Hull Pot & High
Hull Sat. May 18th.
With the dry spell continuing it was decided by the ‘Saturday Crowd’ that High Hull and Hull Pot be vanquished and there was even wild talk of Little Hull being thrown in for good measure.
On arriving at the entrance to Hull Pot we split into two parties. John Conway, Richard, Richards mate, Vernon and one of John’s mates going off to High Hull Pot, Johnny Wilkinson, Boy Stevens, Eccles, Norma, Pete Llewellyn and myself climbing down into the open pot. Some 3 years previous I had looked at the tight rift above the water level in the sumped area just inside the pot and decided that for me it was far too tight. This time I came prepared with an aqualung, along with Boy who had, with his lung, an underwater camera and flash gun, intending to take pictures of the sumps. The way underwater was about 15’ in length and we had to pass under a rock arch about 6’ below water level. Unfortunately there wasn't room for Boy to take pictures.
On arriving at the other side we met Johnny proving that the above water level way was after all quite feasible. The way forward is in a deep water rift for a short distance, to a low bedding plane about 50’ long and then the top of the 100’ pitch is met. The life liners have to lie in the bedding plane to do their work. While we were rigging the pitch Boy returned through the swap with ray aqualung and mask to allow Eccles to join us. Descents were duly made up and down the pitch and we had the added pleasure of leaving the tackle in for the other party to use and take out. In pre-wet suit days, rope ladders and normal weather conditions, I feel that Hull Pot probably did deserve its reputation. As it was, we were back on the fell in a couple of hours and on our way to de-ladder High Hull, which rounded off a grand days potting.
Frank Croll