Everything you ever wanted to know about exploring drains and then some.
From:
http://www.uer.ca/urbanadventure/www.ur ... /guide.doc
Drain Explorer’s Guide
With advice on
Finding drains,
Techniques
Equipment
Drain Safety
and Drain Features
© 1998, Panic UrbanAdventure.org
Introduction
Guide and advice on drain exploration There are a few skills and tips that you should acquire when it comes to exploring drains. This guide is mostly intended for newbies stuff but experienced drain explorers may be interested in the information on pollution.
Exploration of drains is NOT legal in Sydney and UA City. Do NOT enter drains where illegal to do so. Even though I know this, I also know that no matter what warnings I may give, no matter their number and even the threat of legal repercussions, people will still stupidly enter and explore drains. That is why I have provided this information in the hope that people will read it, learn from it and not make the mistakes that just recently lead to the death of a drain explorer in UA City.
On December 19 2000, a 14 year old boy died in a flash flood while exploring a drain in UA City, and another almost drowned. The 14 year old, known as 'Bob' was a known Drainer, with as much as a year's experience exploring drains. Don't kid yourself that that this sort of thing can not happen to you. If it can happen to an experienced explorer, it can happen to anyone.
As you're down there exploring drains there's a few things you should be aware of. There are also a few skills that are useful for you to know before you venture into a drain. This will help you from making the sort of painful mistakes that other drain explorers have made before you, myself included.
This guide was last updated January 1 2001
This document was written by Panic of urbanadventureorg. For the latest edition of this information visit the web site or e-mail me at tract@urbanadventure.org
The information contain in this document is original work, and has not been plagiarised from anywhere, the exception being details of further information in the pollution section. Due to the nature of the topics presented here, there is only so many ways the information can be presented, so some information may appear to be similar to that found elsewhere. This entire text is original and was written by Panic of UrbanAdventure.org in the interests of improving safety of drain exploration. This document remains © copyright 1998, 2001, 2002.
Contents
INTRODUCTION 22
CONTENTS 33
SAFETY 55
THE RECORD SO FAR ON DRAINING SAFETY 55
SAFETY AS PARAMOUNT 55
WHO SHOULD NOT GO IN DRAINS? 55
SAFETY IN EXPLORING DRAINS 66
GENERAL SAFETY 66
HAZARDS FOUND IN DRAINS 66
Physical hazards 66
Gas and air hazards 66
Pollutants 77
PHYSICAL HAZARDS 77
WATER 77
Why is flooding in drains such a big problem? 77
Why do flash floods occur so fast in drains? 77
What to do if you are caught in a flood in a drain. 77
LADDERS AND FALLS. 88
MANHOLES 99
Traffic 99
Dropping the manhole cover down the shaft. 99
Bad gas in manholes. 99
Spiders. 99
Falling debris in eyes. 1010
INJURIES AND SLIPPING OVER. 1010
OTHER 1010
GAS AND BAD AIR 1111
Carbon dioxide 1111
Carbon Monoxide 1111
Methane 1111
Hydrogen Sulphide 1111
POLLUTION IN UA CITY’S DRAINS. 1212
INTRODUCTION. HOW BAD IS THE THREAT? 1212
Source of information contained. 1212
TYPES OF POLLUTION. 1313
NUTRIENTS. 1313
Blue green algae 1313
VISIBLE RUBBISH AND LITTER 1313
SUSPENDED SOLIDS. 1414
PATHOGENS 1414
E-Coli and pathogens 1414
Medical waste and sharps. 1414
TOXICANTS 1515
Heavy Metals 1515
Oil, petrol and diesel. 1515
WHEN AND WHERE ARE POLLUTANTS FOUND. 1515
WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR. 1616
Short term. 1616
Long term. 1616
SAFETY MEASURES WE CAN TAKE. 1616
Avoid rainfall. 1616
Avoid stepping in water. 1616
Wear shoes and socks and wash them after use. 1616
Wash off after exploring 1717
FURTHER INFORMATION: ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
DRAIN FEATURES 18
TUNNEL TYPES 18
RCP 18
Mummy 18
RBT & RBA 18
Rectangular and square concrete 18
Arch (Tenth) 18
Bluestone. 19
TUNNEL FEATURES. 19
Stairs 19
Slides 19
Falls 19
Pillars 19
Grilles 19
Stepirons 20
Stations 20
Splits 20
Manholes 20
Gutter Boxes 20
SUGGESTIONS ON EXPLORING DRAINS 21
Entering tunnels 21
Walking along drains 21
Climbing ladders 21
EQUIPMENT 22
MUST HAVE EQUIPMENT: 22
Torch 22
Batteries 22
Back up torch 22
Long term light - candles. 23
Backpack or bag 23
Popper 23
Water Bottle 23
Footware 24
Clothing 24
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT: 24
Melways 24
Paint 24
Textas 25
Pocket knife 25
First aid kit 25
Light Rope 25
Food 25
Safety
The record so far on draining safety
On December 19 2000, a 14 year old boy died in a flash flood while exploring a drain in UA City, and another almost drowned. The 14 year old, known as 'Bob' was a known Drainer, with as much as a year's experience exploring drains. Don't kid yourself that that this sort of thing can not happen to you. If it can happen to an experienced explorer, it can happen to anyone.
There have been other deaths in drains, A scout died when he fell into a drain in Dandenong. In UA City a fireman lost his life when taking part in a training exercise.
