Topic

A pleasant, but uneventful trip down Disappointment to complete the topo. Slightly concerned about rain forecast for late afternoon, so didn't hang around at the bottom.

Party: Sam Clifford, Damian Weare

What got Dissapointment Pot it's name?

Ian B.

Disappointment Pot was originally explored down to a bedding plane sump by the YSA in 1912. The cave got its name from the 'disappointment' felt by the original explorers who were hoping for a new route into Gaping Gill. In January 1944 Roberrt Leakey (apparently without clothes or diving equipment) managed to pass the bedding plane sump and The Portcullis. From the downstream end he was able to lower the water level and create a continuous usable airspace through the low sections. Following ths breakthrough other BSA members soon extended the cave down to a connection with the main Gaping Gill system in Hensler's Master Cave. In 2005 the CPC connected thir new pothole (Marilyn) into the Gaping Gill systm via the large aven just before the Third Pitch in Disappointment Pot.

YSA = Yorkshire Speleological Association
BSA = British Speleological Association
CPC = Craven Pothole Club

(from NFTFH)

Your favoured black book of party games.

Not for me.

Great name though, even more so when you meet 65 year old CPC members calling it Diss,

Ian B.

I know a 74 year old who used to cave with Red Rose til 1967! He has a few stories to tell, especially concerning his involvement with the CRO...

The cave got its name from the 'disappointment' felt by the original explorers who were hoping for a new route into Gaping Gill.

Interesting ... I thought it was a disappointment precisely BECAUSE it linked with the GG system and wasn't a cave system in its own right. I bow to better knowledge from NFTFH though.

Thanks for that Ian.

I had a long chat with Mr Bob Leakey at 94 years young a few weeks ago, amazing man, hard as nails!!! I dont think fear ever existed in his dictionary! Awesome.
Probably the most memorable chat with anyone ive had yet.

mjackson wrote:

...I dont think fear ever existed in his dictionary!...

most people have a name for that...