Upper & Lower Cradle re-connected

Dio's Way Sump reconnected.

Over a series of 11 dives, Upper cradle now has a continuous line to lower cradle once again. Ray started exploration by pushing upstream from Lower cradle in which together we pushed 200m of line. On Arthurs 15th Anniversary we returned to his original dive site in Dio's way after a dive in a mistaken area now named Mouse House.

The way on was left open in Dio's way that day and since Raymond Bell put 2 dives in to extend the line slightly.

Today Nathaniel, Ray and Andy returned to Upper Cradle to continue the connection. Ray dove first and extended the line 2 belays further before returning. While Ray was underwater, Nathaniel and Andy went up high in the first Boulder Choke Upstream up Bryans Back Breaker armed with digging utensils. After some booting and hitting cleared a squeeze into a dark cavity above. This broke into a new connection to Pollnagapple. The squeeze is located on the left as you enter into pollnagapple.

Nathaniel then dove after Ray had exited. Armed with survey equipment. Reaching the end of the line, it was noted that the permanent marker used on the line in situe, has eroded. The reel was picked up and pushed directly north for 20m before coming to a boulder obstruction. Using the Boulder as a belay The first bit of Arthurs line was discovered, passing through a line trap. Passing high around the line trap I noted that there was only a couple of wraps of line left on the reel! What a shame to run out of line this close to the finish! and just as I came to terms with deciding to make the final belay I saw the dark blue polyprop line I had previously layed in Lower Cradle. I finished off the line on the reel, just at exactly the lenght required. At distance marker 60. of a completely jumbled set of distances in lower Cradle. A return survey trip and through trip is planned for the connection.

On return a line survey was taken; Backshots, each leg is approximated 5m taken from tags on the tape.

-17.4m 250' 2 leg line trap

-16.8m 180' 4

-15.5m 210' 1

-14.4m 150' 2

-13.4m 210' 2

-12.4m 200' 2

-9.9m 130' 2

-8m 120' 3