In South Australia a scout leader decided to take his scout troop up a drain for an exploration trip. Once again, while it was raining. Why he decided to do this is beyond me. As to be expected, water levels rose to the point where the scouts were threatened with being washed down the drain. One scout was sent for help, then with the rescue people waiting around the scouts jumped into the water and were washed down the drain to pour toboggan like out of the drain mouth. Footage of this event is used by the media to depict the sort of trouble ‘typical’ drain explorers can get into.
In 1997 a fireman had to leap into a drain (unknown where) to rescue a boy washed into the drain during floods. The fireman was up to his neck in the drain which was almost full. Just recently the fireman received Australia’s highest bravery award.
Safety as paramount
Recent recommendations concerning the accreditation and licensing of cave explorers has a lot of suggestions that can be applied to drain exploration. The first of these is that safety should be kept paramount at all times. Safety should be more important than the desire to explore further. This means you should not place people's safety at risk for the sake of exploring a drain. Drain explorers, and expedition leaders in particular should take the trouble the make themselves aware of the dangers, both known dangers and other possible dangers. They should make themselves aware of first aid techniques and of rescue techniques.
Any expedition into drains should carry a small first aid kit, adequate number of torches and have an experienced drain explorer in the lead.
Who should not go in drains?
There are also some people that I do not recommend should be allowed to explore drains. The first of these is children. Drain explorers should not encourage children to enter the drains and in fact should actively encourage children not to go in drains. About the youngest age that anyone should go into a drain is from about 16 years of age. Teenagers will of course enter drains on their own but they should be made aware of the risks and dangers of doing so.
People obviously under the influence of drugs or alcohol should also not enter drains and expedition leaders should not let these people enter a drain.
When it comes to exploring drains, do it in a group. Exploring drains on your own is not recommended, and should only be done by very experienced drain explorers. Inexperienced drain explorers should ideally join an existing group to gain some experience before forming their own group.
So, when it comes to exploring drains, think safety first. Be aware of the risks, dangers and potential risks. Be responsible for your safety and others, don't take dangerous and stupid risks for the sake of exploring just that bit more. Be aware of first aid and take a kit with you.
Lastly, and most importantly, let someone responsible know where you are going and what time to expect you back. Give them a clear idea of what drains you plan to explore, including any that you might explore if you have the time, explain which bits of larger drains you plan to explore and if you are using a car tell them roughly where you plan to park. In the event of you failing to return this will help rescuers pinpoint where you may be.
Safety in exploring drains
Exploring drains is a risky business. As well as problems with climbs and drops in the drains there are other dangers. Even if you read nothing else in this article read this! Some people have said this information is over the top. It would be irresponsible for me not to include this information. Just as driving instructors warn drivers of the dangers of the road, I choose to warn people of the dangers of drain exploration.
General Safety
Drain exploring can be fun and exciting, but you should be aware of the risks to ensure your exploration does not lead to injury. Safety should be kept paramount at all times!
Sure, you have to take some risks while exploring drains, it's in the nature of the game. But there is a difference between a carefully calculated known risk and a plainly stupid risk. Climbing a safe ladder is a known risk. Climbing a dangerous ladder with rusted bolts is a stupid risk. Passing through a smelly section of a drain is low risk, entering a drain clearly smelling of gas is a very stupid risk. Don't let this section put you off of exploring drains, it's intention is to make you aware of some of the more common risks so that you can safely explore drains.
Hazards found in drains
Hazards found in drains come in three main groups;
Physical hazards
These are caused by features and functions of the drains themselves. These include danger from water and flooding, drops & ladders, vehicles, slipping over & injuries, exiting manholes and other dangers.
Gas and air hazards
Drains can be subject to bad air and the presence of dangerous gasses. There is a whole section devoted to gasses.
Pollutants
While not considered to be as dangerous as physical hazards and gas in the past, I have done some research into the dangers of pollution which indicate some concerns for drain explores. There is a whole section on pollutants and their effect.
Physical hazards
Water
Exploring a drain after rain is trouble waiting to happen. Remember If it rains, no drains!
Why is flooding in drains such a big problem?
Water can be a big hazard for two main reasons, first, it can cause you to drown, and it can also cause physical damage through sweeping you into walls, obstacles and over waterfalls. In fact even relatively shallow water such as under knee height can knock you over and sweep you down a drain if it is flowing fast.
Why do flash floods occur so fast in drains?
Before cities existed rain water was able to soak into the ground where it would seep down to the water table. Over time it would work it's way through the ground to creeks and waterways. This would happen over a period of hours to days, even months. In a city however, the large amount of impervious ground such as roofs, ashfelt and concrete prevent water from seeping into the ground. The water runs off these surfaces and straight into drains. It can be seen that the amount of water that pours into a drain after a rain storm is higher than that finding it's way into creeks and also happens a LOT faster.
During rain, the water levels in drains will rise, normally you will get some warning such as water from side pipes dripping in, and water coming in through grilles but flash floods with no warning have, and do happen. With the build up of water level will come an increase in water speed. In some smooth RCP drains this may not be a problem, ending up with you being dumped out of the mouth of the drain. In any drain with steps, slides or waterfalls being washed away is going to cause serious injury or death.
Even if the drain looks to have only a small water flow in it during and just after rain you might find that this can change rapidly. We know of three cases where inexperienced drainers have entered a tunnel just after rain with just a small amount of water flowing only to find that in minutes they were faced with a flash flood and swept out downstream. Big drains such as Mini-Tenth carry huge volumes of water, big enough to move a car several hundred meters!
The moral in this case is not to go in drains when it is wet. This is a standard rule of drain exploring and one that has been universally adopted throughout Australia.
