Just come back from a trip to the bottom today. Water levels even lower than the pictures above. Only 6" water at the bottom of the sandy passage down so you can get to the end of the roadway without getting wet. Its still pretty deep heading in the opposite direction - probably about 5'. Must take a boat next time...

Dave

Hey Dave,
Don't bother heading back with a boat unless you're determined to be able to say you've been to every last bit of the mine. We went that way in wetsuits a couple of weeks ago and found that just around the corner you can see is a blockage. We think it's the otherside of the collapse on the incline. Certainly the floor dropped completely away underneath where we were (had to swim it!!) 😮

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Rock Chick, thanks for the info!

I had thought that the incline might join the passage just after the water and would provide an easy route to the chamber with the old blocked entrance without messing about with SRT or ladders. I put in a few of the splits at the end of the sloping passage before the drop into that chamber and they are probably past their 'best before' date now 🙂

Maybe a dig is called for...

Cheers,
Dave

Myself and EvilJim popped into here tonight for a wander around. The water is now below Critical Wellie Depth. As stated, Turning Right at the bottom of the Scree slop will take you quickly to Dry land. I did have a brief wander up this way, but as EvilJim didn't have Wellies, I didn't head too far in, but it look like a fair bit of "new" ground is now accessible.

Since my last visit, it's dropped considerably... a minimum of 4ft, very possibly more. There is a nice wagon axle with wheels still sitting on the rails.

Pictures...

The View forwards, from the bottom of the Scree slope. I'm standing almost in front of the "tin shed" in a previous picture, and I'm not in any water.
🔗Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-69842[linkphoto]Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-69842[/linkphoto][/link]
View Supersize

The View Right
Aforementioned Wagon wheels, still resting on the rails.
🔗Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-69843[linkphoto]Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-69843[/linkphoto][/link]

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here's the pic of that corrugated sheet from the 08/10/11.

[photo]Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-67407[/photo]

and here's one I took from Thursday last week of the same place. 17/11/11

[photo]Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-69855[/photo]

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Are you able to see down the next incline yet?

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We were back yesterday, a month after the previous visit, and water levels appeared exactly the same. I think that they will not drop much further now as either the outlet hole is blocked or the water level has dropped to reach it.

Its possible that there may be a slow decease in levels if the weather stays dry as there is still quite a draught through the lower levels and that will cause some evaporation.

Not many bats in the mine at present, there were none in 'bat chamber', but a couple were hanging from the ceiling near the hosepipe climb. I guess its still warm enough for them to forage for food and there is no shortage of spiders :lol:

Dave

has anyone worked out yet where exactly it's draining from/to? It's dropped a fairly impressive amount (about 4m i guess?) over the last few years, but since the summer it seems to have speeded up more than is acounted for by the dry weather.

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here's the pic of that corrugated sheet from the 08/10/11.

[photo]Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-67407[/photo]

and here's one I took from Thursday last week of the same place. 17/11/11

[photo]Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album-Image-69855[/photo]

Just thought I would update this seen as were talking of the water level again. Miles and myself were in there on Thursday just gone 15/12/11 and its certainly risen quite alot ..heres a pic from that date.

[img]🔗Personal-Album-697-Image-70993[linkphoto]Personal-Album-697-Image-70993[/linkphoto][/link][/img]

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Looking at that roll of cable? on the left it looks higher than it was early October now

Looking at that roll of cable? on the left it looks higher than it was early October now

A spring tide? 😉

Havent seen it myself but Meaty was in there the other day and said its now up to the corrugated sheet, I expect it to be full up by Monday after the rain were having here, I will try and get down before then.

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Now I wish that I had gone when I had the chance 😢

It was quite good, I would say nearly double the amount of exporable workings

I will be in again later tomorrow, but not optimistic about getting into the lower workings.

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I know, everyone had been telling me to get in there. I had the chance to go on a few occasions, but decided that the water level would remain the same and dropped some shafts in the area instead.

Fingers crossed that it may go down again

Havent seen it myself but Meaty was in there the other day and said its now up to the corrugated sheet, I expect it to be full up by Monday after the rain were having here, I will try and get down before then.

Ta for the update Marty :thumbup:

It's a pain that the water is on its way up again. Real pity, as pointed out the new ground almost doubled the explorable size of the place, and there was promise of more to come if it dropped further.

Hey ho, fingers crossed its climate related and it'll drop again.

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I was in there yesterday 24/12/2011 and at the bottom of the pipe shaft/sand slope it was up to the roof.

If work along the level above, go up and then down a slope there is a winze that could drop you onto dry ground or shallow water,

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