From the survey notes obtained on our trip to the Bogg Shaft area
we had hoped to try and align the rebelay shaft we had discovered as it also
went up as well as down. Considering that the air in the area was very fresh
and finding insects we were hoping that the shaft may be the source of the
fresh air. In the morning we quickly mapped out the survey and superimposed it
on to the OS map and mine plan. It did align very well and placed the shaft
onto Readshaw's Rise on the Caplecleugh High Level.
Firstly we had a
look for some of the shafts in the series that connect to the Middlecleugh
Level near Perry's Dam. Managing to identify the one that Aubrey and John had
been digging from underneath we got Karli to abseil it (the rest of us were too
tired from yesterdays trip and anyway he likes to do this sort of thing being
so young and fit...). Approximately 25m down he came to a choke with a few side
passages that ended in run ins. It looked like the choke could be cleared, but
for the moment this shaft was a no goer. Other ones along the Middlecleugh
Second Sun Vein were either run in at the surface or flooded.
After the
last shaft we went to look for the one which aligned with Readshaw's Rise. On
locating it, we discovered that it was filled in. In a desperate attempt at
finding a link we tried another which was shown to connect to the Caplecleugh
High Level, no name to it other than the 'Old Shaft'. Throwing a pebble down we
estimated it to be around 80m in depth with water at the bottom. At this point
Aubrey, John and a few other COMRU members came along to see what we were up
to. Karli rigged the shaft up and abseiled down, hitting the water at the 50m
mark. The level was pretty much flooded with only a little air space. On the
way down 2 other levels where seen. In hindsight Readshaw's Rise may well be
only coincidence that it aligns with a surface shaft as it may just go to a
stope, and likewise the rebelay shaft may only go up into a stope or level, not
necessarily to the surface via Caplecleugh High.
It was all starting to
look a bit disappointing with the way things where going, so in desperation
Alistair and Pete went of looking for another shaft that was open. They found
one which was in line with the Caplecleugh Vein and Horse Level. Karli was
starting to moan now, that it was someone elses turn to drop a shaft, a few
biscuits shut him up and he was away down the shaft. At the 50m mark it came to
a choke. When eventually Karli came back up (a lot slower now) it turned out
that there was a hole, which was draining water away in the corner so possibly
it could be opened up.
All in all it was a disappointing exercise,
getting excited about shafts and how they could open things up, only to find
that they were filled in or choked half way down. However one thing we found
out, Karli is like a SRTing duracell bunny and far better than sending a camera
down as he can talk back, but only as long as you feed him
food! |
