Monday, 12 February 2024

How Not to Get Lost in OFD 2


The ever-welcoming staff in Luigi’s were surprised to see Caver Keith back again on Monday 12th February - the very next day! He had spent Sunday 11th leading a series of exploits in OFD with a very proficient caving team. This time he was back with a couple of cavers who really do need some supervision. Dave and Anne had asked Keith to teach them the trade routes around OFD 2. They were keen to learn the first lesson of successful caving: make sure you have a decent breakfast.

The next lessons were much more complicated. After successfully locating Top Entrance, the pupils went exploring along the usual tourist trails, trying to remember which turn goes where and becoming thoroughly confused. They think they went through the Brickyard, into Gnome Passage, past the Wedding Cake, down the Corkscrew, along Salubrious to the Crossroads. They took a diversion down Maypole Inlet to see where the streamway connects for a possible future through trip. Back on the normal round trip, they went into Cross Rift and were dutifully shown the ways on into Moonlight and Midnight Chambers.

After going to Selenite Tunnel via Shatter Pillar and hopping over President’s Leap, the pupils were then left in charge of finding the way back out. After much head scratching, and one correction from the Master Caver we’re mostly pleased to report that all three made it successfully back to daylight.

The final lesson of the day was how to get the heavy metal door to shut – it turns out you need some brute force…

Cavers: Keith, Dave, Anne

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