Some resurgence near Gort; also Poulnagollum
Wednesday, 2 April 2014 – Friday, 3 April 2015
Having finished field work I was finally free. YAAAY. A few bus rides later saw me getting to Doolin in the evening, nevertheless Tony was keen to get something done. Thus we set off to Gort where Tony planned to dive a resurgence. Following a few carries down a pleasant walkway we went through call out procedures if Im any later than 9 call the Garda and get cave rescue, a pointless exercise as Ill be dead but and off he went.
The dive was done with minimal (apparent?) faff and excellent timing; I arrived back at the cave entrance just as Tony emerged from the depths. We headed back to Doolin via an excellent Chinese in Lisdoonvarna.
The next day, we arrived at the forum where very few people where around, only an advance DIT party and some of the older Cardiff members out on day release. Thus it was decided it would make sense if we all did the Sam Allshorne cave (Poulnagollum) but different routes; rigging for the weekend. I managed to leave my wellies back at the hostel but fortunately was able to borrow Matt’s who wasn’t caving…
We had intended to do the Branch Passage Gallery round trip but due to vague instructions, turn right and go upstream we ended up fucking about underneath waterfalls and up various climbs before eventually giving up and heading back out the way we came. (A bit of a shame as we did actually get to the correct junction but). After yet more ball deep water I decided to piss myself to warm myself, this worked temporarily but the warmth was quickly flushed away… Meeting the other group we were joined by Becks whilst the other 2 headed on (along out intended route. Headed out of the cave for some liquid refreshment. Stopping briefly where Jack got a particularly filthy look for emerging from the ICRO defender with 2 empty cans of carling we headed back to the forum where more people had started to emerge.
(The correct route consists of heading into the obvious shake hole, underneath the cliff and into the longish crawl. After gaining the main stream way it is followed for some time until you reach a hole on the right where most of the water flows down. Immediately after this is a pitch down. Landing in a roomy chamber you head LEFT, DOWNSTREAM over and under various blocks until you reach a chamber with a stream coming in from a low passage. It is apparently at this point that you start turning right and upstream and eventually come back into the main streamway.)