BABYSITTERS DIG 23rd - 25th MAY 1998
by Chris Grimmett
Photo by Chris Grimmett
Andy Amatt, Simon Amatt, Graham Christian, Clark Friend, Chris
Grimmett, Allan Richardson, Lis Millet & Roger (Saturday).
Oh yes, and Sam Moore.
Friday
Moved the winch & equipment up in the afternoon
Saturday
Baled out a reasonable quantity of water and removed the remains of Friday night's rock breaking activities. GJC & SA condescended to arrive after lunch, after which more progress was made.
Sunday
A slow start with only CMG & CRLF digging until 3 others arrived with a 12' ladder section. This was installed below the first fixed ladder as the dig is now sufficiently deep that it was getting difficult to reach the bottom without it. The narrow passage connecting, from the deepest point to Clark's end was dug out and confirmed as steeply descending bedrock rather than a sand filled rift. All digging has now concentrated at the lower end.
Monday
The dig continues down through the usual muck and rottenstone. At the Western end, hanging boulders above the area being dug will shortly become a major problem, despite Sam's engineering efforts. Depth now circa 13M. A total of 220 buckets and an estimated 8 tonnes of spoil were removed.
Nitrogenation
The No. 2 spoil heap has now been completely filled and the surface flattened off prior to its conversion into an alpine garden. Night soil operatives in the form of the brothers Amatt were sent out to collect all sheep-turds within a 50M radius of the dig. The results of their efforts plus some more contemporary contributions were spread around the spoil heap to encourage plant growth. Visitors to the dig are encouraged to make generous donations of anything nitrogenous.