Oxford University Cave Club

C3 or not C3?

Back in the misty distant past of OUCC a cave was discovered in area C. Being the third cave found in this area it was predictably called C3. In 1994 a small group of intrepid cavers located a supposedly new cave in area C, and, as there were 8 logged caves in the area, they called it C9. However, on descending the entrance pitch, several 8mm anchors were found which were so badly placed and which protruded so far from the rock that they could only have been placed by Graham Naylor, a long departed OUCC old lag. A detailed search through the records revealed that the new cave was in fact the same as the old cave C3. Given the choice between C3 and C9 as a name it was inevitable that some people would go for one name and some for the other. It was equally inevitable that it would be debated heatedly and endlessly so a compromise was sought. A third name was created: Sima Verdelluenga. Unfortunately this does not roll off the tongue quite as easily as C3 or C9 so it never caught on.

So should it be C3, C9 or Sima Verdelluenga? The debate continues...

Dave Lacey