Dan-yr-Ogof Mazeways trip 04/07/2018
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, modelling, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Gareth Davies and Max Fisher.
Mazeways is normally completely inaccessible to dry cavers, as it is entered through a 15 metre sump. However, after weeks of dry weather, the water levels had lowered to allow access. The purpose of the trip was for Gareth and Max to dive through to Mazeways II, with me being a support crew member. The time taken for their dive would give me plenty of time to take pictures of this superb series of passages.
At the last minute, the other support crew member had cancelled, leaving me with no model or lighting assistant. A quick scramble to find a lightweight tripod, and some string to tie the phone camera to it since a phone tripod grip couldn't be located at such short notice, and an alternative plan was set. As a result, the vast majority of the Mazeways pictures were taken completely solo, with myself as the photographer, model and lighting assistant. The phone screen couldn't even be seen properly because of the silly way it needed to be attached to the tripod, but in spite of the limitations, the pictures do seem to do justice to these very attractive passages.
Pictures are presented in logical order, rather than the order that they were taken. Most pictures are taken facing out of the cave rather than into it.
The Mazeways Entrance Pool in Thixotropic Passage; the heart-shaped sea. The water is normally nearly 2 metres deeper, so that only the little archway on the right is visible, and appears to be the way on. The real way on into Mazeways is the archway ahead-left. The pool is at least a couple of metres deep even in these conditions, with a choke at the bottom. It has a side passage part way down - presumably below the arch to the right - leading into the side of the Main Stream's sump.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Drought conditions have opened up the sump to allow walking through into Mazeways. On the left are a series of holes down 8 metres into the (presumably upstream) Main Stream, which is too tight. On the right is the downstream Main Stream sump, leading 30 metres into Lake 10 at the end of Bakerloo Straight.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
The sump opens up into the superbly scalloped passage of Mazeways
Mazeways then does what Mazeways does best, and splits into a series of parallel phreatic oxbows - the first three are on the right, while a side passage leads off at the top of the sandy slope. The oxbows are formed on a sloping bedding, with the highest level oxbows on the left, and the lowest on the right, all leading uphill. The sand is freshly deposited each winter, but fresh footprints showed that we were not the first to take advantage of the drought this year.
Modelling by Max and Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
The lowest oxbow, which has partially filled with sediment.
Looking down from the top of the sandy slope.
The side passage at the top of the slope.
Worms live in the mud floor, producing the bobbly texture made up from worm casts.
The side passage ends at a pit, which presumably would normally be a sump.
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
In the bottom of the pit, a very low passage has been dug to enter the Mazeways Extension, a passage that is about as long as the main Mazeways I, ending in its own sump. The passage appears to refill with sediment each time it floods, leaving a 10 cm high passage, and needs to be dug open again. I did not have any tools to dig with, but it was recorded as taking a few hours in the exploration notes.
A small side passage passes through a squeeze.
Modelling by my left welly
Then ends at another silted arch, which would appear to connect to the Mazeways Extension.
Back in the main part of Mazeways, the three oxbows join at a multi-junction, creating a total of 4 different routes. This characteristic view of Mazeways required 4 separate photographs which were stitched to produce the final image.
The passage immediately splits into two again. This is the lower route.
The lower route.
The upper route.
Rippled sand in the upper route.
The upper route then splits into a second and third route. The third route then splits into a third and fourth route (the fourth route is not shown on the survey at this point).
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
The passages join at a second multi-junction, seen here from the third route looking through the second route down into the lower route. The fourth route, which is much smaller than the others, has a connection behind the camera as well.
The continuing lower route.
The majority of the Mazeways oxbows finally rejoin at this beautifully sculpted junction, my personal favourite view of Mazeways.
The fourth route joins from the side at the junction. It is definitely smaller than the others, but still has a rather lovely shape to it.
