Shannon Cave Two

From TechnicalDiving.ie Wiki

Description and history of diving

Shannon Cave Two is a small subsidiary rising for the Shannon Cave system 100 metres to the east of Shannon Pot at the base of the scarp. The cave sumps almost immediately.

The rising was dived in April 1976 by Martyn Farr, who passed a 4.5 metre long sump to reach a tight, dry bedding plane; this became too tight after 9 metres. An aural connection was observed across the sump.

References

Irish Sump Index, 1988

The Caves of Fermanagh and Cavan, 1997

Recent dives

24-10-2010 - diver A. Kennedy; sherpa P. Barry

No way through the sump could be found, it seemed that the way on was blocked by two rounded boulders when the sump turned 90° to the east. This was unexpected. However in a 3 mm wetsuit it was too cold to linger (also diver realised after that the back zipper was undone).

29-12-2010 - diver A. Kennedy; sherpa É. Lankford

Diving in a drysuit to dig through sump. However it was discovered that diving straight on a tight squeeze up after 4 metres (reported by MF in 1976) surfaced in a pool. It was too constricted to dekit in.

16-01-2010 - diver A. Kennedy; sherpa É. Lankford

Diving again in a wetsuit and with a single 3 litre bottle and lightweight sidemount harness the sump was passed. Dekitting the diver followed the increasingly tight bedding plane for about 9 metres to a very tight bend to the east. Rotting vegetation and no draft made it very unpleasant. Prospects here are only for the bloody-minded and foolish.

The sump is not technically a sump, having a tiny triangular airspace crossing it. However it would be a duck for the very brave.

As the visibility in the sump was nil after heavy rain the possible way on in the sump was not checked.