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PEAK DISTRICT CAVING: NEWS: DECEMBER 2008

Ink Sump: Odd deposits

Report FromJim Lister.
Report Date29/11/2008.
Published05/12/2008.

The passages walls at both ends of Ink Sump in Peak Cavern are coated with a film of slime. In parts of the sump this has built up into sheets and peeled away from the walls to hang down like curtains. The likey source of this pollution is the paper pulp that has been storred in a big pile and now spread over the land near to Hazzard Mine on Dirtlow Rake. Massy rather than harmful. Hopefully a few good floods should see this all cleaned through.

The slimey deposits in Dooms Retreat beyond Ink Sump.

Photo: Jim Lister. 22nd November 2008

The slimey deposits in Dooms Retreat beyond Ink Sump.

Photo: Jim Lister. 22nd November 2008

The slimey deposits underwater in Ink Sump.

Photo: Jim Lister. 29th November 2008

The slimey deposits underwater in Ink Sump.

Photo: Jim Lister. 29th November 2008

Western Highway: Update

Report FromHenry Rockliff.
Report Date16/12/2008.
Published17/12/2008.

Western Highway in Peak Cavern's Far Sump Extension has been a site of interest to exploratory cavers for a long time. Over the years there have been a number of digging efforts. I can't remember exactly when I took the project on but it was around April 2008. Since then numerous people have helped me to survey it, ventilate it, and dig it.

Surveying it: When digging It's often important to have an accurate survey of the cave in order to see what's going on and while most of the Peak system is surveyed to the highest standard I was a bit suspicious with regard to the accuracy of Western Highway. I tracked down some data for it but there were only three survey legs for everything beyond Calcite Aven. This didn't seem right so we surveyed it again, but in order to tie it in to the digital Peak survey (an on going project) we had to survey all the way from the JH connection crawl. That done it still looks like an interesting place to dig.

Ventilating it: At the face the passage is completely full of sediment and there is no draught. Because of this the air soon became stuffy when digging and it was only possible to dig for around 1 hour 45 minutes. Afterwards it could take days for the air to naturally circulate and refresh. These short digging sessions were not very efficient as getting to the site and back takes at least three hours. In the hope of enabling longer and more productive digging sessions we installed a ventilation pipe to the face powered by an electric ducted fan unit (EDU). This is the type of fan fitted into model aircraft that look like jet engines and run on batteries. I think it works but it needs a lot of batteries and some people willing to dig for a wile to test it! The 100m of pipe installed so far is all 50mm internal and was kindly provided by Conformance UK.

Digging it: Between all of this work there was a bit of digging but little forward progress. Hopefully all this will change now we can breathe! Work continues....

Henry Rockliff in Western Highway.

Photo: Rob Eavis 25/08/2008

Jeff Wade digging in Western Highway.

Photo: Rob Eavis, 10/11/2005

Henry Rockliff Installing the ventilation pipe.

Photo: Jeff Wade 01/04/2008