Trip date:  1-30-2010
Project manager:  Ben Miller
Trip purpose:  Hydrology -to change charcoal packets at DL8
Areas of Cave visited:  Downstream Thunder
Trip participants:  Bob Lerch, Andy Lerch, Josh Brewer
Entry Time:  ~1:30 pm 1-30
Exit Time:  3:30 am 1-31
The trip report:  This trip was to travel down to  DL8 to change a charcoal packet placed last September.  A new set of dye injections was set to occur on Sunday the 31st and so we wanted to change this packet before a new round began.  We arrived at the silo and met Spike’s group preparing and headin into the cave.  Once they had gotten along their way we entered the cave, changing the packet near the entrance and then heading downstream.  We made our way downstream stopping at DR1 & DR 4 to change charcoal packets.  We did notice the water was about 1.5 feet higher than normal base flow which did make the current a bit stronger than normal.  Swimming on we eventually made our way to Jerrys Cairn area where we crossed to the Breakdown and changed out of our wetsuits and into dry cave suits for the rest of our journey.  The trip trudged on passing Horseshoe Falls and DL7, changing charcoal packets at both sites.  Everything was hunky dorey until the last 100 feet before the e
ntrance to DL8.  Suddenly it seemed that the pools were deeper than before and we found ourselves with an unexpected and unpleasant swim over to the side passage.  We wondered if the Lake Room might be backed up enough to create this much higher than normal water level.  Once inside the side passage we changed the charcoal packet and began looking for a place to have a hot meal.  We found a high ledge and dug in for a meal and a break.  We were all quite cold and wet from the bit before the passage.  After the meal we decided that since we had travelled all the way to DL8 we should at least map a little.  So we pulled out the survey gear and quickly surveyed about 250 feet of psasage.  Now DL8 was over 500 feet in length though the passage dimensions decreased.  With that done we turned tail and began the long trip out.  We finally reached the ladder and the top at 3:20 am.  The night was quite cold and we made our way down to camp for a fire then quickly passing out.  The nex
t day I had to go back to Toronto Springs and still change out a few packets while Bob and the rest of the crew went and injected dye into Garman Hollow as well as just down the hill from camp into Davis Hollow.  Hopefully these will connect to cave and enlarge our current recharge area of 15 km2.  Another great trip back to MO and into Carroll.