United Cavers Exploration Team

Cave and Mine Exploring => General Chatter => Topic started by: Tony Salusbury on Mar 13, 2016, 09:10 PM

Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: Tony Salusbury on Mar 13, 2016, 09:10 PM
Steve Backshall's Extreme Mountain Challenge, Episode 2:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b074c5jk via @bbciplayer

Thanks Boydy for letting us know this was on tonight. It's on the iplayer link above for anyone who missed it. A great watch! The scenery is stunning.

[video]http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b074c5jk[/video]
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: Tom Howard on Mar 14, 2016, 04:02 PM
I thought it was filmed very well, compared to the usual caving on TV. I was quite surprised how he didn't over-do everything on the presenting side also :-) and educational.
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: mike leahy on Mar 14, 2016, 04:15 PM
did you notice they were double roping on the abseiling
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: Tom Howard on Mar 14, 2016, 04:23 PM
I did. It's always the same for TV stuff as it's a work environment I guess. They'll still be governed by the usual H&S guidelines surely. Plus they had full access gear on rather than shitty stuff cavers would supply.
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: mike leahy on Mar 14, 2016, 04:37 PM
[quote="Tom Howard" post=28241]I did. It's always the same for TV stuff as it's a work environment I guess. They'll still be governed by the usual H&S guidelines surely. Plus they had full access gear on rather than shitty stuff cavers would supply.[/quote]
 true
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: Robin Jones on Mar 14, 2016, 07:49 PM
Fantastic, Thanks for sharing.  At least they admitted failing the climb.  Bear Grylls would never have done that.  Interesting that no-one clipped into the traverse line at the pitch head.

I don't understand climbing, what was the jammer for on the opposite rope to the ID.  The only thing I could guess is it was to do with a pull through?
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: Tom Howard on Mar 14, 2016, 07:54 PM
It was a Petzl ASAP I think. Like a shunt sort of fall arrest device. If he were to start to plummet or the first rope failed then that would engage and stop him - or at least slow him down.
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: Robin Jones on Mar 14, 2016, 08:02 PM
ah ok, cool, that makes sense  B)
Title: Newly discovered cave in Venezuela
Post by: mike leahy on Mar 14, 2016, 08:14 PM
ye it was an asap tom