Ian Tiley, Lawrence Wilson, Peter Sanders, Peter Hall, Rich Nurse, Will Puddy

Keith Milward

After a day of heavy rain I was expecting the roads to be flooded on the way into Priddy but turned out to be not too bad.

Got changed on the Green and walked to the entrance in a light drizzle.

Unsurprisingly the cave was taking a lot of water. Just inside we split up with some taking the dryer option of the zigzags with the rest getting a soaking on the slab. Pete Hall wanted to check out a dodgy bolt on the far side of sump 2 so set off with Keith down the Short Dry Way while the rest of us made our way through Kenneys’ Dig to gain the main stream.

We then went upstream before turning right into the Oxbows. Here we split again with Rich and Will going through Butcombe Chamber and the Lower Oxbow whilst Peter, Ian and I followed the stream before getting flushed through the Lavatory Pan all meeting up in the Water Chamber.

The water was roaring down the Water Rift, Rich Will and Peter went to the top of the Forty and down through the squeezes before we all very careful down climbed the 8 foot waterfall, wandered down to the Twenty where the water on the immediate approach was above welly level.

By the time we battled our way back to the Water Chamber Peter, Ian and I had had enough of water so exited via the Long Dry Way while Rich and Will swam up the Wet Way.

When we exited it was raining again so a quick change and settled in at the Hunters where we where joined by Andy S. and then Pete and Keith who had had an aqueous time with Pete free diving sump 2 and sorting the bolt out. The drive home was an exercise in dodging puddles and slowly driving through floods. Good to see the cave in high water conditions and visiting some less popular areas. At least everyone’s suits where nice and clean after last week’s digging.

— Lawrence Wilson 13/01/2023