I had a big urge to go down to the Firestone Incline Level and to
have another look at the second incline again. Pete did not fancy going down
the wet access shaft, so we though that maybe we might be able to get in via
the surface incline, as the weather had been dry for a few months. Arriving at
Groverake we took our SRT gear just in case and made our way down the incline,
leaving the gear in one of the alcoves. Around half way down we noticed some
fresh falls that had not been there the last time we came and when we reached
the water, it had indeed dropped considerably, maybe up to 0.5m, but was it
enough to get through?
Before going into the water Pete pointed out that
his immersion suits hand and neck cuffs were a bit knackered and they would let
water in if submerged - great. Not knowing how deep the water would get, we
gave it a go anyway, just in case. As we entered the water, the strange
Groverake bootlace fungus pulled against our legs and after about 10m the water
was just below our necks. At this point we could really feel a strong draft of
air passing us, meaning the connection to the level beyond was open.
Unfortunately though, a bit further on and Pete's suit would start filling with
water. Looking at the water ahead, I would say that the air space went down to
maybe 15cm. However due to the reflection on the surface it was difficult to
judge. Whatever the case, Pete was not going to be able to do it, and I was not
about to lie on my back and have a go on my own. I can't swim and deep water
always puts me on edge. Need to learn. We turned round and half walked, half
floated back. It was bloody cold. Back up the incline, SRT gear on and into the
Rake Level, to the wet shaft.
After the time wasting in the surface
incline, we arrived at the wet shaft. It looked like someone had been here
since the last time, as the ventilation door had been pushed well into the
shaft. Why do that, it does not open that way? Shifting some rocks and pulling
soon got it back open, the correct way. At this point Pete's lamp died,
nooooooooo, all we need now. He had only been saying in the morning that it had
not been charged for a few months… spare? No. Two options, go out and get
his carbide, or use my back up torch, though personally with the prospect of
going down the shaft with the torch I would not have fancied it. In the end he
decided to go for it with the torch, we ended fastening it to his glove via
Velcro straps, Star Trek style. I turned my caplamp off and his was rather
poor, but still he wanted to go down. I rigged a line down and proceeded to
climb down the ladders. Last time we dammed the water, this time we could not
be bothered and we paid for it, it was horrible going down the shaft, with the
water bouncing everywhere and into everything. When I got to the dogleg, before
the last two stages I got of the rope and thought that there is no way I would
want to be in his shoes with the hand torch, but after a while he appeared and
the only hassle was the water. I gave him my 10W LED photo spotlight and he
used that now for illumination since his hands were free. By the way, the
carbide would have been a big mistake!
We made our way to the second
incline junction, a good spot to have lunch, but thought better of it as we had
got a chill after being in the deep water and getting the soaking in the shaft.
Carrying on along the level, we passed yet again the horrible deformed steel
arches and made our way down the incline past split wooden pillars and more
cracked arching - nice. Once at the bottom we made our way along to the
collapsed section that Pete looked at last time. Going past a massive chunk of
fractured rock being kept up by a fractured wooden pillar we entered a section
of level with its roof on the floor. Here the rock was a mix of rough spar and
sandstone. Passing through a rock archway, where the sides were fractured
gained entry back into the level. This section was still in rock, but it was
this crumbly combination of rough spar and sandstone, that seemed to be peeling
away everywhere. To the left there was an entry point into a large stope and
just next to it another fractured piece of rock, held up, by you guessed it - a
split pillar. Past this more steel arching was visible, but the steel meshing
between the formers was split and full of falls. We could have pushed it
further, but with feeling cold, only one hands free light source we got sort of
deflated and a bit jittery. On the way up the incline we agreed that this was
the last time here.
Retracing our route we got back up the shaft
(chilled even more now) and steamed it out to the portal, to be greeted by warm
sunshine. We had lunch above the Rake Level adit. Thinking back now, I wish we
had pushed it past the falls, as I am now wondering what was it like further
on… dead end or something very interesting. The thing is, its all falling
apart so badly and feels so isolated that it makes my mind wonder with bad
thoughts. |
