Application for Grant Aid

Submitted on: 31 Aug 2010


Expedition details (GPF2010b-003)

Expedition Name (& Club): Mulu Caves 2011
Destination country: Malaysia
Region: Sarawak
Lat: 4.0496 Long: 114.8090 Elevation: m
MEF funding: Applying for MEF funding

Leader: Tim Allen
Total cavers: 20
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 0
Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 0
UK/nonUK cavers: 16/4
Eligible for grant aid:
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 25th Jan 2011 - 12th Mar 2011
Duration (days): 47
Man-days in field: 560 Man-days travelling: 0
Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

Continuing the work of the Mulu Caves Project in Gunnung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. To include exploration, surveying, photography and on going scientific research programme.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

Please explain the aspects of the trip which make it eligible for Ghar Parau funding.

This is advance application notice for expedition Jan/Feb 2011. The Mulu Caves Project has made a positive decision not to apply for grant assistance for the last five expeditions prefering the smaller amounts available to go to other expeditions. Financial pressure, not least, from the fall in the value of sterling has made individual costs very high. This has a detrimental effect on our abiliby to attract younger (poorer) cavers.
Detailed description of objectives:

Give a more detailed account of the purpose of the trip, including any particular known caves you intend to visit, specific areas where you will explore for new cave, and scientific experiments you will attempt.

Exploration - continuing leads from 2009 in the Clearwater System (now 176km long) including the Whiterock river passage and possibilities of extending under the Melinau Gorge. Also other ongoing leads. Survey - Continue to build database for the area (345km). Working on survey and development illustrations. Also laser scanning of the worlds largest chamber. Photography - new discoveries and digital work of the older caves. Educational and promotional material for Park Management. Science - continue current work combining cosmogenic, uranium lead and paleomag dating to better understand development of the systems.

Please note the increased emphasis on 3D laser scanning and creative photography. There will be less emphasis on collecting samples for the scientific programme as the May 2010 trip collected many samples which now await the various tests and analysis to take place. Professor Pete Smart and Dr Gina Moseley are undertaking much of this work unfunded in their spare time. However preliminary analysis of cosmogenic burial dating samples are showing credible figures which compliment paliomag work. Exploration and survey objectives remain the main focus of this trip as detailed in the original application.
Previous work in this area:

Give details of any previous work in this area by your own and other teams. Include references to reports and articles published on the area, and the names of any local cavers or academics with whom you have discussed the Expedition.

1978 to 2010 - fifteen previous UK based expeditions. Now united under the Mulu Caves Project umbrella.

Expedition Finances

Travel

Travel plans:
Fly UK to Mulu stopping in Miri for supplies en route. Airfreight supplies Miri to Mulu. Local labour employed to assist in the field with camp and portering duties.


# from UK: 16 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from UK: £12,000 Flights £750

# from outside UK: 0 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from outside UK: £0

Travel total: £12,000 Travel p.p. from UK: £750
Travel p.p. from outside UK: £0

Subsistence

Total: £12,800 Comments:
Subsistence p.p.: £800 Field costs £800 each

Gear

Total: £0 Comments:
Gear p.p.: £0

Special 1

Total: £1,440 Comments:
Special 1 p.p.: £90 Report, surveys, admin £90 each

Special 2

Total: £2,560 Comments:
Special 2 p.p.: £160 Insurance £160 each
Exped Total: £28,800 Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: £1,800
Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: £0
Mean Exped cost per person: £1,800

Other Funding

Total: £0 Comments:
Total shortfall: £0 Mean shortfall per person: £0

Referees and Report

Please give the names, addresses and phone numbers of two suitably qualified people whom the Committee can contact. You should ensure that they are aware of the objectives of your trip, and that you have their permission for the Committee to contact them.

Referee 1: Dick Willis
Affiliation:

Reason:

Permission obtained?: No
Referee 2: Tony Waltham
Affiliation:

Reason:

Permission obtained?: No

Expedition report author:

Attachments

No files have been attached to this application.