Ogof Craig a Ffynnon Fifth Choke trip 14/07/2018
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Jacob Puhalo-Smith, William "Will" Norwood, Ryan Boultbee, Lorna Watson and Ana Nas.
The cave has been visited many times before, with a fairly complete set of pictures covering the earlier and later parts of the cave, so this gallery will mainly cover a few parts that have not been photographed on those previous trips. This was an impromptu trip, taking a university club team that would otherwise have been attempting an OFD through-trip. This was the first trip for any of them into this fantastic cave.
Brightly coloured female European cave spider, in the entrance crawl.
The water levels were so low that Gasoline Alley (and all of the streamway below it) had no flowing water at all, a complete contrast to my previous trips here. Sadly the low part still required a crawl in the water.
Modelling by Will and Ryan, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob, Will and Ryan
As a club tradition, the other team members had brought Ana with them (her sister Anas was on another trip), to be carried by hand carefully through each of the most awkward sections of the cave, such as here at Second Choke.
Modelling by Ana and Ryan, lighting by Tarquin and Ryan
A small side passage in Travertine Passage, which had been a sump last time I visited while the cave was in flood. In such conditions, the sump would be about 2 metres long, and probably free diveable, with care.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
Stal flow in the side passage.
The side passage.
Modelling by Will and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Will and Jacob
The passage ends abruptly at a 15-20 metre deep pitch, into a surprisingly large space. Water appears from one wall and splashes into a pool at the bottom. The ongoing passage apparently ends quickly in a too-tight bedding. Presumably it would just connect with Northwest Inlet.
At the top of the boulder pile in Travertine Passage is a roped climb up the side of the passage. This looked easily climbable but proved to be extremely hard, as the rope was too slippery to get a grip, and there were no other handholds. It very quickly felt like a mistake to try - SRT kit would be best. Jacob and Will both managed to make it up as well, but the other two had the sense to remain at the bottom.
Modelling by Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Will, Ryan, Lorna and Jacob
The roof of Travertine Passage, with some long straws. The balcony on the far side has a hidden hole dropping back to the floor.
Lighting by Jacob and Will
The rope reaches a balcony adorned with a fine collection of very long straws.
Modelling by Jacob and Will, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob and Will
The longest straws are about 2 metres long. (There is one nearly double that length in Travertine Passage.)
Modelling by Will, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob and Will
Crystal structure of a straw.
Lighting by Tarquin and Will
Straw columns
Lilly pad rimstones in the crystal pools.
The gour pools were all dry.
A large alcove that would presumably normally be a crystal pool.
Climbing down from the balcony proved as hard as getting up, as the rope offered no friction at all. Will and Jacob abseiled down instead. Without either his own belt or krab, Will used the donkey's dick (dragging rope) from a tackle bag as a belt, which fortunately was strong enough to be used in this way. Again, SRT kit would be much better, but we improvised.
Modelling by Will, lighting by Tarquin, Ryan, Lorna, Will and Jacob
Third Choke in Hall Of The Mountain King, the usual end of shorter tourist trips. The choke seems not to relate to the major passages further on in the cave, and instead is probably related to Ogof Daren Cilau. On the right is the way on through Hurricane Highway.
Modelling by Jacob, Will and Lorna, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob, Will, Lorna and Ryan
Contemplating the absurdity.
Modelling by Ana, Ryan, Lorna and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob and Lorna
Feeding Will, whose hands were too muddy to touch his biscuits. Yes, custard cream biscuits.
Camera and setup by Lorna, modelling by the side of Jacob's face, Tarquin and Will, lighting by Lorna, Jacob and Tarquin
At the squeeze in Hurricane Highway, Ana made it through with no difficulties, but Jacob failed to locate the correct arch, and spent some time trying to work out how to get his helmet back. In the end, he gave up and removed it, leaving it wedged in the squeeze.
Modelling by Ana and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
Reunited!
Modelling by Ana and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob's abandoned helmet and Will
Ana taking the brunt of the bouldery section of Hurricane Highway.
Modelling by Ana and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
Stalagmites tucked into the back of the Third Boulder Choke in Hurricane Highway.
Column in Hurricane Highway.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
The final awkward bit of Fourth Choke, with a very bruised pineapple. For further pictures of this cave, see the galleries linked at the top of this page.
Modelling by Ana and Will, lighting by Tarquin and Will
In her transport bag, accompanied by water bottles (one retrieved from Fourth Choke), and debris.
