Application for Grant Aid

Submitted on: 22 Dec 2021


Expedition details (GPF2022a-002)

Expedition Name (& Club): Matienzo 2022 (Matienzo Cave Project)
Destination country: Spain
Region: Cantabria, Matienzo
Lat: 43.3262 Long: -3.5870 Elevation: 793 m
MEF funding: none

Leader: Mr. Philip Papard
Total cavers: 22
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 0
Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 4
UK/nonUK cavers: 21/1
Eligible for grant aid: 21
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 21st Mar 2022 - 22nd Aug 2022
Duration (days): 154
Man-days in field: 650 Man-days travelling: 85
Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

Note expedition main dates are Easter and Summer amounting to some 45 days, plus some work at other times by small groups (not included in figures above). Hopfully unlike in 2021 Easter will not be subject to any Covid-19 restrictions. Apart from prospecting and digging key sites objectives include: divers to continue work in far reaches of Fuente Auanaz, Fridge Door Cave (1800) and sump 6 and beyond in Cueva Valline where the water flows to Cueva Renada (each about 35km); Extending the Four Valley system (over 67km) including pushing Torca la Decepción (4732) extended in 2021, that should link to the far reaches of the system.; Continue work in Hazas de Cesto and Ribamontán al Monte areas including pushing: Fuente de Villanueva; In addition scientific work re hydrological mapping, bat research, and entomology. We will coach new young members in expedition surveying and prospecting, they can then apply elsewhere and have made contact with university clubs to offer this opportunity.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

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

The vast majority (90%+) of expedition members are British and with over 60 caves expected to visit in 2022 this means the grant benefits a large number of British caves from different clubs and UK caving regions. in 2022 we hope to make a special effort to coach younger cavers to gain experience in expedition surveying and the safety aspects is of benefit to UK caving in general and many have in the past taken these skills to expeditions elsewhere in the world. Any grant money will go towards equipment including, IT and surveying equipment (PC replacement), new drills and replacing out of date rescue medical materials, (equipment needs are lower than normal due to less caver use in 2021) and to pay for use of our temporary office in the back of the restaurant in the local bar. Members pay for their own travel and accommodation costs. Given many were not able to attend in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid we expect more people to attend in 2022.
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 objectives for Matienzo 2022 are mainly a repeat of those for 2021 given only limited work could be carried out due to Covid-19. The primary objectives are:
• To continue the exploration and mapping of Monte Llusa that lies to the north of what was the limit of our area prior to 2019. In 2019 we had the eastern half of this area and in 2020 we have applied and got access to the whole area (i.e. adding the western half that lies in a different municipal area) in the western area where a number of sites were also noted including one resurgence cave that was explored a short way and has good potential, but could not be explored in 2022. The area is heavily wooded with undergrowth making access difficult especially in the summer. We have agreed to share this new area with a local Spanish club "La Cambera" and cooperate over recording and where appropriate exploration
• Continue work photographing and drone mapping the area where flying is permitted (parts of the north of the area are restricted due to Santander Airport).

• Pushing Torca la Decepción (4732) both traverse at top of main pitch to possible passage and wet tight draughting crawl at bottom, this is some 60m above “Rocky Horror” in the Four Valley System and may provide both a new entrance and more importantly a link to possible higher levels in the system. A connection would give an easier access to the far reaches of this system where leads have not been fully pushed
• Pushing the Four Valleys System following the link to Cueva-Cubío del Llanío in particular: towards Cueva del Torno; and in the Trident series from Cueva de Carcavuezo where a shorter route to this area was found rather than the 6hr one way trip (in 2019 when the team went to the free dive to reach this area but it was too flooded to attempt). The team plans to use our SubPhones (underground location phones developed by Ron Taylor) to correct any survey errors and also try to establish a better connection with the main part of Carcavuezo.

• Pushing both the main upstream sump and the open passages and avens at the end of Sarah Jean Inlet in Fuente Aguanaz. In 2019 over 1.1km of new cave was found and surveyed in this cave with open leads left. The work requires diving through 5 relatively short sumps over a distance of some 2km no work could take place in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid issues.

• Pushing and survey work in El Cubillon where over 0.5km of new passage was found beyond a short sump (now a duck) but where time prevented a full exploration and pushing due to being found at the end of the 2019 expedition.

• Continuing the work in Torca Concada at both the fossil ends now we know they deviate away from the active section that was pushed to in 2021 with only poor leads left. The fossil route it a prime objective as this could not be looked in 2020 or 2021. This site could be key as it is in the area were Cueva Reñada should extend to the stream passage from Cueva Vallina

• Continuing resurveying as needed to update the old paper surveys of the South Vega and the Four Valley systems (over 100km between the two systems). As part of our work to document the area more water tracing will be carried out to explore the limits of the Fuente Aguanaz drainage and as well as check possible links in other systems. This work is weather dependent i.e. needed sufficient water flows.

