Unfortunately Luke had had a Covid scare in the household meaning the originally planned trip on Thursday got canned, although thankfully for Luke it was just a scare and thankfully for myself it meant Luke was no longer able to come.
Rob had proposed starting up the climbing shaft, but I had reservations mainly as a purist for natural passage and that the two passages at the bottom of Inglorious Bastards were worth a look. Rob agreed, but I think the thought of going back into Black Draught wasn’t a glorious prospect, then again neither was the opposite way, but they both needed a second look.
The trip started well with some miniature birthday cakes and pre-beers supplied by Rob and family, even with candles, which to be fair was my first birthday cake in a while, which can’t be said for the beer.
Once at the bottom of Inglorious Bastards, Rob headed into Black Draught and I into ‘Loperamide Lust’ opposite, as it is now named. These are clearly both one of the same passage cut in two by the Inglorious Bastards chamber.
As part of a ‘theory’ over virtual beers between the team, Loperamide Lust might draught in dryer weather, and tonight was in fact the case, which made it all the more exciting.
Rob in Black Draught made good progress breaking up rocks blocking the flat out crawl leading to a calcite ramp heading up, but needing a little more work to get through. Obviously still strongly draughting.
Myself in Loperamide Lust had dug through a few meters of now sticky and wet mud to a rock blocking the way. By this point Rob had come over and being cleaner and less sticky managed to get past the rock, which could then be pushed to the side as a pair.
Beyond a small chamber with a tiny rift down between boulders and a calcite floor was issuing the draught, with a drop of 2m to something bigger below. Sadly the hole needs to be enlarged and will need a rope or sling in place to help on the return journey.
Once again we now have more questions than answers, but we are ever closer to the source of the draught.
Jeff hiding his helmet in Loperamide Lust
Rob after emerging from digging Black Draught