Giants Hole - 27 May 2006

Saturday May 27th 2006

Members present: Adrian Turner,  Chuck Holder,  James Gregory,  Kevin Francis,  Nicola Gover,  Richard Gover

We combined the round trip with a wander down to the East Canal. I haven't done the cave for a while to know for sure, but I think water levels were pretty high, as the streamway was pretty wet (though nothing compared to Valley last week). To deal with the copious amounts of cold water crashing on top of me on the Comic Act Cascade ladder with the aid of neither a neofleece nor a PVC oversuit I utilised that tried & tested method, SHOUTING LOUDLY AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHH.

Near the East Canal there was a duck that required getting an ear wet, but it was extremely short. In the East Canal there was a foam tide line several metres up, right near the roof. I wonder how recently it flooded? Nikki kept telling me not to look up as she didn't like the idea that the passage could have been several meters under water just a few days ago.

The Giant's windpipe was as ever fairly horrible, with one section having little enough air space between your head and the muddy water that you have to take your helmet off (can't remember if it is always like this). Luckily for me though my brain only goes slightly panicky in extremely narrow and constricted passages, not in low wet ones, because for some reason my brain is afraid of getting stuck but not of drowning. Stupid brain.

Sliding down the rift from the top was again quite fun, though everyone but Gover and I abseiled, because they are boring.

It was generally a fairly efficient and faff-free trip, except for a few minutes getting lost both in the Eating House and at the end of the Giant's windpipe.