Dan-Yr-Ogof (Sunday)

Bill Holden, Graham Leach, Jenny, Carl, Mick, Kate.

There were certain members who did not feel very well on Sunday morning, one especially providing overnight entertainment (Neil “Hughie” Pacey).

Bill and I joined a small party going on a birthday present trip (Kate’s birthday/Nick’s daughter).

The first thing that we noticed was that the lakes were about a foot higher than the day before due to the overnight rain.

The Long Crawl seemed shorter than the day before (perhaps because I had no ammo box with me). After Gerald Flatten Hall we dropped down into Virgin Passage.

I kept climbing down until I found a diving line - I had climbed down too far. Across and down to the Washing Machine and than to the fantastic Bakerloo Straight (next time I think I will spend all the trip taking photo’s in this lower series).

After a very pleasant slow walk down the straight, I led Bill via the grotty way through to Thixotropic Passage, the rest were waiting for us having walked around us.
Next time I cross the canal I think I will try the floor level.

At the Abyss the fixed rope climb seemed unnecessarily difficult, knots in the rope being absent at the crux move. Nick said it was unusual to climb up the rope - most people did the trip the other way round.

Interestingly Jenny and Carl disappeared and eventually re-emerged having climbed through the boulder choke - missing out the climb.

Go Faster/Go Slower Passages ‘and then along Highway to the rising. A very enjoyable trip out, route, finding is very easy, it is quite difficult to go wrong.

Lake 3 where the water sumps, Bill and I walked towards the sump and simultaneously the sand sloped off steeply and we both felt that we were being dragged into the sump - lot’s of frantic splashing and we were back on the underwater sand shelf.
The rest of the Red Rose group had a good wally down OFD2 (with their hangovers).

That evenings drinking was a lot more sober. It is a pity that more members did not turn up for this annual meet. Next year perhaps the Great North Road.

Graham Leach.

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