• In addition to above diving will take place at other key sites, including: logistically complicated dives in Cueva Vallina (due to length of carry and length and depth of sumps) at the main downstream sump 6; Cueva de Lolo where a short sump lead to a small blockage into open passage in 2016 that could not be pushed in the last two years due to illness; and continuing pushing Fridge Door cave past the entrance sump, we will also be trying to link this cave to Cueva Espada by digging out the choked connecting passage (we know water flows via this route)

• In addition to above, new and identified but not pushed sites in the permit area will be explored and smaller caves checked out for prospects (over 5,000 sites are now listed and recorded). Particular targets for digging are the key sites 5045,1017, 0880, 4805 which either draught strongly or are in key sites for significant cave extension
• Engineering work to stabilise and make safe entrance by fitting tubes into unstable ground at Giant Panda entrance to the Four Valley System. Also to check and make safe the entrance BigMat Calf Hole to Torca la Vaca and to the main entrance to Sumidero de Cobadal which we understand has partly collapsed (this is a key site to extend to the North Vega System, and is likely to be an objective following years if the entrance can be made safe)
• To improve the survey and recording skills of the expediton members and in particular ones newer to expedition work.
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 main way our work is made available is via our very extensive web-site where all our work is recorded with open access to our surveys, testing records and finds. This site is a model for ready and easy availability of information on all our work and finds and is available to all. In addition, the Expedition has given support to scientific work including paleoclimate studies being undertaken by Lancaster university.

We're the major explorers. Some references: Cuadernos II, VIII, IX-X; Matienzo 74; Matienzo 75; MUSS Journals 8, 9, 10; Articles in Caves & Caving 8 11 14 18 22 26 32 35 41 44 49 55 58 63 66 70 75 79 83 87 89; Speleology 2, 3 & 5. Trans 8.1 and article in 10.3; articles about the explorations and archaeology in Spanish journals by Peter Smith. Most recent major overview in Spanish is in Actas del V Congresso Español de Espeleología (1990), pp345 - 355 (Federación Española de Espeleología). Annual summaries published with Federación Cántabra de Espeleología. A major work is Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001. The Archaeology of the Matienzo Depression, North Spain. In BAR International Series 975, 224 pages. La Cueva de Cofresnedo en el Valle de Matienzo, a 198 page colour book summarising a 6 year archaeological project by the same authors, was published 5 years ago by the Cantabrian Government. The full colour, dual language book "Matienzo: 50 Years of Speleology" (ISBN: 978-0-9566045-0-7) was published in August 2010 and a new second volume dealing with the last 10yrs to mark 60yrs of work in Matienzo has just been published in December 2020, and a copy will be sent to BCRA etc.
We have sent our report of the 2021 work. Due to Covid-19 problems we did not have as significant an expedition in 2020 and 2021 and this is reflected in the reports for these years being shorter.

Expedition Finances

Travel

Travel plans:
Note cavers list above is only of 20 of those coming - exact numbers and names of others will not be confirmed until later, we expect to have a number of younger caves during the summer from university clubs, we have had discussions but no firm plans yet in placel.
All will travel under their own arrangements, most by ferry with own cars from UK, plus flights to Bilbo/Santander and hire car. Costs below are estimates only as each person travelling will have different costs etc and a number will travel more than once i.e., Summer and Easter and possibly also at other times. Also some travel with families in which case only the caver's element is estimated.


# from UK: 40 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from UK: £24,100 Ferry with car to Spain and return with up to 3 occupants - 16 x £850
Flights from Manchester to Bilbao/Santander and return - 24 x £250 (incl park at aiport.
Car hire costs 10 x £450

# from outside UK: 4 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from outside UK: £1,150 Flight Hongkong to Bilbao via Madrid - £700 plus car hire £450
In addtion there will be two from Denmark and possibly one from USA - as these three are not British their costs are not included here.

Travel total: £25,250 Travel p.p. from UK: £602
Travel p.p. from outside UK: £287

Subsistence

Total: £16,300 Comments:
Subsistence p.p.: £370 Cavers provide own meals either cooking, local Bar or restaurant - at local Bar Set meals are 15€ (£14 say £16 with Breakfast - About 800 man-days on site or travelling = about £12,800 Camping and other accommodation - £3500 (nine caving members have accommodation in area and these are at nil cost to expedition)

Gear

Total: £1,303 Comments:
Gear p.p.: £30 A lot of equipment to be used is from previous years and 2021 in particular when due to Covid most new equipment was not or little used.
Replacement of first aid kits, £50
Sundres for surveying - paper, waterproof cases, pads etc - £50
Equipment to make safe two entrances (Plastic drainage tube, acro props, scaffolding, concrete, and Stainless re-bar - £500
Bags for tackle at £60 each x3 - £180 + one large for dry suit - £80
MILWAUKEE M12 sds rock drill and extra batteries - £370
2xShunt for dif

Special 1

Total: £1,050 Comments:
Special 1 p.p.: £24 New Laptop and Network server (for back office in Matienzo) - £1050

Special 2

Total: £500 Comments:
Special 2 p.p.: £11 Hire of room at back of restaurant for expedition office £200 for both Summer (5 weeks) and Easter (3-4 weeks)
Exped Total: £44,403 Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: £1,037
Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: £722
Mean Exped cost per person: £1,009

Other Funding

Total: £0 Comments:
Total shortfall: £44,403 Mean shortfall per person: £1,009

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: Prof. John Gunn
Affiliation: Birmingham University

Reason: John has been to Matienzo as part of a research workshop organised by Lancaster University and is fully aware of the work of the expedition, the area and the quality of our work. Was referee in 2021 email sent to confirm same for 2022

Permission obtained?: Yes
Referee 2: Mr. Nick Williams
Affiliation: Conformance Ltd

Reason: Nick is aware of the work the Matienzo expedition does as well as the benefit of having an easy to get to (both with respect of timing and location) expedition open to all that can then feed in skills to UK cavers who may then go further afield. Was referee in 2021 email sent to confirm same for 2022

Permission obtained?: Yes

Expedition report author: Philip Papard