Artur Kozlowski and Al Kennedy
17 May 2009
Hopes for this trip were dampened by the recent wet weather, but we wanted to get back in the upper reaches of Upper Cradle Hole and work on the survey and push sump 3a further. Some modifications had been made to kit: Artur had slimmed his sidemount profile down and was diving in a semi-dry; i wore a light fleece undersuit to reduce overheating while walking and climbing in drysuit, wrapped my oversuit around my waist under my drysuit to change into while pushing dry passage, and stuffed my wellies into my drysuit pockets. Acting as a human drybag i also took a headtorch for Artur.
We kitted up in the 'Hoo and walked with Paul - who'd kindly given me a lift - to Upper Cradle sump 1. The river was rather fuller than usual, but we decided to see what conditions in Upper Cradle 2 cascades were like. The first dive was incident free (though i saw my first eel!), the sump being so large that the increased flow had little effect. At the other end we each dropped one bottle for the climb up the cascades, deciding that it would be ok to pass sump 2 on just one bottle each. With the increased flow there was no question of attempting the constricted passages of sump 3 so we didn't need to take two bottles each beyond sump 2. With care it was possible to climb the cascades, though much more difficult than before. After we ascended a couple i began to wonder if reversing them might not be much harder...hmm. After some yelled debate (because the water was so noisy) we pressed on.
Sump 2 was reached uninjured and undamaged, and quickly passed.
Dekitting in Upper Cradle 3 we decided to survey the main passages first while i was wearing my drysuit before i would change into my oversuit to explore the high level passages above this cave (Fu Inle). I did take the oversuit out of my drysuit as it was quite constricting (though it kept me nice and warm!). Surveying went well, working from the U-shaped canal (El-ahrairah) upstream. On reaching sump 3a everything seemed quite different and i wondered for a minute where we were. It turned out that the short length of stream crossing the passage had risen by 1.5 m or so from the previous visit, creating a large pool. Water was just beginning to lap over a rocky lip into a previously dry section of boulder passage, and the access to the sump 3a by-pass was sumped. In the 15 minutes or so we were surveying this section we watched the water level rising by another 10 cm..so we called it quits and decided to retreat. Sump 2 needed a better survey and we decided to take the time on our way out to measure the line length, depths, and bearings. We dived together, i took the tape measure while Artur held the end. I wrote down the data at each belay point and when i had completed each record i gave three tugs and wound in the tape while Artur joined me. Sump 2 is 20 m long and pretty much north-south.
Back in Upper Cradle 2 we quickly went downstream. As suspected the water flow had increased. It was difficult to keep our footing in the stream sections, and the cascades were very difficult. We helped each other, and utilised 6 mm dive line as a handline over the cascades. We passed half of the cascades in this way. Then we reached a cascade followed by a sharp right angle bend in a very narrow section of canyon. It was impassable at stream-level. Using the line for support Artur crossed the head of the cascade and traversed the left-hand wall. When he was safe i followed, but in drysuit boots i didn't have the same grip or support as wellies for climbing; i slipped into the water and was swept over the cascade instantly. The handline wrapped around my hand came tight and i was thrust under the water but held by the line. It was impossible to breathe and i could not climb back up against the force of the water, so i had to let go. I thrust my legs down and tried to stop with my feet and hands but i think i just managed to flip myself as i went around the bend. I managed to snatch a breath before i was plunged over the second cascade, continuing to try and get hold of something but failing. For a split second i bizarrely enjoyed the waterslide sensation, then i was shot head-first over one of the higher cascades. I was looking down at this point and could see the madly churning pool (i'd worn my mask from sump 2). I knew then that i was going to be unable to stop my headlong descent.
I don't remember what happened in the next split second or so, but then i suddenly slowed down. I grabbed what i could and stood up; simultaneously i felt a rush of water into my right leg. Just below the falls the canyon widened on the right, with a submerged ledge - there was a back-eddy along this side of the pool and i'd been washed into it. Shaking, i carried out a swift damage assessment. Mostly i seemed to be ok, except for my fingers, many of which i could move only with difficulty and much pain. My right hip ached from where a 4 lb lead block had been smashed into it, and my left knee was sore. I yelled 'i'm ok' to Artur but he could not hear with the water noise. I tried to signal back up the passage with my light. (He thought i was dead, and the flashing light was my helmet bouncing around in a pool.) Somehow he made it down to me. We continued; there was no other option but to get ourselves out.
The next section was an easier walk, then we reached more impassable cascades. What now? The noise made it hard to make out what Artur was shouting, then he climbed the left wall to high ledge. I followed until it became too difficult without the use of fingers, and then retreated to a more comfortable stance. We shouted and gesticulated to each other without much comprehension. Suddenly Artur made a giant stride across the canyon and disappeared on a boulder-strewn ledge. What now? I couldn't get there! He reappeared and i understood that he wanted me to follow. I climbed up again and stopped at my previous high point. It required an exposed move to the right above the canyon and up to the ledge, and i couldn't hold anything firmly enough. I had to make an awkward sideways and up mantleshelf move, putting weight only on my palms and edging with my drysuit boots. While wearing 8 kg of lead and a 7 L bottle. Somehow i crawled onto the ledge. Now i just had to cross the canyon. I dithered and Artur shouted at me. We tied my bottle to the remains of the 6 mm, and lowered it into the canyon while Artur held the other end of the line. He pulled it up safely. I threw his fins and my fins over the gap. Now me. I could hear Artur shout that it was easier than it looked. The landing part was a narrow, short, sloped ledge, with a lump of rock above to grab. I went for it - and it was easier than it looked!
The worst was over i thought, we could follow high level passage to the sump. After clipping on bottles and fins we traversed the boulder ledge, and entered a sandy tube. Artur comfortingly assured me that he wasn't quite certain if this was the tube he was thinking of...but it ended at a muddy slope above the sump pool. Artur handled both bottles down to the pool and helped me climb down, and as i was kitting up with the bottle and fins to swim over the pool for my other bottle he brought it to me. Now all that remained was the dive, and i could ditch my kit on the far side and walk to the 'Hoo and probably A&E. With a tear the size of a 2 pence piece in my drysuit leg - and i was sure there were other holes - this promised to be cold and wet.
It was. I hardly needed to put air in my suit to stop squeeze. When i did put air in i could hear it bubbling around my chest and into my arms. I made it 5 minutes, and dekitted with relief, then waited for Artur who'd decided to survey sump 1. When he returned we discussed moving my kit higher in case of floods, but i ended up deciding that i didn't want to come back to get it and it wasn't fair to expect someone else to get it. I'd got it so far, i could take it to the entrance where it would be easier to collect. I ended up walking it back to the 'Hoo as i realised i would be too lazy to come back for it. We exited the cave after 6 hours, rather battered, and limped back to the 'Hoo with all our kit like a pair of pirates. But we did have some survey data from Upper Cradle sump 2 and Upper Cradle 3 for our troubles! Thankfully on my slate as Artur lost his in the Cascades. I also lost the tape measure when i fell.
Thanks Artur.
Thanks Niall for helping me dekit in the 'Hoo and supplying painkillers.
Al Kennedy
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