Application for Grant Aid

Submitted on: 30 Aug 2013


Expedition details (GPF2013b-006)

Expedition Name (& Club): Spring Festival 2014 - Er Wang Dong, China
Destination country: China
Region: Xiao Dong
Lat: 29.5853 Long: 108.0000 Elevation: m
MEF funding: none

Leader: Mr Madphil Rowsell
Total cavers: 8
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 0
Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 0
UK/nonUK cavers: 6/2
Eligible for grant aid: 0
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 19th Jan 2014 - 10th Feb 2014
Duration (days): 23
Man-days in field: 0 Man-days travelling: 0
Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

Return to Xiao Dong with the aim of linking Er Wang Dong to San Wang Dong to form a 100km+ system (China's second longest system) with great potential to become China's largest system

Continue work in the northern area (Niubizi) started by the December Expedition.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

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

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.

The main objective is a return to Xiao Dong, which was previously connected to San Wang Dong. Numerous high-level pitch leads remain, and there is good potential to both break into intermediate levels of horizontal development and push the cave to the East towards a connection with Er Wang Dong, which would form a 100km+ system.

The secondary objective is to continue work started by the December expedition in the northern (Niubizi) area of Er Wang Dong.

Most of the pushing will be via long day trips, but if there is a need then a camp will be set up to facilitate exploration, this will again depend on the results of the December Expedition.
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.

The Er Wang Dong and San Wang Dong has seen many expeditions over the recent years and the caves are currently 67,825m San Wang Dong and 46,352m Er Wang Dong long. Both systems are very close to each other and a connection between the two is actively being sought. If connected it has the potential to be the longest cave system in China. Exploration at the limits of the cave system (such as this expedition) are further increasing the caves lengths.

Expedition Finances

Travel

Travel plans:


# from UK: 3 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from UK: £1,980 3 Flights from UK to Chongqing (RTN): (£550pp) = £1650
3 Chinese Visas (£90pp): £270
Travel from Chongqing to Tongzi (Return): (3 * £20pp) = £60

# from outside UK: 5 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from outside UK: £610 1 flight from Guilin to Chongqing (RTN): = £100
1 Flight from Hong Kong to Chongqing (RTN): = £250
1 flight from Wuhan to Chongqing (RTN): = £100
2 Car from Chengdu to ErWangDong (RTN):= £100
Travel from Chongqing to Tongzi (Return): (3 * £20pp) = £60

Travel total: £2,590 Travel p.p. from UK: £660
Travel p.p. from outside UK: £122

Subsistence

Total: £912 Comments:
Subsistence p.p.: £114 Food and Accommodation for 19 days (£6 pppd): = £912

Gear

Total: £700 Comments:
Gear p.p.: £88 Thrubolts and Rigging Kit = £100
Rope: = £200
HMG Equipment Fee (£50pp): = £400
Insurance, Personal equipment: varies per participant
Exped Total: £4,202 Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: £565
Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: £407
Mean Exped cost per person: £525

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: Mr Duncan Collis
Affiliation:

Reason:

Permission obtained?: No
Referee 2: Mr Nick Williams
Affiliation:

Reason: 0

Permission obtained?: No

Expedition report author:

Attachments

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