Application for Grant Aid

Submitted on: 19 Feb 2019


Expedition details (GPF2019a-005)

Expedition Name (& Club): Albania Kelmend (Eldon Pothole Club)
Destination country: Albania
Region: Kelmend Province
Lat: 42.5370 Long: 19.7130 Elevation: 2400 m
MEF funding: none

Leader: Mr. Jon Pemberton
Total cavers: 8
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 5
Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 3
UK/nonUK cavers: 8/0
Eligible for grant aid: 0
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 7th Sep 2019 - 16th Sep 2019
Duration (days): 10
Man-days in field: 64 Man-days travelling: 2
Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

Thoroughly push the bottom of Dragon Cave (current depth 360m). The caves entrance is at 2080m with a potential depth of well over 1000m. We also have various other leads to explore around the area.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

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

Ghar Parau has been very helpful in the past and we really appreciate the help. Ghar Parau will be beneficial to help with cost of gear to use for the expedition such as rope needed to descend the cave (which is mainly vertical).
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.

1. Push Dragon Cave, hopefully to below -500m mark making it the deepest in the area.
2. Find and survey/explore Wolf Cave. Found in 2011 and requires a pitch to be descended.
3. Surface exploration of the area.
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.

2008
2009
2010
2011 Summer
2011 Autumn
2016 - (report) http://www.eldonpotholeclub.org.uk/images/images/Albania%202016.pdf
2017 - Eldon/LUSS

Expedition Finances

Travel

Travel plans:
Depart from Peak District to Gatwick via Car. Fly Gatwick to Tirana. Tirana - Lepushë via coach.


# from UK: 8 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from UK: £280 Flight £250
Fuel £20
Parking £10

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

Travel total: £280 Travel p.p. from UK: £35
Travel p.p. from outside UK: £0

Subsistence

Total: £200 Comments:
Subsistence p.p.: £25 Guest house fee (including all food)

Gear

Total: £1,000 Comments:
Gear p.p.: £125 Rope - £750
Maillons, hangers, through bolts £250
Exped Total: £1,480 Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: £185
Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: £0
Mean Exped cost per person: £185

Other Funding

Total: £0 Comments:
Total shortfall: £1,480 Mean shortfall per person: £185

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. Dave Nixon
Affiliation: TSG

Reason: Previous expedition Leader for the 2017 expedition to the Hidden Valley in Mulu.

Permission obtained?: Yes
Referee 2: Mr. Robert Dearman
Affiliation: Eldon Pothole Club

Reason: Leading member of the Eldon Pothole Club with vast knowledge of previous expeditions.

Permission obtained?: Yes

Expedition report author: Jon Pemberton

Attachments

Albania 2016.pdf