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News years day cave search

25 posts & 15 voices | Started 4 months ago by roper | Latest reply from hammyuk

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roper - Member

A couple of you have asked how we got on so here are some photos.
We found the cave wasn't really a cave as such. More a small tunnel.
The entrance was very small though and was a bit of a belly slide.

this is looking up

and some steps heading towards the back

There were loads of cave spiders though, Meta menardi and I think Meta bourneti. They all had egg sacks too and I think I saw some slings.

All the white blobs are egg sacks. I suspect there were 50 to 100 in total.

Here is a mum protecting the egg sack

No scorpions or centipedes though but it was small, I couldn't stand up and had to slide about in places, just big enough to turn arround in.
this is looking out form halfway.

My wife crawled to the end too and I took my son a little way in. He wanted to go further but I wouldn't let him. I did hear some bats and saw one flying so decided to leave.
I might have to go back though

Posted 4 months ago #
Lady Gresley - Member

Small spaces and spiders? I feel scared just thinking about it!

Posted 4 months ago #
monkeyharris - Member

That's not Grinshill in Shropshire is it? As far as small run in adits go it looks similar.

Posted 4 months ago #
Stoner - Member

where are you and the cave in which you expect to find scorpions? Im betting it aint Derbyshire...

Posted 4 months ago #
roper - Member

It is Southern Spain, in-between Tarifa and Gibraltar. I've no idea of the name, but was hoping for more bugs even a hibernating snake or family of european scorpions.

Posted 4 months ago #
samuri - Member

Gibraltar? edit, too late

Although there are scorpions in the UK. Fasands of them.

Posted 4 months ago #
mogrim - Member

Why the steps? Have you got a cool hat, Indiana Roper style, that you wear on these expeditions?

Posted 4 months ago #
Kevevs - Member

Nice one Roper. Love your spidey enthusiasm!

Posted 4 months ago #
matt_outandabout - Member

oooh, that is a proper one....

Get asking locally and explore some more!

Posted 4 months ago #
roper - Member

I've not got a clue about the steps. Maybe it was an escape tunnel during Franco's time or the war? I'll have to ask arround.

I don't have a hat either, though I was packing quite a selection of pots, tubs and a tuning fork.
I also holstered my 30cm rubber tipped tweezers and some chopsticks

I do have my eye on another cave. I've only seem the entrance from the side and a kilometer or so away, but it looks big enough for a tree to grow inside the entrance.
I tried to get there once but was chased away by a couple of baboons, though that's another story

Posted 4 months ago #
Stoner - Member

Ive had a good wander around inside the Gibraltan tunnels. There's miles and miles of them in the rock. Fascinating. But no idea if full of creepy crawlies.

Posted 4 months ago #
Jamie - Member

Cheers for the follow up thread, ~~dad~~ Roper

Posted 4 months ago #
CountZero - Member

Two words spring to mind here. That. Bugger.
Rearrange into a well-known phrase or saying.
As someone else so rightly pointed out, a confined space, with assorted Arachnida, does not an exciting playground make.

Posted 4 months ago #
seanoc - Member

Did you take a gas monitor and escape set? I've used to inspect that kind of structure and I've had to react to an H2S alarm on more than one occasion. Hope it was well ventilated.

Posted 4 months ago #
roper - Member

seanoc, it hadn't occurred to me to take anything like that, though I was expecting a cave big enough to stand up in.
What should I take when I go back?

Posted 4 months ago #
seanoc - Member

If it's a well frequented cave/culvert (that looks like a culvert to me) with a good solid floor and a good draft them I wouldn't anticipate any massive risks regarding breathing air but if it's tight, or there's a risk of dead air, or the floor is not solid then I really would be using a multimeter, an intrinsically sealed torch and I really wouldn't be using a flash.

If you're exploring new sites then I'd say it was pretty daft not to have an escape set, gas monitor, harness, top-man, tri-pod and winch........etc. I've had to use each of these of a number of occasions.

Look at 'confined space training' sites for more information. I hope you never need this sort of stuff but I reckon you need to research the risks.

Posted 4 months ago #
CountZero - Member

Seanoc: a whole list of reasons why you'll never, ever, ever get be down in tunnel and cave systems.

Posted 4 months ago #
roper - Member

Thanks for the info Seanoc. I will have a look into it. I can't see I will explore many caves but would like to know the risks and prevention I can take.
The word of warning is appreciated.

Posted 4 months ago #
seanoc - Member

Glad it's taken as intended, no problem.

Posted 4 months ago #
Hadge - Member

As good as ever Pete! Top post.

Posted 4 months ago #
Hadge - Member

Pete, here's my P metallica as she is now. I had to take the picture through her enclosure as she runs off as soon as I open the door grrr. She's looking good now

Posted 4 months ago #
Jamie - Member

When is a thread hijack not a thread hijack?

When it's Hadge posting in a Roper thread, or vice versa

Posted 4 months ago #
cynic-al - Member

Why not use a flash? What good would a multimeter do?

Are there electronics down caves to measure or something?

Posted 4 months ago #
corroded - Member

and I really wouldn't be using a flash

OK, intrigued as to why no flash?

Posted 4 months ago #
hammyuk - Member

Explosive atmosphere and a nice big flash using a halide bulb...........
"WHOOMPH.............. splat......"

Posted 4 months ago #