What to do if you are caught in a flood in a drain.
The smart thing to do, is not to be caught in a flood. But if the worst comes to the worst, here are some things to consider. Some of this advice comes almost word for word from one of those ‘real life’ TV shows. I’ve only ever been in a drain flood once and that was to record water levels from a safe location.
If caught in a flood and there is no safe exit there are two main options; try to get to a safe place and wait it out, or ride the flood out of the drain.
Seeking an exit or place of safety is the best option. When seeking a place of safety such as a ledge or manhole, check for rims of dirt and debris left from previous floods. If they reach past where you plan to wait the flood out then you should perhaps consider another place or consider riding the flood out of the drain. Manholes, even if they are heavy unmovable types are your best bet as they rise up to ground surface level, they have access to fresh air and you can call for help from them.
If you know the drain layout and are aware that there are no obstacles and especially no falls or steps then you can consider riding the flood out. Before you do this, you must firstly have considered all other options, such as climbing up to ledges or manholes. Riding out a flood is not the best option. I’ve never heard of anyone but a scout group in South Australia having to ride a flood out of a drain.
If the water is deep enough, try to half crouch in the water, facing downstream. Try to keep your shoes running along the bottom of the drain as this will help keep you upright. Keep both your legs and arms slightly out forward as you can use them to fend off obstacles. If you find any large floating debris use it for support.
Water also causes slime and weeds to grow in the drains which can be slippery. Be sure of your step before you walk as falling over in a drain may lead to potential injuries. Cold water and winds can also lead to hypothermia so wear some warm clothing.
Before venturing into a drain, check the weather. This can be done at various web sites.
Ladders and Falls.
Navigating ladders and waterfalls can be risky and dangerous. Waterfalls are a major hazard, and are the main reason why you should not explore drains when it is raining. In many drains getting washed out by flood water may not be fatal, but getting washed over a waterfall, even as low as a meter will probably result in broken bones and/or death.
Not all waterfalls have ladders, and not all ladders are safe to navigate. Before using a ladder, inspect it carefully. Are there any signs of rust? Are there missing rungs, are the bolts holding the ladder in place all there? Several of the older stepiron ladders which use flat rungs have become rusted right through and will bend under almost any weight. Some ladders, such as the one in GOD have missing or loose attachment bolts. Give the ladder a good shake to see if it is loose before climbing it.
If the ladder or step irons looks to be secure next look to see if any of the rungs get sprayed with water from the falls. If this is the case you should be aware that some of the rungs may be slippery. Take extra care when climbing ladders. All unnecessary equipment should be stowed in your pack and you should only be carrying your pack and torch. If using a dolphin torch you can usually grip both this and the ladder rung at the same time. You might be better off putting your torch in your pack and have another member of the group shining light up at you.
Be particularly careful transferring to and from ladders at the top of falls. Some ladders have an extra rung or two at the top of the falls inside of the upper tunnel. Others do not. Use care and judgement, if it does not look safe, don't risk it. Also, be careful at the top of falls, be aware that if the tunnel is slippery you might end up going over the top of the falls.
Manholes
Manholes have their associated problems, all of which can be avoided if armed with a little foreknowledge and common sense. Problems associated with manholes include being hit by traffic after opening an manhole from underneath, dropping manholes down their shaft, bad air in manholes, getting dirt in your eyes and spiders. Oh, and falling down them is no fun either, so don’t forget to replace manhole covers.
Traffic
Be wary of opening manholes from underneath, if you hear the thunk, thunk of cars going overhead there's a pretty good chance the manhole is on a road. Ideally you should not open a manhole unless you are sure of where it exits. Some drains have a good number of manholes that open onto footpaths or median strips (such as Dwellers) while others have manholes that mainly open onto roads (such as the upper end of GOD).
Gatic type drain covers which are impossible to lift anyway are generally located on roads. Round manholes can be located on roads or footpaths. Generally solid concrete gutter box type manholes are located on footpaths or median strips and are easy to open.
The best policy with an unknown drain manhole is not to open it. If you must, wait at least five minutes before opening it (you’ll probably be tired from the walk anyway). If you hear no cars, chances are the manhole is not under a road, or is on a quiet road. But be careful!
Dropping the manhole cover down the shaft.
This is not possible with round covers which is good. With rectangular manhole covers it is possible to drop them down the shaft which is very bad news for those down below. When exiting a drain, make sure the manhole cover is fully clear of the manhole before everyone exits. Only after everyone is safely out should the manhole cover be replaced. Generally the best way to do this is to place one end of the cover in an end of the groove and then lower the cover until it is flat.
Bad gas in manholes.
Hydrogen gasses rise, so they can build up in the top of manhole shafts. Covers with air vents in them avoid this to an extent, but they can still trap gas. Solid manhole covers can cause gas to build up. Also rusting of manhole covers uses up oxygen. Although this is a potential problem, I have never heard of any drain explorers who have encountered this yet. There have been many well documented cases of sewer workers being overcome by a build up of hydrogen gasses in sewers. Sewers tend to be more enclosed and less ventilated than drains.
Spiders.
They love manholes, for them its' prime real estate. They often collect around manhole covers with vents where they have light, air and the occasional insect fly in. Most spiders are harmless, but you should be wary of red-backs, white tails, funnel webs and any other poisonous spiders. Play it safe by using your torch to clear away spider webs and spiders.
Falling debris in eyes.
This is probably the most frequent problem with manholes. As you open a manhole from below, the dirt, leaves and much caught in the rim will fall down the manhole. Be wary of this. While it is natural to look up as you open a manhole, it is best to close your eyes just and the manhole is lifted clear of the hole.
