Oxford University Cave Club

Hi, another update on expedition, now that Jo is back with news.

In 2/7, GSP links to the First False Floor, as mentioned last time. Gavin expects this to save him one hour travel time each way!

Upstream, 3 leads were followed.

• To the right, a large inlet (Bare Arse Inlet) leads to a sump pool (Full Moon Rising), possibly the reappearance of the C3-C4 streamway; the draught disappears up into the roof about 20m back from the sump.
• Up the main stream, Viagra Falls was bolted up in an epic session by Tim & Lou. 400m of passage was pushed on a subsequent trip, deep water made a well timed reason for turning back.
• On the right of the passage, a climb at a drippy corner (Coral Corner) dropped into another inlet, which was followed for 150m to a cascade which was too wet to climb in the then high water conditions; a start was made at bolting.

So three upstream leads! The cave was derigged back to First False Floor before the first wave of expedition members headed homeward.

Elsewhere, Pozu Jenga and 10/9 remain ongoing projects for the second half of expedition to sink its teeth into. The radon measuring project was carried out, as was a dye trace from C4 to upstream 2/7, results wait for processing back in the UK. The Nicola Cave Radio was used, and communications easily made between the Jou de Jultayu and the Big Ledge Campsite.

So who's going next year? Xitu 2000 has been mooted for a long time, with the chance for us youngsters to get -1000m in an OUCC cave. More importantly, let's skip the immature cross cutting streamways, where do the two big fossil trunk routes go? Where do they come from too; the top end of the system sits on the same fault as Canalizos and C3! Would 2/7 wait for 2001? Or does everyone want to bundle down 2/7 for the tourism; and push those upstream leads asap.

My feeling would be give 2/7 a rest. Expd 2000 will probably have many members, with a high lag factor. Expd 2001 will probably end up being quite lean on members, with a high proportion of undergraduates. The former is probably more suited for the siege tactics required by Xitu, the later will need the achievable objectives offered by the minor obstacles to exploration found in 2/7. Buying a bit of time to follow up our current candidates for 2/7 second entrances could do us a big favour. Fund raising for a Xitu focussed project will be easier whilst everyone knows we have good leads elsewhere, (the positive choice ), rather than later when it may look like we are scraping the barrel (the negative "desperation" choice).

Anyway, that's something to think about and discuss at BCRA and President's Invite.

Cheers Paul Mann