Depth through thought

Editor: tim.guilford@zoology.ox.ac.uk

Editorial 

First a welcome to new-comers to the club this academic year and to hope that you enjoy your first trips underground and come back. I mean, not come back from underground but back to the club for more. Well, obviously we want you to come back from underground, that goes without saying. Obviously, I mean, you won't get lost or stuck or anything, so don't even think about it. Oh dear.

Actually the main point of this issue is to introduce newcomers to Depth Through Thought, the club's sometimes weekly newsletter, which you can receive electronically by e-mail if you give me your e-mail address. And to remind lags, young and old, that the editor isn't dead yet and that he needs stuff from you: stories about trips, news, lost and found, and reports on events or whatever that may be interest to Oxford cavers. DTT has a pretty wide readership for such a parochial production, and is often the first place to hear about bits of original cave exploration or news about caves. But it needs your input. I hope some of you will feel motivated to write about expedition or other things you got up to over the summer.

Big at the BRA

This is not a full report, and I hope someone else may submit more detailed contributions for subsequent issues. But just to say that OUCC involvement in the Bristol Hidden Earth 2000 conference this year was healthy. Paul and Jo had pretty hefty organisational roles, so thanks to them and the rest of the team for a good event. Pip and Rich gave an excellent talk on Ario 2000. At least I think they did, but I was helping Ben Lovett with his talk on Uzbekistan at the time, another partly OUCC venture this summer.

And we won loads of prizes too. Our video of digging in Draenen won best film, and club member must have won enough rope to equip an entire expedition. Tony Seddon won the Blokes' SRT Style race, Jo won the Women's speed SRT race, and Hils won something I think but I can't remember what. Rich Gerrish won a prize for his cartoons as well. Excellent stuff.

Discount Evening

(Friday) October 26th, YHA is running a discount day. To be eligible for the discounts you have to be a member of an "eligible group" - you'll be glad to hear that you are.

In the absence of membership cards, I have some copies of a formal invite from Mr Ford-Smith, which you will need to wield at the shop staff to prove who you are. If you want one, let me know and I'll bring them on Wednesdays/send one to you.
Hilary Greaves

Battery Belt

Laverty has passed on to me a Dragon battery belt that he mistakenly walked off with at the Presidents' Invite (I think). Its in the Lamb and Fox hut in Wales at the moment, but if you know whose it is please let me know.
Tim Guilford

Keith's back

Keith Hyams Linacre College Oxford OX1 3JA, telephone: 01865 271 000 ext. 21659: keith.hyams@linacre.ox.ac.uk