus revealed as a prophet of some considerable power and cemented the respect of us novice cavers. Rather an easy task compared to the 200m surveying and rigging task of the previous day. A and B leads are thought to extend from the top of a pitch linking "Uncomformity" to the passage linking "Shetland Incline".

We progressed to explore 03-90A. This involved Dave cutting our old (2003) 11mm rope into lots of teeny bits. We dropped down a very satisfyingly shaped (rounded cross section) pitch onto a stony floor. A climb led to a further pitch. Andreas and I were left here whilst Dave and Ollie went back to peer at some other QM's. As I became bored, I climbed up to watch Andreas rig. I observed that one natural in his Y-hang was not a solid column of rock, but instead two rocks entirely disconnected from anything. Dave had started rigging from it and now Andreas was rigging from it. Andreas later admitted feeling considerable fear when I wriggled the rock he was rigging off! After a change of plan we descended. The end was dull, but Andreas kicked some mud. This impromptu dig was hastened by the sound of water "a sump" Andreas claimed. In fact a tiny grim loose chamber with a 2cm squared puddle! We got out having discovered this "Spitters End". Less than the previous day's 200 metres of survey, but still satisfying.

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Survex files on this date:
    caves-1623/148/148-2007
    caves-1623/204/gaffered/shprinkles
    caves-1623/204/gaffered/slimy1
    caves-1623/204/rhino/nonconformism
Wallets on this date:
    2007#04 ['notes', 'plan']
    2007#06 ['notes2', 'notes1']
    2007#07 ['notes2', 'notes1', 'elev', 'plan']
    2007#09 ['notes2', 'notes1', 'planelev']
    2007#13 crowning glory ['notes2', 'notes1', 'elev', 'plan']
    2007#31 [] ['notes']
    2007#37 newbit ['notes']
Logbook trips on this date:
    148 - Marylin Monroe Hoehle
    204 - Rhino Rift
    204 - The Gaffered rebolting project
    Surface Prospecting - northwest of 204e