29/11/22 dried enough to dig

Estelle Sandford, James Begley, Mike Moxon, Jonathan Riley, Mike Wise

2hrs

No rain since the preceding Saturday night, so dig had a change to dry. Mike M headed into the end and came back reporting that the grill pool was still above the grill with water, but the end had drained down to just under wellie height so diggable. As the pool was lapping the dam, 2 of the big barrels were filled with water and put aside to stop it overflowing. The haul runs really smoothly with it so wet and it floats back over the join! About 50 buckets of spoil dug by Mike W and removed to surface in 2 stints, it was all easy emptying too, turning into mudcastles when buckets upturned. At the end of the digging, we emptied the barrels of water and bailed more water into the end, hopeful that it would drain away as the end does seem to drain faster than the pool. The pool is being fed by a fairly healthy drip near the start though. Long range forecast looking colder but drier, so fingers crossed it will be lower again next week. Waldegrave closed too early for us tonight as no darts, so headed to Hunters instead.