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Deeper & Deeper
Going deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth is one of the real challenges of caving. A group of cavers from Gisborne recently went down into Deep Tomo at Whakapunaki, two hundred feet down in fact, which is quite a long way when you have to climb back up and out again. These pictures from Dave Hughes and Mark Wise show some of the aspects of that recent trip.
Wayne Bayram and Shaun Leyland (right) give a helping pull to a caver emerging from the earth.
In this case it is Mark Wise.
A few hundred dollars worth of equipment is needed to follow this sport. Strong ropes, helmets and lights are only part of the necessities.
Paying out the rope ladder for a descent are, from left, Dick McMurray, Keith Hughes and Dave Hughes.
A telephone link with those underground is all important. Dave Hughes checks for contact with
Steven Hughes (left) and Alistair McMurray, who are 220 feet below him.