Provisionals'/Beginners' weekend November 2018

This was the biggest Provisionals' Weekend I have been involved with. We had 34 people come caving with us over the course of the two days and over 20 current club members helped out to make sure everyone had a great experience. Some were current SWCC provisional members, others had never been caving before, whilst yet more had some caving experience, but were new to SWCC itself. Well, they couldn't have asked for a better weekend to visit the club! It was a fantastic turnout with a great atmosphere and the age range was from 9 years old up to early 60s. The club was as busy as I have ever seen it, with people filling up the last available bunks on Saturday morning. But we all fitted and had a good time - despite the weather trying to upset matters!

Saturday dawned with the usual running around to get people in to groups and going underground. They all put up with me remarkably well as I ran around like a headless chicken trying to make sure all people had the kit they needed and were in a group suitable for their abilities. There were 9 groups going underground on Saturday (Sorry I missed grabbing a photo of Chris, and Phil's group). We all got underground by 11.30am and there were trips in OFD1, Cwm Dwr and OFD2 that day. Sunday saw slightly fewer people go caving, but we still sent 5 full groups underground.

The Long Common Room on Saturday morning.

 Brendan, Lee, Ciaran, George and Colin about to go in search of the Pom Pom

 Alex, Alex, Andy, Jo, James and Jen ready for Cwm Dwr

Alex, Nick, Sue, Helen, Rita, Celestine and This almost good to go.

 Sally, Malcolm, Fred, Bill, Lewis and Josh

 Edd, Roger, Neil, Pete and Inga

 Antonia, Duncan, Stephen, Mark, Tenzin, Judy

Alex, James, Valentina, John, Ian and Inma 

Claire, Emily, Jane, Emily, Guy and Andy

All groups had a great time underground and came back to the club hut tired, but smiling, and ready for a hot shower. Here are some photos showing what they got up to underground:

Judy, Stephen, Mark, Tenzin at the Trident.

Stephen, Duncan, Judy,  Mark, Tenzin at the Shatter pillar.

 Jane near the Mini Columns

 Bolt Traverse, OFD1- high above the river!

 The team in Bridge Chamber, OFD1

 Chris and Dylan in Pi Chamber

Dylan trying out a crawl in OFD1

When everyone returned to the surface there was loads to do. Andy and Antonia had arranged to show several of their award-winning caving films, including the latest St Cuthbert's film. The room was completely packed! With standing-room only available at the back. Thanks both!

Three of our Junior members -  Ellie, Emily and James - are heading to a Scout jamboree in the USA in 2019. In order to raise funds for this they were selling handmade snowman Christmas ornaments, cakes (with specially designed posters by Thomas and Matthew) and had helped cook a communal curry. Well done all of you!

Ellie with her handmade snowmen

 James, Meghan, Dylan, Emily and Ellie sell cakes in the interval of the caving film showing.

Junior members helping each other out with the cake sale

Despite the awful weather we still managed to have some fireworks and Andy, Dave, Brian and all their helpers wowed us with a 30 minute display. As always - their efforts to keep us entertained, even in dire weather, are greatly appreciated.

Local Caving

Dave, Paul and Adrian (CSS and SWCC) at Llanelly Quarry Pot

Over the past year or so evening caving trips and meals out among local cavers have become more regular. The last few weeks have been no exception. During that time we have visited Llanelly Quarry Pot, Little Neath, OFD2, OFD1, been out for 2 currys and gone bowling. It's good to see local cavers meeting up, with trips often being mixed-club ones, so if you want to join in, just get in touch. 





Dave admires some formations in Llanelly Quarry Pot

Lisa, Paul, Nigel, Jen and Dan at Little Neath (SWCC/CSS/Gagendor)



Dan cooling off in Little Neath

John and Paul exploring a cave on Gower

Alan on President's Leap during a route-finding trip



Paul, Barbara, Steve and Chris go bowling



It's yet another strike! (Steve is now banned from bowling with us...)



Chris in Selenite Tunnel



Claire, Chris, Alan and Paul going in to OFD2. Route finding to Cross Rift

Chris crossing President's Leap

Ian, Tom and Glenys getting ready for Top Entrance

Tom in Top Entrance



Local curry evening



Jenny and Jamie in OFD1

Alan, Chris and Trev about to go in to OFD1 on a hot evening

Paul, Adrian, Steve and Dave raring to go

Claire and Ceri near Minchin Hole

Ceri and Claire in Minchin Hole, Gower



Provisional Members'/ Beginners' Weekend

Just a quick write-up here as a more detailed report will appear in the Newsletter. The 3-4 June weekend saw 14 people either new to caving, or SWCC, come and visit the club and go underground with current club members.

Morning briefing before heading underground.

We had a variety of trips suitable for all abilities on offer. Some of the more advanced cavers who were new to the club, rather than caving itself, visited Dan yr Ogof and Northern Lights in OFD on Saturday. Others had their first experience of a cave and visited Trident and Judge, Swamp Creek and the mini-Columns, or OFD1. These trips took them underground for around 4 hours and taught them some valuable new skills, such as traversing and crawling. The smiles afterwards showed that they all enjoyed their trips!

John, Paul, Steve and Tim get ready to go to Northern Lights

2 beginner groups get ready to go underground

Matthew trying out a squeeze

Lucy at Swamp Creek

James on President's Leap

Lucy at the Mini-Columns

Following caving and hot showers we then sat outside enjoying the sunshine and chatting in the early evening until it was time to go out for a curry. There were 17 of us who ended up eating out, so it made for a pleasant and sociable evening.

Dave, Paul, Nigel, Alex and Matthew enjoying the sunshine.

Sunday looked like a completely different month. The sun of the day before was replaced by heavy drizzle. Nevertheless, we still had plenty of people keen to get underground and we were eager to oblige with most of us visiting OFD1.

Alex, Matthew and Lucy in Roundabout Chamber, OFD1

Alex on Bolt Traverse

Thank you to our leaders for the weekend: Bill Buxton, Andy Freem, Antonia Freem, Chris Grimmett, Bob Hall, James Hallihan, Phil Knight, Tim Lewingdon, Malcolm Lloyd, Sam Moore, Chris Taylor and John Wellbelove.

Welcome to new provisional members: Lucy Archer, Mia Berwick, Paul Conboy, Dave Coulson, David Eason, Keeley Gordon, Petra Hajnal, Laurence Howells, Matthew Jones, Nigel Jones, Alex Nahmad-Rohen, Alex, Oliver Rathmill and Steve Rush.