Injuries and slipping over.
If you're not wearing the right sort of gear or don't watch what you're doing you stand a good risk of injuring yourself in a tunnel. One slip on a bit of tunnel slime may end up causing a broken bone or worse. Also there can be sharp glass and exposed metalwork you can cut yourself on. So be careful, watch what you are doing, learn to point your light where you are going, both along the ground and above.
Generally, you can learn to recognise slime deposits. They are generally darkish deposits on the floor of the drain. You may notice one side of the drain is dark and the other light. Walk in the lighter section as the dark bit is usually slippery. Also be aware that wet sections of the drain, such as water dripping from side pipes, tends to be slippery. Learn to avoid these wet bits, either stepping over them or crossing to the other side of the drain. Deposits from stalactites also tend to be very slippery.
In drains with a low roof be aware of pipes and other obstructions above you. Some small pipes may be hard to see. Also be aware of side pipes jutting into the tunnel. Anzac and the upper end of GOD have some obstructions to be particularly aware of.
Even if you have someone else with you hauling you out of a tunnel will be painful and difficult, calling for medical help may involve some explaining to do.
Other
There are other somewhat rare risks involved with exploring drains; Cave-ins, getting trapped in, getting lost, exposed electrical cables, hot steam pipes, running into dangerous people and more.
Gas and bad air
Since most drains carry some small amounts of sewage in them or storm water there is always the chance of a build-up of gas. Any gas pockets in drains can kill you! Naked flames and cigarettes in drains is not a good idea, especially in those known to be subject to gas.
So far to my knowledge there have been few gas related injuries in drains. Most drains are well ventilated through gutter boxes, grilles and manholes. Some drains such as Camos and parts of Maze however have persistent natural gas leaks. Drains can also be subject to bad air, mainly low qualities of oxygen but I have never heard of this actually occurring. I have however been almost overcome by bad air/gas in Cougar’s drain as a result of an illegal chemical dump.
Carbon dioxide
This gas has no smell and is invisible so the first you'll know of it is when you start getting a headache or dizzy. If this happens get out immediately! Don't wait around or forge ahead. Fortunately humans can and regularly do breath in considerable amounts of carbon dioxide. When levels reach in excess of 5000 ppm danger occurs.
Carbon Monoxide
Produced mainly by cars is also odourless, you CAN'T smell it! You may think you can smell it because it smells of car exhaust but not so! According to an up to date 1998 booklet from Work-Cover Victoria ‘Confined Spaces, shafts, tunnels & trenches’ just 30 parts per million of carbon monoxide can effect your health. As carbon dioxide is odourless symptoms of inhaling it include, headaches, heart palpations, loss of balance, confusion and death. (death would be pretty bad symptom!)
Methane
Is very flammable, and surprisingly it is also odourless. So don't take candles into drains, use a battery powered torch. And never, never take gas powered lanterns etc into drains. We have heard of an incident in the US where some kids took a camp stove into a drain to cook some coffee to keep warm. The stove didn't ignite any methane but it set off some natural gas which had leaked into the drain. It's best to explore only well ventilated storm water drains although most railway tunnels are safe.
Hydrogen Sulphide
Is a dangerous gas sometimes caused by sludge. It destroys your sense of smell so you may think it has gone away. Initially it smells of rotten eggs. You may notice that your eyes begin to water and your nose gets blocked up, this is a symptom of Hydrogen Sulphide! We noticed this in Glass Creek and Camos even on a windy day! Even at this low level Hydrogen Sulphide can cause permanent respiratory tract injuries after prolonged exposure. This is a heavier than air gas and collects in depressions in tunnels.
Headaches, feeling dizzy, tingling fingers and toes, increased respiratory effort... all these point to oxygen deprivation. Note well and live by it... if you think anything awry with the atmosphere, then leave. The sooner the better, back the way you came. If one of your party needs help, provide it. Something to look for along the drain route is small feeders from gutter boxes and grills, these often take air from the outside by the Venturi effect and can be a useful source of clean air for a brief time.
For more information on gasses in enclosed spaces, contact Work-Cover Victoria and ask for the leaflet on ‘Confined Spaces, shafts, tunnels & trenches’ to be sent to you. Their web site is at http://www.vic-workcover.com.au
or e-mail them at info@workcover.vic.gov.au
Drain exploration guide Safety - Pollution
Pollution in UA City’s Drains.
Introduction. How bad is the threat?
The information contained in this section of the safety advice does tend to sound a bit ominous, with talk of toxins, pathogens and bio hazards. But to put it all in perspective I have walked in some of the most disgusting looking polluted water in St Kilda drain a day after heavy rain falls, walked through the Yarra River immediately after falling over and grazing my knee twice in City Tunnel, walked through waist high vile smelling crap in Bob’s and the worst I experienced was itchy legs after the Bob’s expo. From what I know of other drain explorers, pollution is something they like to avoid, but apart from visible pollution most people don’t give it much thought. However every drain explorer I’ve met likes to wash off as soon as they arrive home.
While my personal experience with pollution in UA City’s drains has not been all that bad, I think it is important for drain explorers to know what they might be facing so they can know how to deal with it. The advice contained on this page is intended for your benefit. I strongly suggest you read all below and then make up your own mind as to how much you take it into consideration when you explore drains.
Source of information contained.
