Who would have thought re-belays were that complicated?

Posted on March 24, 2019 by marilyn

GLENROCK SRA – 24 March 2019
Daniel B had organised a Single Rope Techniches (SRT) field day for Newcastle Hunter Speleos, so Marcia K and I (as associate members) thought we’d go along to get some SRT practice.  Marcia had tried it once before, and I sort of knew what I was doing, but found out heaps that I was not doing right! Continue reading →

Posted in Caving, MSS, NHVSS | 2 Comments

Cultivating Weed circa 1980s

Posted on March 23, 2019 by marilyn

MARY JANE CANYON – March 23, 2019
I’ve seen places in canyons (high up in creek systems) where people in the 70s or 80s had cultivated weed … chicken wire used to enclose a big flat area beside a creek (so that the native animals wouldn’t eat it I guess), but this operation was way beyond that!  We didn’t see any of the “gardens” but the overhang used to dry it (in days gone by) suggests a considerable sized crop, not that I’d know (lol)! Continue reading →

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Abercrombie … introduction to scaling poles

Posted on March 17, 2019 by marilyn

ABERCROMBIE CAVES – 16 & 17 March 2019
So, what are scaling poles you might ask?  Well, sometimes you need to get a ladder up to a hole in the side of a cliff (or the wall of a cave) so you can climb up to take a look inside.  I’d had them described to me, and they sounded really dodgy, a (preferably) small person climbs the ladder which is only held up by this pole! Continue reading →

Posted in Caving, MSS | 2 Comments

IYDM Trip #2 Yarramun Creek Canyons

Posted on March 10, 2019 by marilyn

YARRAMUN CREEK – Wollangambe Fire Trail > Unnamed Ridges > Captains Canyon > Up Ya Bum Canyon > Captains Canyon and return – 7 – 10 March 2019.  An “In Your Dreams M” trip proposed by John G … the walk in and out would be 5 – 6 hours.  We would camp on Thursday night to get an early start.  I wasn’t at all confident, particularly as my backpack weighed in at 15k – way too heavy for me! Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoning, MSS | 4 Comments

What’s that white stuff on the rock?

Posted on February 24, 2019 by marilyn

MT WILSON – Dalpura Canyon, 24 February 2019
More about that white stuff later …  the plan for the day was to go down the unknown section of Upper North Bowens Creek, but, with the outside temperature of 11ºC, did we really want to do a canyon which might have numerous compulsory swims?
Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoning, MSS | 2 Comments