Easter in
Ogof Ffynnon Ddu II to I. Saturday 10th.
April 93 SWCC Headquarters
Early morning, a well honed team assembled downstairs in the kitchen for
a calorie/joule-controlled and well balanced breakfast, calculated to supply the essential nutrients for the hard trip ahead. Later, the Red Rose got up and downed greasy bacon,
sausage, egg and beans then wondered why some of the team had so much trouble getting their wet suit zips closed while continuing to breathe. It wasn’t an early start
because as usual the demon Baccus had had its
way and ruined our plans, still, our motley crew was at the gate of OFO top entrance before dinner time(Just).
We regrouped inside, with the door
closed and firmly locked to allow those not using FX5’s to get accustomed
to the dark. Andy Hall (leader),
Andy Hine. (Mr
Swollen), Claire (how far is it now?) Wilkinson, Paul (f—wit) Wilkinson, Bill (competent) Holden, Neil (incompetent) Pacey, Angela (?????) Hare, and Ray (no
comment) Duffy, the RRCPC, not a pretty sight at any time, but now
swelling out in all directions with
rounded neoprene lumps (except Youth who wore dry grots).
YUK!!!
Mr Swollen was in better form that day before as he’d
paid a visa before leaving the hut
this time and so he and a few others
raced ahead down Salubrous Passage. When Horrible, Claire and Angela
rounded the corner they were confronted with a sand banked streamway strewn with prone
and oinking seal-like creatures trying to mate.
They cracked up.
Further down the passage
Paul was yelling encouragement to his
fellow cavers In the true Red Rose fashion at
the Maypole climb-down unfortunately we were all behind him. The party in front didn’t seemed too impressed, still, it’s good to see the old traditions like damming streams and then letting them pulse when someone In extremis hasn’t died out , but then again the party in front weren’t
impressed when Angela got a dowsing,
nor was she really.
The streamway was
reached with Horrible only
having to’ get a grip’ twice, not bad for a geriatric. Paul’s choice of clothing was now
proved unwise as he set off to
trail blaze downstream and was seen
to disappear in a nearly all the deep hidden
potholes, learns slowly that lad. Claire and I were at the back skirting
them all in wet suits. The
chance of doing yourself a mischief
by stumbling into black holes in black limestone takes the edge off the
fun a bit but it is a fantastic jaunt with a little extra water to make it sporting. Andy led us fearlessly into the sump before we
climbed up Into the Great Oxbow, “oops!!!”
Everybody dutifully oohed
and aahhed at the correct places as we walked
along white lines to prove we weren’t still drunk and overtook on our bikes on the French side, but there
was nearly a nasty accident when one of the
lines went up a wall and we nearly had a pile up. Marble Showers wow!!!, just like those licorice sweets that
pulled your fillings out. Just passed the Confluence we stopped for a picnic on
a Torromolenos-like beach and had Twixies,
Golden Syrup Cake, Mars and we all shared one chocolate egg (it was Easter). By now a little chilly we
stomped off to Divers Pitch
where Andy had another little wobble allowing 3 people coming the other way to arrive at the top so we all had to wait while they roped down. We all started to get cold and verbose but when the climb was clear
what a slick ascent, when the going
gets tough etc. etc. Lots of slithering and squirming in OFDI where Andy’s memory was
faultless (honest), just as well as our
survey stopped at Marble
Showers, oops again. Through the fabulous mud formations in the Connection, a
quick firtle in
the Boulders of Hush Sump and then even Andy Hine couldn’t
counter-balance Angela on the Rocking Boulder in the Boulder Chamber, she must be made of some really dense material A few people had a bath in the pools of OFD I before
we emerged in Daylight - yes we were out before dark and before time.
Another slick Red Rose trip bit the dust. The cheeky Irish lass even managed to hitch a lift up the hill, we
didn’t.
By the
time we’d slogged up the hill we had a reel good thirst, bad news with a SWCC
party ahead with cheap beer, music and food, well least said—
Question:
1) Why did Neil
make a sharp exit?
2)
How many Thunderbird’s II ‘s did Claire (Birthday
Girl) really have?
3) What
does ‘squirm’ mean Andy?
Ray Duffy
BACK TO: Volume Contents