After the appearance of the January B.B. early in the month
of Feb., it should cause little surprise that this one will be received by most
members in the month of March. We are not setting out to claim that this is a
good thing, and to doubt we will catch up and members will have received the
regulation number of issues of the B.B. before the year is out. On thing which has been holding back
production, is the small amount of stuff in the float. Hint.
Alfie
Notices
Tackle Store Keys
The distribution of keys to the
Tackle Store is as follows. G. Dell
(Belfry Engineer); R. Bennett (Caving Sec.); N. Petty (Tacklemaster); G. Tilly
(Hut Warden); D. Searle (Assistant Hut Warden) and Dave Irwin (M.R.O.
Warden). The key held by Garth will be
taken over by Alan Thomas as Hut Engineer.
Urgent Appeal
In spite of his appeal at the
A.G.M. and subsequent reporting of same, the Hut Warden has still not received
any GIFTS of SAUCEPANS. The Belfry is
now down to THREE and it will soon be no longer possible to do cooking other
than frying. PLEASE, if you have any old
but serviceable saucepans at home, persuade your
parents/relatives/landlady/butler to donate them to a good cause. The Belfry.
Climbing Note
(Weekend 28/29 January, 1967)
Heayg: Pat Ifold,
John Stafford, John Eatough, Dave Radmore, Mark James and Kangy King.
Scotty Dwyer
Bunkhouse: Bob Sell, Pat Barnett and
Angela Lester.
Saturday provided low clouds but no rain. The whole party went to Cwm Idwal and James,
King and Radmore to the Tennis Shoe. Down early and back to the Bunkhouse for coffee. On Sunday, the party attempted the Snowdon
Horseshoe, but it was too windy. Conditions
were too bad for
R.S. King
Have you paid your sub yet?
Yes, we know that its tradition in the B.E.C. not to pays
subs on time. It does cause extra work
though, because in some cases it is not known if a member has left the club or
only just gone into hiding. Some people
who have complained about not getting a B.B. have found on enquiry that it has
been because they forgot to pay their subs. Don't let this happen to you!
Cuthberts Diving Operation
(24th and 25th of February)
This operation was based on two sets of teams the digging
and diving teams. The job of the diggers
was to dig a trench into the sump and to enlarge it as far as they could reach. When the limit had been reached, the divers
would then set about digging underwater, and the diggers would remove the spoil
into Gour Rift.
The amount of water going into the cave was reduced by dams
at the Mineries Pool and in the depression. The first digging teams then dug a trench into the sump and widened the
sump passage. The first diving team then
assembled and tested the surface demand breathing apparatus and then helped
with the digging. Digging carried on to
two oclock on Sunday morning when it was decided that the diggers were of no
further use, and the teams from there on were reduced. Three men were retained to assist the divers,
who were carrying on digging under water. The digging became subject to setbacks caused by the undermining of the
silt banks by the stream and resulted in their collapse. Diving continued until two oclock when the
increased water coming into the cave, and the extremely cold conditions under
which the divers worked during their ten minute submersions, resulted in the
abandonment of the diving. On Sunday,
all that remained was to retrieve all the gear.
The telephone worked perfectly throughout the weekend, and
was essential to the successful running of the shift rota. The gas cooker provided by Sybil functioned
well and produced vast quantities of much needed soup. On the digging side, plastic buckets and a
metal sledge were extremely useful for removing the spoil from the sump. From the diving point of view, the surface
demand B.A. was found to be too expensive on air and so diving tended towards
the use of self contained sets. The
actual digging underwater was carried out by means of a small garden trowel,
which was used to push spoil into the sides of the sump.
Those who dived would like to thank the girls who cooked
soup; made coffee; provided hot water and tended to our needs so admirably, to
which the thanks of the diggers must be included. Lynne, Sybil and Joan of the B.E.C. and Sally
and Joan of the
The final distance into the sump reached was between 9 and
10 feet.
Digging in the sump will be continued by members of the
C.D.G. and a damming system will be continued by various club members.
P.A. Kingston
Green Shield Stamps.
An appeal is being made for members to give Green Shield
Stamps to the Club. Many members who get
the chance to collect stamps at garages etc., and probably have no use for
them. Please give such stamps to the Hut
Warden in future. This will save money
for the Club.
Long Term Planning (3)
The February meeting of the Long Term Planning Committee was
one in which members reviewed the work done to date. The secretary explained that the Grant forms
had now been received and that he had made contact with an official in
The Secretarys scheme for forming the club into a company
was then produced. The Memorandums and
Articles of Association had been prepared. He was instructed to obtain legal advice at this stage.
Alan reported that he was still negotiating for the
additional land and that this was not without some hope. Ben was seen about using his track for access
to the site, and it was found that this could be done under some conditions
although this might not be a practical proposition. The committee then went on to review the
situation generally and finished up with an on the spot inspection of the site.
It is expected that the Committee will shortly be in a
position to begin the actual job of laying out of the building and siting it. Much of the preliminary work has now been done
and this will soon begin to show results. In spite of the fact that some members may consider the space given in
the B.B. to be a waste, it is felt that members should be kept as up to date as
possible on what the Long Term Planning Committee is doing and be given every
opportunity to comment. If any members
have points they wish to raise on any subjects so far discussed, or on the
actual layout of the Belfry, please write to the Secretary, S.J. Collins, Homeleigh,
Bishop Sutton, Somerset and your letter will be read at the next meting.
Why do you go Caving?
Some time ago, a questionnaire was distributed to cavers
which, in addition to asking questions something like: - Are you
married/single/divorced/thinking about it? asked people to give an honest
answer to the eternal question Why do you go caving? As very few would be able to think of a convincing
answer to such a question, a selection of model answers was provided, the
answer to be ticked in order of preference, e.g.: -
1. Because I like meeting people.
2. To get away from it all.
3. Because I like it
4. Because my girl friend/ boy friend/wife likes it/thinks I like it/thinks I ought to like it.
5. To prove myself
.or something like that.
Wouldnt it have been much easier to answer if the
questionnaire had been slightly differently phrased? For instance
In no other sport does one so frequently avoid asking
oneself, Why do I do it? Please avoid answering the following
questions dishonestly.
1. Are you a caver? If so, do you go caving?
2. Did you go to school? If so, why?
3. Where were you educated? If so, did you learn anything? If so, What? When? Which? How? Why?
4. Are you married/courting/trying/being
trying/being tried/chasing/being chaste/thinking about it/ trying not to think
about it/dont know?
If so, why? Why not? Who? Where? What? Which? When? How? How many? How often? What do you mean? What was the question? And if not, why not?
5. Do you avoid caving, Climbing, Diving, Swimming,
Drowning, Drinking, Working, Washing, Caving, Washing up, Climbing, Caving,
Washing up, Answering Questionnaires?
Here are some model answers, in any order
a. Dont like it.
b. Dont
c. Wife/Girl friend doesnt like it
d. Too Wet/Tired/Old/Fat/Drunk/Morrow
e. Other interests
f. Dont Know/Care/See why I should answer/Know
what you are talking about/ Be impertinent
g. Opening time.
Editors Note This was sent in some time ago by
R.A.B.? R.A.S.? R.J.B.? (I genuinely cant read the signature!)