 Entrance pitch rigged and ready to go down! Today Ed, Ian, Martin and Pete had a memorable (if cold) trip down Knotlow Cavern. After arriving at the triangle, Martin warned everyone they WOULD get wet! The plan was to do the round trip via Crimbo Pipe and East Level. The first and second pitches were quickly rigged and descended and the team approached Waterfall Chamber with anticipation. 
It looked and sounded very impressive. Ian went down first having a bit of trouble right under the waterfall, (due to the rope catching on something), then the others quickly followed him down. There was more water than normal and Martin wasn't sure how wet Crimbo Pipe would be as he hadn't been down Knotlow for 15-20 years. There was significantly more water flowing down the waterfall than on his previous visit, so it was with some trepidation the team set off down the coffin level into the rest of the cave. 
They regrouped at Fourways Shaft and then at Rift Chamber before heading off up the rather aqueous Crimbo Pipe. Eventually they reached a pile of rocks in the stream at the foot of a rift which were causing the water to back up further upstream. Martin felt sure the way on was at stream level, but he had to dig some rocks out of the way before it was even negotiable. Ed then heroically said he'd go through and reported back that there was only a tiny air space continueing on towards the sound of water falling beyond. Ian climbed up the rift reporting that there was a way on but that he couldn't see far due to the water vapour. Martin followed and went on a bit further. Unfortunately, by the time Pete had climbed half way up the rift as well, Martin reported back that it closed down and was a dead end. So all resigned themselves to returning along the cold, wet coffin levels and ascending the Waterfall Pitch. 
Before they left the relative roominess of the rift to negotiate the wet Crimbo Pipe again, just as Martin was reaching the bottom, a sizeable rock dropped from the roof above them and glanced off Martin's helmet before hitting Ian and then Pete's. Ian was also left with a cut forehead, but nobody mentioned it to him for the time being. A quick retreat was made, with the SRT gear put back on at Fourways Shaft, but by the time they arrived back at the waterfall, all were starting to feel the cold... All of them were apprehensive about climbing this, there was a lot of water,and it wasn't helped by Martin who tried first, not putting his footloops on before getting on the rope and getting a thorough blatting by the water. Silly mistake. 
Anyway, while we held the rope away from the worst of the water, Ed went up with no problems, followed by Pete. Ian volunteered to go up last so he could hold the rope for Martin (very much appreciated) who had been a little shaken up by his first attempt, and this time he got up with no problems. Finally Ian started up, having problems again, this time because he couldn't get his chest croll to grip the rope at first and we couldn't help him as communication was impossible due to the noise of the water. Eventually, he managed to get up though and a relieved team derigged the pitch and went back up to Pearl Chamber for a rest and a bite to eat. Afterwards, an uneventful ascent of the first two pitches was made with Ed derigging. Back in the Landrover, a can of beer each was consumed and Martin said it had been the hardest caving trip he done for many years. (Prussicking is very slow and hard work when you're a couple of stone overweight!)
|
