Depth through thought

OUCC News 11th February 1998

Volume 8, Number 5

Editor: guilford@ermine.ox.ac.uk

Meets Sec Corner

I am afraid that I must disappoint Tim again by not having any actual caving to report (sorry), however I am going to encourage everyone to go caving. And yes this is another Derbyshire plug, but I do think it will be worth the visit. Also I have to report two excellent signs (well done Chris and Lev) and that I have made contact with Cambridge about our varsity match (see below). Hopefully I'll see eveybody in Derbyshire this weekend.
Fleur Loveridge

Caving Blues?

Dear Fleur,

A caving 'varsity match' sounds like an excellent idea - I'll discuss it with everyone in the pub tomorrow but I'm sure it would be popular. Could I suggest the weekend 9/10th May as a possible date for it - since it'll be about the only date I can make next term what with exams and projects.

We ought to be able to get some really good permits as well if we apply soon - should be a good weekend.

Cheers,
Paul Hammond - Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, CB2 1TA. Phone : 01223 314241 Email : 95pah@eng.cam.ac.uk

Expedition News

There was an expedition meeting last Wednesday, which went really well. Much business was done and here are some of the things we agreed:

Provisional dates:	July 6th to August 23rd.
Deposit:	Waged £150. Unwaged/Concessions £100. Money to Jo Whistler c/o Jesus College. Payable to OUCC Jultayu 1998.
Objectives:	It looks like we have the people to tackle downstream 2/7 and undertake several other projects as well. Of considerable interest is the recent location of the Lost Pastor's cave somewhere down the Trea path which may be a back-door into 2/7.
Networking:	Jo and Paul attended the RGS welcome home party last weekend. We have offered to give them a lecture next year on the huge amounts of new cave we find in the summer.
Networking2:	There is an NCA organised European Expeditions seminar in the Peak District on the weekend of the 25th/26th April. I'll forward the details sometime soon but basically it sounds really good and I'm going to go.
Gear Order:	Lev will be circulating gear order forms in the near future. Whether you are going to Spain this year or not, they are a really good way of buying caving kit cheaply (and tents, rucsacs, boots etc.) as we usually get decent discounts (25-40% off list price). If you need any advice talk to an old lag, but ignore them if they recommend a STOP [ ignore this remark: EP2]. The gear order will be sent off early next term.
College Funds:	Now is a good time to ask your college for cash for your caving-related summer hols. Also there is a University wide fund ("A.C. Irvine") who will be issuing application forms to college lodges at the beginning of next term. .

Thats enough stuff. Watch out for more detailed Newsletter soonish

Jonathan Cooper

Easter caving in Fermanagh

Easter fast approaches, and other unmentionable things approach even faster for some people. It is time to start thinking of holidays! Fermanagh is an ideal holiday caving place. The caves are fantastic, and the countryside is beautiful - a bit like a combination of Yorkshire and the Lake District. It is also not too far to go, and of course the Guinness tastes very nice. To those whose geography fails them, Fermanagh is just on the border between N.Ireland and Ireland proper. We went there a couple of years ago and it was lovely.

What is more, the Cambridge are also in the early stages of planning a trip. We may well be able to join forces. So, if you think you may be interested in a jolly fine holiday, then please get in touch with me ASAP. Costs will be related to numbers, and the degree of luxury requested. The choices are: A grotty hut with no electricity for not much money, or: Fully equipped chalets with showers and cookers and heating, next to a lake, with windsurfers and canoes for hire, for not much more money.

So far the only planning has involved me learning to play the Irish flute. If you don't want to end up in the same chalet as me, get in touch before it is too late...
CJD

Moving News

Jim, Sara, Luke and 7/9ths will be moving very very soon. Jim starts a new job in Cambridge on Mon 16th Feb and Sara, Luke and 7/9ths will be joining him down there in a few days/weeks. The new address will be: 351 The Rowans, Milton, Cambridge, CB4 6ZR

Jim's works e-mail address will be defunct as of Thursday 12 Feb so can you please take it off any mailing lists it might have crept on to. TTFN
Jim Ramsden

World Depth Record

In the mountains of Criou, which has been explored for about 20 years, the cave Mirolda has been reached recently a depth of 1610m. A group of French and English cave explorers dived the terminal sump to reach the new depth record.

The cave Mirolda lies in Savoie and is in the same limestore Massif as Jean-Bernard, so that parts of the passages of both caves lie next to one another.