Modelling by Ana
Emerging into evening light, with the view of Llanelly Quarry and the Waunllapria village of Llanelly Hill (my childhood home), across the Clydach Gorge.
Team photo, in varying states of undress.
Camera by Ana, modelling by Will, Tarquin, Lorna, Jacob, Ryan and Ana
Brightly coloured female European cave spider, in the entrance crawl.
The water levels were so low that Gasoline Alley (and all of the streamway below it) had no flowing water at all, a complete contrast to my previous trips here. Sadly the low part still required a crawl in the water.
Modelling by Will and Ryan, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob, Will and Ryan
As a club tradition, the other team members had brought Ana with them (her sister Anas was on another trip), to be carried by hand carefully through each of the most awkward sections of the cave, such as here at Second Choke.
Modelling by Ana and Ryan, lighting by Tarquin and Ryan
A small side passage in Travertine Passage, which had been a sump last time I visited while the cave was in flood. In such conditions, the sump would be about 2 metres long, and probably free diveable, with care.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
Stal flow in the side passage.
The side passage.
Modelling by Will and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Will and Jacob
The passage ends abruptly at a 15-20 metre deep pitch, into a surprisingly large space. Water appears from one wall and splashes into a pool at the bottom. The ongoing passage apparently ends quickly in a too-tight bedding. Presumably it would just connect with Northwest Inlet.
At the top of the boulder pile in Travertine Passage is a roped climb up the side of the passage. This looked easily climbable but proved to be extremely hard, as the rope was too slippery to get a grip, and there were no other handholds. It very quickly felt like a mistake to try - SRT kit would be best. Jacob and Will both managed to make it up as well, but the other two had the sense to remain at the bottom.
Modelling by Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Will, Ryan, Lorna and Jacob
The roof of Travertine Passage, with some long straws. The balcony on the far side has a hidden hole dropping back to the floor.
Lighting by Jacob and Will
The rope reaches a balcony adorned with a fine collection of very long straws.
Modelling by Jacob and Will, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob and Will
The longest straws are about 2 metres long. (There is one nearly double that length in Travertine Passage.)
Modelling by Will, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob and Will
Crystal structure of a straw.
Lighting by Tarquin and Will
Straw columns
Lilly pad rimstones in the crystal pools.
The gour pools were all dry.
A large alcove that would presumably normally be a crystal pool.
Climbing down from the balcony proved as hard as getting up, as the rope offered no friction at all. Will and Jacob abseiled down instead. Without either his own belt or krab, Will used the donkey's dick (dragging rope) from a tackle bag as a belt, which fortunately was strong enough to be used in this way. Again, SRT kit would be much better, but we improvised.
Modelling by Will, lighting by Tarquin, Ryan, Lorna, Will and Jacob
Third Choke in Hall Of The Mountain King, the usual end of shorter tourist trips. The choke seems not to relate to the major passages further on in the cave, and instead is probably related to Ogof Daren Cilau. On the right is the way on through Hurricane Highway.
Modelling by Jacob, Will and Lorna, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob, Will, Lorna and Ryan
Contemplating the absurdity.
Modelling by Ana, Ryan, Lorna and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob and Lorna
Feeding Will, whose hands were too muddy to touch his biscuits. Yes, custard cream biscuits.
Camera and setup by Lorna, modelling by the side of Jacob's face, Tarquin and Will, lighting by Lorna, Jacob and Tarquin
At the squeeze in Hurricane Highway, Ana made it through with no difficulties, but Jacob failed to locate the correct arch, and spent some time trying to work out how to get his helmet back. In the end, he gave up and removed it, leaving it wedged in the squeeze.
Modelling by Ana and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
Reunited!
Modelling by Ana and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin, Jacob's abandoned helmet and Will
Ana taking the brunt of the bouldery section of Hurricane Highway.
Modelling by Ana and Jacob, lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
Stalagmites tucked into the back of the Third Boulder Choke in Hurricane Highway.
Column in Hurricane Highway.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jacob
The final awkward bit of Fourth Choke, with a very bruised pineapple. For further pictures of this cave, see the galleries linked at the top of this page.
Modelling by Ana and Will, lighting by Tarquin and Will
In her transport bag, accompanied by water bottles (one retrieved from Fourth Choke), and debris.
Modelling by Ana
Emerging into evening light, with the view of Llanelly Quarry and the Waunllapria village of Llanelly Hill (my childhood home), across the Clydach Gorge.
Team photo, in varying states of undress.
Camera by Ana, modelling by Will, Tarquin, Lorna, Jacob, Ryan and Ana