The closure of Casterton Fell curtailed visits to
Ease Gill and of course surveying among other things suffered. Since
the last Journal however, the small amount of time spent has produced
further results which are summarised below.
SNAIL CAVERN
Reports had filtered through of an alleged
round trip from North West Passage to Stop Pot via a hole in the
bottom of Snail Cavern. Accordingly we investigated, and as a result
a chamber was found beneath Snail Cavern blocked at both ends. A
crawl by an orange coloured shale band led to a meandering tubular
passage which doubled back to connect with the eastern end of the
Lower Snail Cavern. This tube continued into a collapsed region
resulting in a small chamber where various tricky crawls led out. No
route was found to North West Passage.
It is interesting to note that the collapse is very near the
collapsed chambers found in the Master Cave downstream from Eureka
Junction. (See survey.)
The total length surveyed was 1/8 mile.
HOLBECK JUNCTION
An old oxbow was observed a short way
downstream from Holbeck Junction and a tentative exploration carried
cut. This passage still remains to be pushed and surveyed.
GREEN & SMELLY PASSAGE
As far as anyone was aware the lower passage of Green & Smelly
had never been surveyed and we decided that it would be a good check
for the upper level. This lower level was surveyed from Holbeck
Junction to the foot of Spiral Staircase Passage. Unfortunately a
slight discrepancy occurred and a further small check is needed to
tie up loose ends. (See Survey)
DEPOT PASSAGE
A further passage near Depot Passage has
been surveyed and has been given the name of Depot Passage No. 2.
WRETCHED RABBIT PASSAGE
Interesting side passages have also been
entered in Wretched Rabbit passage but have net yet been
surveyed.
Whilst the system was closed the Club Surveyor has been doing
theoretical work such as triangulations and working out closing
errors.
The following closing errors will be of interest.
On the way upstream from Stop Pot few people
notice the vast overhead cavern, the roof of which is decorated by a
profusion of straw stalactites.
A climb of nearly a hundred feet up a boulder slope between Stop Pot
and Holbeck Junction brings one to the far end of the chamber. The
floor is liberally coated with poached egg formations and a carpet of
straws. Along the south wall is a series of laminated clays and
following the tape, still climbing, one arrives at the entrance to
the Dry Dock. Her is the best view of the whole chamber whilst sat
down on a deep carpet of straws.
Following the passage south eastwards several small climbs are
negotiated until the Dry Dock itself is reached, the whole chamber
dominated by a huge rock like a battleship in dry dock.
Beneath the keel of the battleship are several crawls among the
abandoned meanders but all ways are blocked by boulders.
The passage is intimately connected with the formation of Depot
Passage and Green & Smelly Passage and should furnish clubs as to
the development of these little passages.