Enthusiasm

Qi Keng Dong, Tian Xing Village

31/08/2002

An early start down Qi Keng Dong. Tom carried on rigging Pitch Out of Time taking a 200m rope to add to the 106m already in. Erin, Andy and I took photos and tried to cook the food that had been taken in previously. The lighters had got wet in the BDH container because the lid hadn't sealed properly. After awhile they were dried out using Andy's boiler suit and my camera rag.

(Andy had cunningly kept his cotton boiler suit partially dry, by bailing out the pools at the top of the pitches onto the others before descending!) They were just about to tuck into Chilli Con Carne, when Tom shouted to come on down. I abseiled to join Tom, while Erin and Andy continued surveying.
	The pitch was pretty splendid and although 160m deep was broken up into manageable steps by rebelays. Tom stopped moaning about the cave and started to enthuse. However as soon as we set off to explore at the bottom of Pitch Out of Time, the passage changed character and we headed into a narrow horizontal canyon. There was a hint of fossil stuff above us but it couldn't be reached.

The narrow passage continued down a couple of climbs, through a squeeze, past some inlets and over some deep sumpy water. After one kilometre and more clean washed passage, we had not reached any conclusion. Starting to feel guilty about exploring without surveying, (well Tom was) we turned back. We met Erin and Andy who'd surveyed down the Pitch Out of Time, apart from a couple of missed legs. Tom and I then surveyed another 30 legs which only covered 277m, before getting cold. We were all wearing thermals and cotton boiler suits except Tom who had a thin nylon yachting oversuit. It was much warmer and drier than previous explorations in May and June.

We carried out bags of surplus rigging gear in preparation for derigging tomorrow as we're running out of time. Despite tiredness Erin organised me to help her finish the missing pitch survey legs. Last person exited the cave at 1:00 a.m,15 hours after entering in the morning.

August Diary 3

2002 Index

Keep the Faith

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