Most of this info I have gathered through various pamphlets, books and from a report a friend of mine who is an engineering student wrote. Sources include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), UA City Water, the World Health Organisation and the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV). The information contained here is intended to be for educational use, and may contains some inaccuracies although every attempt has been made to provide accurate and up to date information.
There is a list of some major sources at the bottom of this report.
Types of pollution.
As any drain explorer can tell you, UA City's drains and waterways are polluted. Some drains are more polluted than others. But how much pollution is out there? And what sort of pollution is there? Also, what can we do to deal with the pollution problem.
We are well aware of the physical pollution. This includes solid pollution such as litter. Litter is formed mainly of floating litter items such as fast food packaging, plastics, bags, confectionary wrappers, junk mail paper and a small proportion of glass and cans. By far two of the most common items found are polystyrene packaging and cigarette buts.
But some of the worst pollution in drains is the sort you can’t see. This includes biohazards and heavy metal contaminates. Surprisingly, one of the favourite drains explored by UA City drain explorers, Anzac is also one of the worst sources of biohazard pollution. Water samples taken from just downstream of Anzac shows E-Coil levels two and a half times higher than anywhere else in UA City.
There are five main groups of pollutants. They are listed from least harmless to most harmless (from a drain explorer's perspective)
Nutrients Litter Suspended solids. Pathogens Toxicants
Nutrients.
Nutrients consist of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphates. These pollutants are formed by fauna and flora. Nutrients themselves are not a hazard to humans, however they can cause a change in the oxygen levels which in turn effect blue-green algae growth.
Blue green algae
Blue green algae can release toxins into the water which can cause diarrhoea, eye and skin problems, and most worrying, nerve damage. Blue green algae can be found in UA City drains, as for example in Tenth. Apart from its colour and appearance blue green algae also has a distinctive sulfur smell (the infamous rotten egg smell). The problem is that just about everything else in drains has that distinctive rotten egg smell as well.
Nutrients are a minor problem compared to some of the other problems encountered with exploring drains and apart from algae blooms it can be pretty much ignored.
Visible rubbish and Litter
Visible litter is what most people consider to be pollution. Litter is things like cigarette butts, polystyrene, plastics, beer rings, candy wrappers, paper, bottles and cans. This is the stuff that they show you on the news. Litter is generally most visible because a lot of it floats and is identifiable.
According to EPA figures, the most common items of rubbish measured by weight found in drains is plastic bags, plastic sheeting and film, take away food containers and junk mail. Cigarette buts represent a major and increasing source of visible palliations which is a worrying problem and cigarettes contain major carcinogens such as plutonium, the most deadly substance on Earth. ( Hey, if you don’t believe me, contact the Anti-Cancer council)
Apart from glass, most rubbish and litter that you can see won’t cause you much harm, though it will wreak havoc on water life. Naturally glass is a hazard to look out for and if you have poor quality shoes on stepping on broken glass can be a big problem. More likely is the problem of falling over on to glass. Some decomposing rubbish can produce hazardous pathogens.
Suspended solids.
This is what makes our Yarra flow up side down. Suspended solids include dirt, dust, mud and other muck that discolours water. Most suspended solids are dirt, and in the Yarra’s case most of this is washed down from soil erosion upstream of the city. Suspended solids in drains come from dirt and dust on streets, ash from burning off, airborne pollutants from cars and industry and general dirt and grime.
While most suspended solids such as dirt are non toxic and not a problem to the drain explorer, suspended solids attract pathogens and toxins which stick to the suspended solids, turning dirty water into toxic dirty water.
Pathogens
Pathogens include viruses, bacteria, fungus, and parasites, not nice stuff! They cause disease, illness and not only in people either. These are the sort of things which cause festering on cuts and scratches, diarrhoea and serious illnesses such as hepatitis and gastro.
E-Coli and pathogens
Pathogens themselves are not that easy to directly measure, the standard way of measuring pathogen levels is to measure corresponding levels of E-Coil. E-Coil is not a pathogen and itself is not generally harmless. There is however strong relationship between E-Coil levels and the presence of pathogens. E-Coil by the way is mostly found in faeces, that’s right, s***. Which probably explains why levels in Anzac are so high as Id mentioned, there is a small sewer that dumps into that drain. Not to mention the streets of Prahran are not the cleanest, all those trendy yuppies and their dogs.
E-Coil in water in one of the prime reasons why beaches are close. According to the EPA figures some beaches have been closed up to 17 days, although of the 28 beaches closed only 10 were closed for 10 or more days.
Medical waste and sharps.
A relatively new problem is medical waste in drains. This consists of hospital grade waste, sharps such as needles and perhaps most annoying, biohazard containers. These are to be avoided! You don’t want to get mixed up with them. Don’t touch them and warn your fellow drain explorers about them. I have encountered biohazard containers in Flooded, Great Stairway and Clan tomb which is most annoying as the pick up and disposal of these containers is supposed to be free. I have only encountered needles in St Kilda drain. Medical waste also comes under Pathogens.
Toxicants
These are the really nasty ones, these are pure poison. This includes industrial waste, pesticides, herbicides, oil, heavy metals and chemicals. What is particularly nasty about toxicants is that they can accumulate. Toxicants can be a big problem as they are often not visible. I don’t know the number of drains I’ve walked in and thought the water looked clean enough to drink. The rule tends to be, the more you can see it, the less harm it can do.
Apart from being almost always fatal to marine life toxicants are not exactly beneficial to humans either. Toxicants present in water are the most hazardous to drain explorers. Toxicants range from industrial waste illegally dumped into drains (particularly in industrial areas) to ordinary house hold toxicants such as detergents and cooking oil.
