Having seen The Descent recently I thought it was a great movie but didn’t really scare or spook me. Dave reckoned it spooked him that much that “I’m never going caving again!”
If you’ve seen the movie then you might understand where he’s coming from. As I said it didn’t do anything to scare me. I really enjoyed the film, it was well written, had a couple of glaring errors to do with the climbing, but was a decent slob watch. I have found something today that DOES scare me. Even the thought of being there.
I regularly go and have a wander round 28 Days Later . It’s a forum for “urban explorers” (catchy eh!) who will get into disused, closed or abandoned industrial buildings and sites, churches, hospitals and even drains. The explorers will take photos not to prove that they’ve been there, but because they want to record the event. I have to admit that it’s some of the best photography I have seen. Have a wander around the forum and look at some of the hospital photos that have been posted.
A few days ago there was a thread posted about getting into the de-commissioned hydro-electric power station behind Niagara Falls. The way that the report has been written makes it read like a novel and captivates (and scares slightly!) the reader:
Through the haze I saw noticed a redbrick wall and knowing the tunnel was brick I homed in like Inspector Gadget. I was on it. A staunch steel door guarded a 7ft brick corridor but today it sags lazily open upon its hinges. As I passed through the corridor I was engulfed by a howling wind. My heartbeat ratcheted up a notch, could this be it? I found myself inside a tall arched brick room along whose upstream edge ran an 80cm slot cordoned off by a rusting metal guard rail. I pushed lightly on the guard rail and it snapped in my hand. A section of pipe the length of my forearm clattered through the slot, banged against the insides, then splashed into shallow water a second and a half later. I caught my breath and my fucking heart stopped. I stood above the monster. Confluence – the tailrace tunnel.
There’s some awesome photos too:
This is a photo of Niagara Falls from the end of the tunnel.
The report truly scares me. Please, go read it when you have a few minutes spare! It really makes me want to try some of the stuff they do, but only stuff on the surface, NEVER anything underground!
A few from the UK: Bunker (Manchester), COTS (Colossus of The South), Motherload (Bristol).
Update 03/12/06: I just realised that I didn’t post a link to the thread… Here you go!
Dude, going caving put me off caving for life.
Watching The Descent just reinforced that decision……
I haven’t read all of this but WEIRD. I’ve come across 28 days later only a few days ago as well and have a half-written article about it ready for my blog.
Interesting!….