Polloughabo
From TechnicalDiving.ie Wiki
Description
Pollaloughabo is a lardge depresion located South of Kinvara. The entrances are in the east and west corners of this deep triangular depresion.
Upstream:
The eastern entrance is the largestand most obvious. Inside the passage, its width reaches 18m. The greather parts of the surfaces of the cave are covered with fine slipery sediment. This entrance is used by cattle to drinkfrom the pool. The pool immediatly inside this entrance is the upstream dive base. This pool leads along a bedding into a rift. After 20 this enters the main river through the roof, droping down to -17mon the floor of the main conduit.
Downstream:
The western entrance is a small hole protected from animals by a low dry stone wall. Please ensure that its integrety is maintained. From here the main river can be immediatly accessed and followed downstream into Pollbehan 860m away, "The dark Shamrock Traverse".
Location
Exploration history
This site was origianaly found an explored by the Dark Shamrock Team.
Folowing: extracts of exploration reports from Jim Warny
05/08/06
The water level was found to be very low due to little rainfall over the last weeks. Upon entry a crystal clear visibility was encountered. After a fast progress the 90° corner to the left was reached where the ceiling dropped down after that a passage with large boulders was reached and followed. After 30m beyond the squeeze a giant reel was found left on the line (The reel had no name or markings on it) The dive was turned at 30min dive time.
Conditions: No flow noticeable and excellent visibility
Dive time: 50min
Max Depth: 22min
Configuration: Joki +2x7l bag + 3L Oxygen
Divers: Mark Lakes begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting, Jim Warny
07/08/06
Progress was made fast at the start of the dive and 20m before the turn to left a strong flow was noticed. After the turn in the restriction no flow was noticed. 30m after the reel on the line an passage between boulders was found where the line wasn't fixed to it's belays any more, some time had to be spent until an old wooden reel was found. This reel was badly disintegrated. The line was tide in after securing the old reel and 5m of progress was made difficulty inside a boulderchoke, at that point the dive was turned. On the return the line was tide in at the corner where the restriction is. From there 15m of line was reeled out in line with the incoming line until a silt bank was met. The return was a bit slower then coming in due to the tidal flow.
Conditions: Minor flow noticeable and excellent visibility
Dive time: 50min
Max Depth: 22m
Configuration: Joki, 2x7l, 3L Oxygen, AL40 NTX
Divers: Jhon Sherry and Jim Warny
20/05/07
Today the plan was to further explore the lead that was found last weekend . Due to rainfall during the week beforehand, the water level had risen about 70cm. The start of the dive was the normal routine up to ±500m, where I tied in last week. A stage bottle was left there, to reduce the load while laying line. From that point the line heads in to a low section for about 30m until a crevasse is met. This crevasse drops down in to the roof of a large passage with the bottom at 26m. In that passage i tide in on the line and laid 55m of line on the right hand wall. At that point I tide the old reel in that i had picked up at 300m, and laid another 30m of line. The dive was turned at 60min runtime. The exit was fast due to flow. So from the point where the line was tied in about 145m was explored with depths averaging 25m and the cave is still going strong towards the east.
Conditions: minor flow noticeable and 2m visibility
Dive time: 100min
Max Depth: 26m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox
Divers: Solo
25/05/07
Today's dive is to survey last weeks exploration for me and for Jhon to explore further in to the cave. Mark will be making his first cave dive of the season with his new rebreather. Having Marks jeep the distance of the caring was greatly reduced. Jhon entered the water first followed by me and then Mark. This week the visibility was very bad only 1,5m to 2m. I progressed fast trough the first section of the cave. At the junction where the new line started I tide in with the survey line. I laid out 92m of line to reach the end of the unmarked line. As I was swimming towards the end I met jhon who told me he had a look left an right but did not find any significant lead. I picked up the big line reel at the end an laid an other 15m of line, but decided to stop to come back an other day when the visibility is better. on the return I spent nearly 60min surveying the passage. After finishing surveying I started heading for the exit. The exit was slow due to the heavy load of stagebotels and reels. Mark had a good dive to the end of the old line.
Today's dive didn't give us any new cave to explore but the survey is back up to date again.
