Expedition Log

Day 21 Tuesday 31st January 2006

Everyone except Dave Clucas and Herb went down the new (easier) trail to the River Ora.

The team attempted crossing upstream but were forced to retreat due to the high water conditions with the flowrate estimated to be 8 cumecs. A rope was left at the cascade climb.

Meanwhile Moose and James found a small inlet cave on the north side of the downstream portal. A low stoop through a pool soon led to a well decorated passage on average 3m wide x 1m high.

The inlet stream was followed to a duck which was passed, to reach a long low crawl with water issuing from the East side. Ahead a crawl through stalagmites eventually rejoins the stream at a four ways junction, these in to out passages weren’t explored at the time. Ahead more crawling and stooping leads to another rejoining of the stream at a well decorated chamber with the way on being a 6m climb up into the continuation. By now the route seems well developed with an exciting rumbling noise ahead. Having lost the stream for the umpteenth time they eventually regained it in a fine canyon passage which led to a 4m waterfall – the source of the rumbling noise (this was not the downstream Ora main river).

This was the limit of the exploration of the main inlet water as it issues from an impenetrable passage.