Saturday we took the day off and just had a quick photographic play in Yordas Cave, and were met later in the day by Loz. As the weather was forecast a little grim and wet we changed plans for the Sunday from Gaping Gill to County Pot.Our original plan ...
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I'm out of action for a couple of weeks or so after surgery on a dodgy elbow and the rest of the team had other commitments resulting in 'no digging' last weekend. A depleted team again this weekend, Tav reports: "Nick digging and Tav dragging and s ...
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Having been given a long weekend off work Jess and I decided to make the most of it and head up to Yorkshire. We had been told that diggers had rigged Ireby Fell Cavern and that if we wanted to use their ropes we'd be more than welcome and so that was ...
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Brendan and Mark have been threatening to take me caving for some time but it's only a few weeks since my pelvic scaffolding was surgically removed and so far too early to contemplate a return to the underworld.Last weekend it was forecast to be a sunn ...
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This metalwork hoard, probably of bronze/copper alloy was recently uncovered on a site in North Somerset. It was block lifted by yours truly and, subsequently dispatched to the county FLO to be further examined and fully excavated at a later date, a ...
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23rd April 2016: In Harptree Combe ST 5618 5600. Aqueduct for Bristol water supply, completed in 1851, the engineer was John Simpson. ...
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Follow along with cave divers as they explore Sweden’s Dolinsjö Cave as part of the 2016 Bjurälven Expedition. ...
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Members of south-central Idaho's Silver Sage Grotto have teamed up with their states Department of Fish and Game to count bats and place temperature and humidity recorders ...
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For Sunday we were joined by Ian who had requested a through trip. Jess and I were feeling somewhat better rested after a good meal and nights sleep.We were in good spirits as we sauntered down the hill and in to the bottom entrance. We set an easy pac ...
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For our final day in Hanoi, we had some time to kill. Our train was not until 10pm, so quite a lot of time!Not quite as luxurious as our HotelRuth and I decided to hire some bikes and cycle around West Lake, around 12 Km.Here be Dragons!Unfortunately w ...
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With Jake and Tav. My turn to dig this session as I will be out of action for a couple of weeks or so after some surgery to sort out my dodgy elbow. Jake took up the clearing away role while Tav did the haul and shuttle. The digging isn't all that ...
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Although not really feeling well rested after a rather busy week we had promised Chloe and Mark a trip to the Far North in Dan Yr Ogof, and so we dragged ourselves out of bed and headed to South Wales hoping the weather would be kind.Upon arriving at t ...
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Deep in the basement of the University of Minnesota, Star Tribune reporter Sarah Barker caught up with curious caver/geologist Dr. Nick Seaton ...
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14th April 2016: with Nick, Brockers and Dunc. I had amassed a pile of kit to go underground including 2no. BDH's filled with cement, drill with assorted bits and hangers, new skip and a 1 ton dumpy bag, all to deal with the sloppy sediment issue ...
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Old building, new wiresWe're back in Hanoi for a few days, no real reason except Ruth is visiting a Dentist while we are here (she may be developing an abscess) and  it's also nice just to leave Phong Nha for a while.Another old French colonial bu ...
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Tu Lan campsite from Hang Ken entranceAnother fine tour, weather good and water is warming up nicely.Hang Chuot, or Rat CaveHere's a few selected pictures from the tour, mostly caves as that's what it's about!The short swim through cave on day twoDay t ...
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Riverside Campsite

Ruth, Watto and I just had time for a quick two day outing before another Son Doong tour. A short drive and forty minute walk got us to our campsite by a dry riverbed.

Hang Dong cây Sanh entrance

From the campsite it was a thirty minute walk uphill to a cliff and an entrance to a cave by a large "Strangler vine" tree, hence the cave name, Cây Sanh being the local name for this type of tree. It use another tree for support, then slowly strangles the support tree as it grows, eventually the supporting tree dies but by then the tree can support itself.

Oh Dear, this Deer seems to have got stuck in the mud

The entrance was a steep slope down to a large area with big formations, at the bottom of the slope was a muddy floor with many deer prints and a pit containing bones which we were told were Deer.

The Skewer

The cave was full of formations, including one lone stalagmite, tall and thin, which we called "The Skewer".

The Skewer

After a while we reached a big chamber with many loose blocks and a choice of ways on, we chose left and down, past a pit estimated at 20m deep.

Oh Deer Chamber, you can just make out the daylight, up and left of the people

This gradually decreased in size before ending at calcite chokes. Time was running out for the day so we had a quick look at the way to the right. This appeared to continue down a short pitch or climb so we had to schedule a return the following day, instead of visiting another cave as initially planned.

Final Rift

The next day we returned to the right hand section, one route ended at a large chamber while down a roped climb ended at a high rift where the draft seemed to go. This was as far as we could get. We also descended the 20m pit which turned out to be 30m deep and ended at a too tight slot which drafted out.

Nice formations

That was it for new cave, apart from a side passage near the entrance so we did some photography on the way out before exploring the side passage.

Big Passage

This had a number of bat skeletons so we called the passage The Bat Graveyard, this ended after about 150m, very pretty but unfortunately that was really it.

Pretty side passage near the entrance

All in all, about 900m of new cave, most of it very pretty.

Strangler tree, or Cây Sanh, at the entrance

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The path's here somewhereIn between tours, we managed to squeeze in another day of exploration. This time we had a big team of six of us.The Bomb of Hang BomWe had been told that we were looking for a 20m shaft with a river at the bottom, after about 4 ...
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