Conditions: minor flow noticeable and 1m visibility
Dive time: 141min
Max Depth: 26m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox
Divers: Jim, Mark Lakes and Jhon Sherry
10/05/08
After a year waiting finally conditions where perfect for exploration again. The dive started with the usual routine first 450m. A stagebotle was left at the junction before the crevasse to be les bulky while exploring. Before the end of the line the reel was tied in to explore to the right but after 40 minutes of searching no leads where found. After tiding up the reel I proceeded to the end of the line and picked up the reel that was left there since last year. The way on seemed to be straight trough the bolder field and progress was made easily. After the bolder field a low section was passed. The dive was turned after 80min of run time and laying +/- 75m of line. The cave is still heading east and is getting larger towards the end. The return was uneventful.
Today was a good start of the year and proving to be very promising.
Conditions: no flow noticeable on the way in and minor out flow after 60min and 2m visibility
Dive time: 110min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + 12l Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox
Divers: Solo
11/05/08
Yesterday revealed open passage heading towards the east so there was no hesitation to return as soon as possible. The dive went smoothly and progress was fast due to the low flow. The reel that was left at the end of the line was emptied and a new one tied in and another 70m of line was laid. In total 150m was explored towards the east. The cave is very comfortable towards the end with a mix of sand banks, gravel and pebbles.
A return will be planed as soon as possible.
Conditions: no flow noticeable and 2m visibility
Dive time: 115min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + 12l Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox
Divers: Solo
13/05/08
An other successful dive with good conditions. 170m of line was added towards the east and with the same trends as previous 150m of passage. The dive was called due to running out of line. A reel was staged at +/- 800m for the next dive prior to commencing exploration. Calculated distance of the end of the line is 1050m.
Conditions: no flow noticeable 3m visibility
Dive time: 138min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + 12l Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox + 7l Air
Divers: Solo
01/06/08
Today’s dive was a challenging dive due to high work load on the way in with all the extra gear. A third bailout bottle was staged at +/- 700m. The dive wet slowly until the end of the line where the an other bottle was dropped. Then 350m of line was laid in large passage and still heading east/ south east. The return was fast as the 2 bottles where left staged for tomorrow’s dive.
Conditions: no flow noticeable 3m visibility
Dive time: 165min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox + 12l Nitrox
Divers: Solo
06/06/2008
I did an other dive this weekend. The way in was hard work, it took me 80min of swiming against the curent to get to the EOL. I managed to add 80m of line. The cave is smaler and rising up towards the end.
Conditions: high flow 3m visibility
Dive time: 180min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 2x AL80 Nitrox + 12l Nitrox
Divers: Solo
24/05/2010
After no major dives in the cave for the past 2 years. Today conditions where finally good enough to attempt a push dive. Progress was in the cave was rather slow at the beginning of the dive due to not being in tune with the gear and the cave. The end of the line was reached and 130m of line was laid in large ascending passage. The EOL is now at 1610m from the entrance and at a depth of -12m. The return trip was smooth and uneventful. 2 stage cylinders where left at 800m and 1400m for next weekends push.
Conditions: moderate flow 3m visibility
Dive time: 162min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 3x AL80 Nitrox
Divers: Solo
30/05/2010
As last week was a success an other dive was staged today aiming to extend the exploration further. Progress was fast as most stage cylinders where staged last week. At the EOL the reel from last week was picked up and the exploration continued. A total of 355m was explored trough a passage with large boulders and breakdown. All staged cylinders where removed on the way out. Current EOL is 1965m.
Dive time: 210min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 3x AL80 Nitrox
Divers: Solo
26/06/2010
Following the recent dives in morans cave and not finding the way on on the last dive, it was decided to do an other dive in pollaloughaboo.
The start of the dive was very slow with 4 cylinders to transport. Frank followed me until 450m
Upon reaching the end of the line expectations where running high to make the connection to Morans cave. To my great surprise the connection was made only after exploring 75m. The total distance to the connection point was 2040m and the distance between the two entrances is 2870m.
Dive time: 224min
Max Depth: 27m
Configuration: Meg + AL40 Oxygen + 3x AL80 Nitrox + 12L Nitrox
Divers: Solo