Although the route splits again, one of them is a very tight oxbow, while this picture shows a pool in the main route. A frog of some kind swam past me while I was walking through the pool. Somehow, it had managed to survive a trip all the way into here, and even more amazingly, it was managing to eek out an existance in this static pool, a couple of hours into the cave - presumably hunting for occasional worms in pitch darkness. With any luck, it will survive long enough to be washed out in the next flood.
Phreatic tube beyond the pool.
Characteristic tube cross section.
At the next split, the right branch reaches the Right Hand Sump that leads into Mazeways 2.
Modelling by Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
The Right Hand Sump is almost never used, and its dive line has decayed to the point that it is now just tattered strands that are sometimes washed out of the sump. Divers collect it and hang it up to be used to patch other damaged lines, or just to keep it out of the way to avoid tangles.
Beatifully tubular passage between the Left and Right Hand Sumps.
The Left Hand Sump.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
The two divers kitting up ready for the dive into Mazeways II.
Modelling by Max and Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
Heading into the sump.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
Start diving.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Returning to correct a free-flowing regulator.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
And the second diver enters the water, after which I am left alone to take pictures for 2 hours. During that time, I would occasionally hear very loud sounds like someone had dropped a tackle bag nearby. These would appear to be air from the divers escaping via the Right Hand Sump.
Modelling by Max, lighting by Tarquin and Max
Immediately before the sump is a lengthy side passage, which is not shown correctly on the survey. It begins as a small tube, drops down a climb, and continues as a sandy crawl for a very long way - well over 100 metres. Because of how incorrect the survey is, I had wondered if maybe it had connected with the Mazeways Extension. Eventually, it reached a junction, with a very low passage on the right, and an increasingly tight sand swim dropping to the left. This appears to then become the very tight oxbow at the last multiway junction, rather than the Mazeways Extension. If so, the survey has incorrectly shown the oxbow connecting at the Right Hand Sump junction (which it definitely does not do), rather than the Left Hand Sump junction.
Eventually, I started hearing a high pitched note resonating through the passages, and rushed back towards the sump. A couple of minutes after the note started, the divers emerged.
Modelling and lighting by Max
Returning through the frog pool.
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
Lake 8, hidden down a climb beneath Virgin Passage. This is unlike most of the other sumps; instead of the passage slowly dipping into a sump, a small passage leads into this large room with a beautifully coloured lake sump abruptly placed in the floor. There shall be a sump right .... here!
On our way out, we took a look at Syphon Series, between Lakes 3 and 4.
Gareth had set the syphon running two days earlier, and the sump had drained to a muddy puddle.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Curtain at the end of the drained sump.
Lighting by Tarquin and Max
Rainbow tide mark and pom pom at the end of the drained sump.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Column beyond the drained sump.
Modelling by Max
The first duck in Syphon Series, which may result in a wet ear. The muddy floor makes it rather awkward to move through the duck.
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
The dry passage within Syphon Series.
Modelling by Max, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
The second duck is substantially worse than the first, seen here from its far side. When approaching the duck, it looks like there is almost no airspace, but there is a meandering rift wide enough for a helmetless head. After that are two ribs of rock which force a partial face wetting. The worst part is the muddy floor - the water is really a thick mud soup - which makes movement very difficult, especially when one hand has to hold a helmet. Max tried to avoid removing his helmet, and the ceiling switched off his light, forcing him to complete the duck in the dark.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
The route into Lake 6 had filled with mud, and the passage in the other direction (seen here) ended in worm-filled glutinous mud and a muddy sump, appearing to connect back to the last duck. This picture gives a very good idea of how the passage looks, but it misses the beautiful squelching sounds every time you move. However, when we remained still, there was the very ominous sound of a powerful river, like the passage was in flood. It turned out that this sound had carried all the way in from the start of the passage, and we were actually hearing The Cataracts near Lake 4, over 100 metres away through a muddy crawl.
Modelling by Max and Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
At the first duck, a side passage heads up a slippery, muddy crawl. The first section of jagged rock shows why it is called Razor Passage, but apart from this section, the first half is mostly smooth. The wetsuited divers had the sense not to continue.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Some muddy slimes then reach a climb up into the really snatchy passage, typically stooping or walking sized, with occasional small formations. Along, climb down, along, climb up, along a tight bit, climb up more, along, climb down.
