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Sheer
Stupidity 18/10/97
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Thankyou's too the
cave rats and the team from Blackwater
rafting whom came and got me. The paramedics and doctor who came
into the cave to patch me up. All the other's involved in the rescue.
The Sponsors and crew of the Westpactrust/Tranzrail Air Ambulance.
"Trip Report Zweihohlen-Gardners Gut
18/10/97"
The Trip A great beginners trip isn't it. A
leisurely stroll through majestic native forest followed by an hour or
two's exhilarating caving (i.e. muddy and wet) A short drop down a mud
slide. Viewing majestic
formations followed by a gentle
stream walk whilst viewing glow worms and other rare New Zealand fauna
(Cave Weta's). You must admit that for people who haven't caved before
Zweihohlen is a great experience. A mud slide, small "squeezes",
plenty of pretties to oh and ah over and if anybody gets to carried away
you can always surprise them and get them very wet.
 The
party this weekend consisted of myself and my wife Liz and two friends
from Wellington; Caela and James both of whom had never been caving. We
really were having a lot of fun. Lunch at the HTG hut and then on our
way. Following a very smelly Billy goat along the track had everyone in
high spirits.
Great fun was had by all. We made very good time going through
Zweihohlen and both Caela and James were enjoying themselves. I'd
planned to continue up to the rat
run and have a bash at the organ
grinder squeeze and onto Viviens
needle if everybody felt OK and providing the stream wasn't too
high.
-
The Fall.
How do you admit to your caving peer's that you stuffed up big time.
Yes I was life lining Liz out of Zweihohlen into Gardeners Gut and I
forgot the golden rule "to tie myself into the belay". So
with time only for a short loud expletive I had fallen 8 meters and
stuffed the day.
I came too, in the stream bed and believe me I was very sore.
It did not take me very long to realize that I was going nowhere. I
knew that I'd broken my collar bone. (after three times it's a very
distinctive feeling) My ribs felt broken and so did both my ankles.
Believe it or not I'd actually dropped Liz a couple of meters and
then to really upset her I landed on her. She was uninjured !!!!. So
to get the point of this article and to provoke heated debate. What
you have done in this situation ???
The Situation
-
1 Trip leader badly
damaged and concussed.
-
Only other
"experienced" caver at bottom of hole.
-
Trip leader is only
person with SRT knowledge Liz can belay and abseil but has never
rigged anything.
-
Two non cavers at top of
pitch one of which can have bad asthma.
-
Time is 14:00 ... Trip is
signed out at 18:00 which means nobody looking for us until 20:00
My Decisions
Reasoning
-
Shortest way out is
downstream. 15 minutes.
-
I couldn't think clearly
enough to describe the return trip to non cavers and where to go
from cave entrance.
-
Didn't want the scenario
of cavers in and out of cave and missing etc.
-
Time. I didn't want too
wait six to eight hours where I was.
Question
-
Did I do the right thing
after my fall ? It took us a long time to lower Caela and James down
to our level. I know that at the time I thought I was in control.. I
can't have been because now I remember very little of the afternoon
and I'm told I was passing in & out of consciousness.
-
Liz and Caela went for
help. James stayed with me. We ate heaps of chocolate and solved all
the problems in the world. It is very hard not to look at your
watch. James and Liz had both lent me an extra thermal top. I wasted
this advantage by lying down. When I did realize what was happening
I managed to get propped upright.
The Rescue. Very
Slick. What a weight off my mind when I heard people splashing upstream
towards me. Then to see more familiar faces and hear cheerful voices. It
was very reassuring to be fussed over in the manner that the rescue
squad did. It was great lie back on snow foam and to actually start
feeling warmer as I was blanketed up and strapped into the stretcher.
The trip out was really quite smooth. I've been carried before in a
Search and Rescue exercise. That time I was strapped in and carried
upside down over a river (payback for something). So knowing this cave
The teams did a great Job.
My thanks to all the men and women who came to get me. I know some of
them must be nursing bruises as big as mine. Liz also thanks the above
ground personal for the way in which they supported her and kept her
informed.
The Result
-
1 Smashed heel requiring
surgery to fix.
-
1 Severely bruised and
twisted ankle
-
1 broken collar bone
-
1 set of badly bruised
ribs
-
1 set of badly bruised
buttocks
-
1 badly dented ego.
The Cost
As at May 1998 further
surgery and time off required.
A combination of ego, fatigue & a stupid moment of
forgetfulness has cost me and the country many Thousands of dollars.
Sobering thought.
The Lessons
-
Never again will I forget
to check my rigging.
-
Wont go caving or
climbing when I am as tired as I was that day. (11 weeks of calving
etc. with no breaks).
-
Take a space blanket on
trips from now on. (some insulation is better than none).
-
Liz to do SRT course with
me
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Last update 30 May, 2003 |