Heavy Metals
Heavy Metals in UA City drains include zinc, mercury, lead, copper, arsenic, cadmium, iron and more. Metal toxins are almost always invisible and have no smell. By far the highest metal found in UA City drains is zinc. According to the EPA about 12 tonnes of zinc pours out of the Yarra river into Port Phillip Bay every year, and another three tonnes from Werribee. Levels of lead are about a quarter to a fifth of the levels of zinc. Most of the lead and zinc which is found in drains originates from pollutants generated by cars, not only from exhausts but also from wear and tear on vehicles and roads.
Heavy metals in particular, such as lead and mercury don’t go away once absorbed by the body, they will accumulate over time. Continued exposure to lead, zinc, mercury and other heavy metals will lead to premature hair loss, nerve damage, loss of mental capacity (insanity), sterility and eventually, death. This really is bad news for drain explorers. Heavy metals are a major carcinogen as well as being poisonous. Heavy metals can be dissolved in apparently clear water, but are found in high concentrations in sedimentary deposits such as mud.
Oil, petrol and diesel.
This stuff you will know about, either because it will either stink like mad or cause you to slip and slide all over the place. While not good for you oil, petrol and diesel is likely to do more harm to your clothing than to you, unless you injure yourself slipping over unless fumes from these pollutants reach harmful levels. For more information on gas and fumes in drains see the relevant section.
Another range of toxicants include detergents, cleaning agents, disinfectants, bleach, washing products such as shampoos, tooth paste, soap and mouthwash. As most of these appear to be things that clean, you expect that they would do good, but when mixed and combined with other pollutants these products can become either toxic or acidic and therefore harmful.
When and where are pollutants found.
The big question is when. Fortunately this is when drainers should not be exploring drains anyway. Peak water flows are when drains become most polluted. This is because high volumes of water are able to move some contaminates that are deposited and build up in the drain during slack flow times. Water quality in drains is at its lowest just prior to, during and for an average of 2 days after peak water flows. Peak water flows, for our purposes simply means any time it rains.
Most pollutants are found in the actual drains themselves, in the Yarra river and tributaries with higher concentrations of pollutants the further you go down stream and near bay outfalls. Stormwater drains can actually be more polluted than urban waterways such as creeks and the Yarra River. The worst recorded pollution areas (and by far few drains are monitored for pollution) are those that exit into the Yarra River from Maze and down stream and drains that exit into Gardiner’s and Elster creeks.
Of drains that have had measurements of pollution taken the following are most polluted: Anzac, GOD, Mini-Tenth, Dungeon, Back-Creek drains and Dwellers. Most drains are not measured for pollution and the figures for those that were vary in date and organisation taking measurements. From my own experience I can estimate that several unmeasured drains would be more polluted. These drains tend to have high levels of non visible palliations such as Pathogens and Heavy Metals. This is not surprising as they all drain large areas near dense urban areas and busy roads.
What we really have to look out for.
Short term.
Short term we should be aware of visible pollutants, which of course we should avoid. Be aware that exposure of cuts and abrasions to even apparently clean water can expose you to harmful pathogens. Also be aware of blue green algae and avoid exposure to it.
Long term.
Long term harm is going to be caused by heavy metals. Unlike most other pollutants, heavy metals build up in your system. Levels needed to start to effect you are surprisingly low, baldness will result from only a few milligrams of mercury or lead. Long term drain explorers should take this into consideration when going for doctor’s check ups. I am unaware if this can be checked for, but it is worth asking.
Heavy metal poisoning is the big long term pollution and health problem facing drainers. At this point, with little information to go on I can’t say how much of a potential problem it could be or is. All I can say is that it is cumulative, it is not a visible form of pollution and it is real.
Safety measures we can take.
Avoid rainfall.
Avoid exploring drains during and after rainfall. Pollution is at its heaviest at these times. Generally these are times when it is not safe to explore drains anyway.
Avoid stepping in water.
Easier said than done, but minimising contact with water minimises contact with pollutants as most are water borne.
Wear shoes and socks and wash them after use.
Wearing shoes and socks in a drain provides some buffer between you and pollutants, albeit a minor one. Socks can filter out some suspended solids but are no good against water borne pathogens and heavy metals. They do tend to keep out some mud, where deposits of heavy metals are found. Washing shoes and socks immediately after use allows you to remove contaminates and particles before they have a chance to dry and become deposited on your shoes and socks. While not ideal economically, it is recommended you change your socks once you cannot tell which colour they originally were as this indicates an excessive build up of suspended solids which may host pathogens and toxins. Shoes and socks should be manually scrubbed and dirt particles removed before being machine washed if desired. It is highly recommended you invest in some non-toxic anti-septic or disinfectant wash to dip shoes and socks in before finally drying. Do not wear wet socks exploring as failure to dry out will allow pathogens to breed.
Wash off after exploring
Most drain explorers do this anyway. As well as having a shower (not a bath!) after drain exploring, consider taking along disinfectant hand towels or soap and water to wash hands between exploring drains, especially if you plan to eat. If you are a long term drain explorer worried about heavy metals pollution washing your feet between drains may be worth considering.
Drain Features
This page is intended to give new drain explorers an idea of what is in drains, what sort of features they are likely to come across and what type of tunnels there is.
Tunnel Types
There are several main types of tunnels around, with variations from the main type. The most common are RCP, Red Brick, Mummy and Rectangular type tunnels. Many tunnels change shape or type inside - Ie: Dungeon, Maze, Clan Tomb, Anzac, Mini-Tenth, Great Stairway and many more.
