86: Dig Update

The dig still continues, and with the latest date comprising of enlargement of the tube to allow one to turn around and with two of these 'stations' before the fill face - where we are digging forward, life is a little more comfortable (if it weren't for the huge wolf spider!). More 'stations' will be added as we go depending on how far in we have to go to break into the cave.

Previously we had to wriggle in forwards and wriggle out backwards and that is not ideal the deeper we get. This photo of the second station shows that we can now sit almost upright. Yet we are still about 40cm from the tube floor based on the curvature of the walls that we can now see bend inwards at these stations.

It has been hot and humid deep inside and we really need ventilation installed next - we have a plan for that. We also found more Paradise duck eggs and a few more broken and very old bones that have come in with the fill. They are probably just animal but now knowing where the fill came from, it is just as likely old human burial bones. I'll have to keep a sample nexty time and have it analysed.

While we dig this tube out slowly, take note that it was filled by hand some 30 years ago. Yes, this tube was filled in by hand at least 20 metres and maybe between 20 - 40 metres (we'll find out soon enough). If that were true there could be up to 60m3 of fill manhandled inside. Below is picture from the GoPro of the furthest in we can see (roughly 15 metres), where the fill is only 5cm from the tube roof. At this point the 3rd 'station' needs to be dug even larger where it's cleared the full circumference. If the tube is in fact a keyhole phreatic tube, we may encounter a further problem, as while we would then be able to stand upright as we dig, everything above our waist would need clearing in case of collapse of the fill. We also have to be aware that below this larger are layers of karst. Obviously there could be anything below that. The fact the stories said two crawled in and more inspected the cave before filling it in suggests everything should be straight forward.

Sony camera view:

GoPro on the long extention:

So that's all we are prepared to disclose or show you presently. But some interesting articles are on their way including a dagger ("But Maori didn't use daggers" I hear you say), Polynesian travel to Chile, pre-Maori evidence in Otago, and some adzes that you will wonder about that are not on public view.....and how about the bow we posted on 10th February? That was a significant find that very few commented on on Facebook.