The passage ends very close to a side passage in the showcave. Presumably, this end is normally a sump, as there is a tide mark 60 cm above the current water level. It may have been worth trying to push through this, as it could well have been open, but I was alone, and not in the mood for pushing through such things.
The Mazeways Entrance Pool in Thixotropic Passage; the heart-shaped sea. The water is normally nearly 2 metres deeper, so that only the little archway on the right is visible, and appears to be the way on. The real way on into Mazeways is the archway ahead-left. The pool is at least a couple of metres deep even in these conditions, with a choke at the bottom. It has a side passage part way down - presumably below the arch to the right - leading into the side of the Main Stream's sump.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Drought conditions have opened up the sump to allow walking through into Mazeways. On the left are a series of holes down 8 metres into the (presumably upstream) Main Stream, which is too tight. On the right is the downstream Main Stream sump, leading 30 metres into Lake 10 at the end of Bakerloo Straight.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
The sump opens up into the superbly scalloped passage of Mazeways
Mazeways then does what Mazeways does best, and splits into a series of parallel phreatic oxbows - the first three are on the right, while a side passage leads off at the top of the sandy slope. The oxbows are formed on a sloping bedding, with the highest level oxbows on the left, and the lowest on the right, all leading uphill. The sand is freshly deposited each winter, but fresh footprints showed that we were not the first to take advantage of the drought this year.
Modelling by Max and Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
The lowest oxbow, which has partially filled with sediment.
Looking down from the top of the sandy slope.
The side passage at the top of the slope.
Worms live in the mud floor, producing the bobbly texture made up from worm casts.
The side passage ends at a pit, which presumably would normally be a sump.
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
In the bottom of the pit, a very low passage has been dug to enter the Mazeways Extension, a passage that is about as long as the main Mazeways I, ending in its own sump. The passage appears to refill with sediment each time it floods, leaving a 10 cm high passage, and needs to be dug open again. I did not have any tools to dig with, but it was recorded as taking a few hours in the exploration notes.
A small side passage passes through a squeeze.
Modelling by my left welly
Then ends at another silted arch, which would appear to connect to the Mazeways Extension.
Back in the main part of Mazeways, the three oxbows join at a multi-junction, creating a total of 4 different routes. This characteristic view of Mazeways required 4 separate photographs which were stitched to produce the final image.
The passage immediately splits into two again. This is the lower route.
The lower route.
The upper route.
Rippled sand in the upper route.
The upper route then splits into a second and third route. The third route then splits into a third and fourth route (the fourth route is not shown on the survey at this point).
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
The passages join at a second multi-junction, seen here from the third route looking through the second route down into the lower route. The fourth route, which is much smaller than the others, has a connection behind the camera as well.
The continuing lower route.
The majority of the Mazeways oxbows finally rejoin at this beautifully sculpted junction, my personal favourite view of Mazeways.
The fourth route joins from the side at the junction. It is definitely smaller than the others, but still has a rather lovely shape to it.
Although the route splits again, one of them is a very tight oxbow, while this picture shows a pool in the main route. A frog of some kind swam past me while I was walking through the pool. Somehow, it had managed to survive a trip all the way into here, and even more amazingly, it was managing to eek out an existance in this static pool, a couple of hours into the cave - presumably hunting for occasional worms in pitch darkness. With any luck, it will survive long enough to be washed out in the next flood.
Phreatic tube beyond the pool.
Characteristic tube cross section.
At the next split, the right branch reaches the Right Hand Sump that leads into Mazeways 2.
Modelling by Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
The Right Hand Sump is almost never used, and its dive line has decayed to the point that it is now just tattered strands that are sometimes washed out of the sump. Divers collect it and hang it up to be used to patch other damaged lines, or just to keep it out of the way to avoid tangles.