RCP
RCP tunnels are Round Concrete Pipe tunnels. They are mostly joined pipe sections as used in tunnels like GOD, the new sections on Great Stairway, Dwellers, Banger's The New Big Ears Tunnel and more. Sometimes the mouths of older tunnels are extended to cater for new roadworks etc, like in Hexadus and the entrance of the tunnel may contain new work. The picture below depicts a typical entrance to a RCP tunnel.
Mummy
Mummy. These tunnels are shaped like upside down horse-shoes. They are often narrower at the base than at head height and have curved ceilings. Some fine examples of these tunnels include the entrance to Sloth's, the older sections of Great Stairway, Clan Tomb, Glass Creek, Mummy and more.
RBT & RBA
Red Brick tunnels come in two main types: RBA or Red Brick Arch and RBT or Red Brick Tunnel which is a round tunnel. A prime example of Red Brick Arch would be Anzac. A good example of Red Brick Tunnel would be the lower and upper sections of Maze and Room and Northcote High. A variation on the theme is Red Brick Tunnels with a smaller half arch on the bottom than the top such as in Slide.
Rectangular and square concrete
These are rectangular tunnels, mostly wider than high. They are often larger than most tunnels although some like Northcote Golf are average size. Some, like Coffin and Cougar's are low drains, with insufficient space to stand up. Others, like Cobras and a section of Mini-Tenth are double or triple barrel drains, that is, they have two or more pipes running beside each other. Some of the best examples of these type of tunnel include Dungeon, the upstream section of Maze, Northcote Golf and parts of Mini-Tenth. An unusual Rectangular Concrete tunnel can be found upstream of the stairs in Sloth's. It is higher than it is wide.
Arch (Tenth)
This is normally used on larger tunnels that carry creeks through them. Most are made by pre-fabricated concrete sections. The two most week known tunnels of this type are Tenth and Mini-Tenth, both well worth a visit. Another stunning example of a tunnel of this type is Big Bastard, a short tunnel but probably the highest and widest tunnel in UA City. These tunnels are commonly known as Tenth type tunnels as they were names after the 10th tunnel to be found by Cave Clan. There are also Corrugated Iron Tenths.
Bluestone.
These are now relatively rare in UA City. Prime examples of these can be found in Ballarat, check the location sheet for details. A short section of Bluestone can be found in Slide, a part of the Maze complex. Bluestone sections can be found in GOD and the upper reaches of Anzac.
Tunnel Features.
There are many sorts of features to be found in tunnels apart from just the tunnel shape. These include Stairs Slides Falls Pillars Grilles Stepirons Stations Splits Manholes Gutterboxes and more.
Stairs
Stairs are most often used when the tunnel climbs a hill. They can be a series of low stairs, such as in GOD, or larger stairs such as in Sloth's and Clan Tomb. They are built where the tunnel climbs or descends a hill. They are much easier to navigate than a slide.
Slides
Slides are also used to climb hills but are normally only short. Unless you have a rope or there are stepirons they can be hard to climb. Some prime examples of slides are found in Slide, Hexadus and the new Big Ears tunnel. The one in Slide requires a ladder, rope or just a good deal of climbing experience to climb.
Falls
These are when the drain includes a considerable drop in them. You should be careful when climbing or descending falls. You can have problems holding your torch when climbing the ladders so you might be advised to tie your torch around your shoulder on a piece of string, or if you have a small torch, hold it in your mouth. Get a friend to shine a torch on you. Most falls have ladders or stepirons on them. Some good examples of falls are in GOD, Maze, Falls and a few other tunnels.
Pillars
Pillars are found in a few tunnels. These are often metal or concrete pillars that in most cases are used to support the tunnel roof and may have been part of an original bridge before the drain was a tunnel. Some good examples of pillars are in the chamber at Northcote Golf and in the start of the chamber in Anzac.
Grilles
Grilles. These are metal grilles which can either be in the roof or sides of the tunnel. Most are in the roof and provide welcome light and air to the tunnel. Some grilles are huge, covering the entire roof of the tunnel or forming a room of their own. Grilles that form a room of their own are called Grille Rooms.
Other grilles are small, they are simply a metal grid which may or may not have access ways. A nice new one has been put in Great Stairway and others are found in most tunnels. There is one at the end of work in the new Big Ear's Tomb tunnel and a big grille in Dungeon. Check the picture further up this page.
Stepirons
Stepirons are the name given to the rungs used in ladders and traverses in tunnels. They are set into the concrete or brick sides of the tunnel. Mostly they form ladders such as in GOD but they can also be used to traverse sumps and slides such as in Hexadus. Most tunnels which have falls or slides will have a ladder or stepirons. GOD even has stepirons in it's entrance.
Stations
Stations. These are named after their resemblance to railway stations. They look very much like miniature railway stations. They normally have low bench like 'platforms either side of the central drain. They are usually built where roads cross the tunnel and may be old road bridges from when the drain was still open. There are some quite good ones in Sloth's and Dungeon
Splits
Splits This is where the tunnel either divides into two or more separate tunnels or where side tunnels enter the main tunnel. These are found in a great many tunnels. Some tunnels such as Mini-Tenth, Dungeon, Maze and more all have several large side tunnels which are worth exploring in themselves.
Manholes
Manholes Well to give them their fancy name Human Egress Portals! Hmm, yeah. Manholes are located in the ceilings and sides of most tunnels. They usually have stepirons leading up to them. Some are quite high up and have little platforms at the top. They come in many types, the classic metal grid ones, round ones with light slits in them, lightweight ones, heavy concrete and metal rectangular ones which are often located on footpaths. Some harder ones to open are the square and concrete ones which may have a series of small slits in them. These weigh a tonne and are often rusted into place.