Beatifully tubular passage between the Left and Right Hand Sumps.
The Left Hand Sump.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
The two divers kitting up ready for the dive into Mazeways II.
Modelling by Max and Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
Heading into the sump.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
Start diving.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Returning to correct a free-flowing regulator.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
And the second diver enters the water, after which I am left alone to take pictures for 2 hours. During that time, I would occasionally hear very loud sounds like someone had dropped a tackle bag nearby. These would appear to be air from the divers escaping via the Right Hand Sump.
Modelling by Max, lighting by Tarquin and Max
Immediately before the sump is a lengthy side passage, which is not shown correctly on the survey. It begins as a small tube, drops down a climb, and continues as a sandy crawl for a very long way - well over 100 metres. Because of how incorrect the survey is, I had wondered if maybe it had connected with the Mazeways Extension. Eventually, it reached a junction, with a very low passage on the right, and an increasingly tight sand swim dropping to the left. This appears to then become the very tight oxbow at the last multiway junction, rather than the Mazeways Extension. If so, the survey has incorrectly shown the oxbow connecting at the Right Hand Sump junction (which it definitely does not do), rather than the Left Hand Sump junction.
Eventually, I started hearing a high pitched note resonating through the passages, and rushed back towards the sump. A couple of minutes after the note started, the divers emerged.
Modelling and lighting by Max
Returning through the frog pool.
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
Lake 8, hidden down a climb beneath Virgin Passage. This is unlike most of the other sumps; instead of the passage slowly dipping into a sump, a small passage leads into this large room with a beautifully coloured lake sump abruptly placed in the floor. There shall be a sump right .... here!
On our way out, we took a look at Syphon Series, between Lakes 3 and 4.
Gareth had set the syphon running two days earlier, and the sump had drained to a muddy puddle.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Curtain at the end of the drained sump.
Lighting by Tarquin and Max
Rainbow tide mark and pom pom at the end of the drained sump.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Column beyond the drained sump.
Modelling by Max
The first duck in Syphon Series, which may result in a wet ear. The muddy floor makes it rather awkward to move through the duck.
Modelling by Gareth and Max, lighting by Tarquin, Gareth and Max
The dry passage within Syphon Series.
Modelling by Max, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
The second duck is substantially worse than the first, seen here from its far side. When approaching the duck, it looks like there is almost no airspace, but there is a meandering rift wide enough for a helmetless head. After that are two ribs of rock which force a partial face wetting. The worst part is the muddy floor - the water is really a thick mud soup - which makes movement very difficult, especially when one hand has to hold a helmet. Max tried to avoid removing his helmet, and the ceiling switched off his light, forcing him to complete the duck in the dark.
Modelling by Gareth, lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
The route into Lake 6 had filled with mud, and the passage in the other direction (seen here) ended in worm-filled glutinous mud and a muddy sump, appearing to connect back to the last duck. This picture gives a very good idea of how the passage looks, but it misses the beautiful squelching sounds every time you move. However, when we remained still, there was the very ominous sound of a powerful river, like the passage was in flood. It turned out that this sound had carried all the way in from the start of the passage, and we were actually hearing The Cataracts near Lake 4, over 100 metres away through a muddy crawl.
Modelling by Max and Gareth, lighting by Tarquin, Max and Gareth
At the first duck, a side passage heads up a slippery, muddy crawl. The first section of jagged rock shows why it is called Razor Passage, but apart from this section, the first half is mostly smooth. The wetsuited divers had the sense not to continue.
Lighting by Tarquin and Gareth
Some muddy slimes then reach a climb up into the really snatchy passage, typically stooping or walking sized, with occasional small formations. Along, climb down, along, climb up, along a tight bit, climb up more, along, climb down.
The passage ends very close to a side passage in the showcave. Presumably, this end is normally a sump, as there is a tide mark 60 cm above the current water level. It may have been worth trying to push through this, as it could well have been open, but I was alone, and not in the mood for pushing through such things.