The easiest manholes to lift are the lightweight concrete ones often found in gutter boxes. They are easily recognised by their rectangular shape and two lifting holes. Slide them along the groove and then pop them. Also easy to lift are round grilled manholes.
Be wary of opening manholes from underneath, if you hear the thunk, thunk of cars going overhead there's a pretty good chance the manhole is on a road. Also check for spider webs near the entrance.
Gutter Boxes
These are the holes located on the side of a gutter which rain runs into entering the drain system. They may or may not be accompanied by a grille in the gutter. Most only drain into small drains but some can be reached easily from large drains or via a short crawl along a side pipe.
Suggestions on exploring drains
Entering tunnels
The easiest and best way to get into drains is where drains they emerge into rivers or creeks. This is usually where the drains are the largest. There's normally easy access via a stepiron ladders into the drain or in most cases you can just scramble down the bank and walk on in.
Very few drains in UA City are fenced, some may have a fence along the top to prevent people from walking over the drop. Some drains are fenced off such as those on golf courses or near schools. These are mainly to prevent children and golf balls from entering the drain. A good many drains also are located in canals, such as Dungeon, Maze and Cougar's. In most cases there are stepirons to get down into the drain.
Some drains such as Forgotten and until recently, Bob's could only be entered via manholes. You will need a manhole popper to open these. This consists of a 'T' shaped metal tool made from 8mm round metal rods. The top metal bar is about 12 centimetres long, the same as center bar. A small bar about 28 mm long is attached to the base of the 'T'. This device can be popped into manholes to lift them. Of course a crow bar will do the job just fine as well.
Walking along drains
So, you've got yourself into a drain eh? Well the next thing you face is the invariable slipping and sliding that is almost inevitable. When walking along the drain keep a good eye out for damp bits. On drains such as mummy types or rectangular concrete drains you may notice water dripping from side pipes, sliding across the floor of the drain. Try avoid stepping on these bits because they are invariably extremely slippery. Also keep an eye out for deposits from stalactites dripping from the roof of the drain.
When you walk along RCP type tunnels one of the easiest ways to do this is by walking from side to side. That is, you walk three steps along one side, cross to the other and walk three along the other. This process of crossing from side to side keeps your feet from getting wet. Once you get the hang of it this is an almost natural process.
Climbing ladders
You can climb ladders easily with even a big dolphin torch but it doesn't hurt to chuck the heavy gear into a bag and pull it up after you. Once you get experienced in navigating ladders this won't be a problem. Watch out for slippery rungs on ladders that get sprayed with water.
Equipment
Above is an example of some equipment you might need to explore drains although you would not take all of it into the drain.
Generally you will not need to take much with you when you are exploring drains. Shorts, t-shirt, old shoes and a torch will do fine. Some of this stuff will seem obvious to experienced drain explorers. Ultimately after exploring drains you will get an idea of what you need or don't need. You may want to take some extra equipment with you when exploring drains. We suggest:
Must Have Equipment:
Torch
You will need at least two of these, both should be waterproof. I recommend your main torch be an Eveready Dolphin as it puts out good light, is waterproof, it floats and the batteries are not too expensive (compared to 'DD' size batteries). You can pick up a new Dolphin torch for about $18 from Coles or Safeways.
You can now buy rechargeable Dolphin torches! Rainbow Power Company in Nimbin NSW sells them but I don't know the price.
Rainbow Power Company Ltd. PO Box 240. Nimbin, NSW, Australia, 2480
Phone 02 6689 1430 Fax 02 6689 1109 E-mail info@rpc.com.au
Batteries
Dolphin type batteries usually sell for about $3 and last about 3-5 hours, about $1 per hour. It is worth investing in rechargeable batteries or torches if you can.
Back up torch
Your backup torch can be a simple pocket torch, as long as it's waterproof. I suggest you use a Mag-lite. You can sometimes buy these in Two-Dollar or reject shops or Safeways for a 2-3 dollars. Attach it to your cloths with a key-ring and string long enough to allow it to be kept in a pocket. Most often the back up torch will only be used if the main one brakes down. If you go in a group 1 torch between 2-3 people is generally okay, as long as there is at least 2 torches between the group.
Long term light - candles.
When it comes to long term light of low power for such things as parties in drains or a spot of art-work candles are good - but not in drains with bad gas! Candles are good in well ventilated big drains. They are really good to light up drains like a cathedral. I would not recommend generally taking candles into drains as every day equipment, only take them when you know you are going to use them.
Make sure you don't shine your torch in people's faces! It's very annoying when this happens.
Backpack or bag
You will need a bag of sorts to carry your kit in. You should have one that keeps your hands free. A bag you have to carry in your hand just won't cut it. A backpack or bum-bag should do the job.
A back-pack should be comfortable and not too big. A simple day pack will do the job. Ideally it should have padded straps but let's not be fussy, almost any day pack will do the job. You don't need anything flash, just a hard wearing pack. Hard wearing is the optative word here, you will need a pack with reasonably thick material, thin nylon plastic packs will fall apart after a while
The pack should be large enough to carry a torch, bottle of water and can as well as having pockets for your spare torch, manhole popper and other stuff you almost always carry. You can pick up a pack almost anywhere but check out discount shops because they often sell them.
If you explore drains with a pocket torch a bum bag will do just fine. A small torch will fit into a bum bag just fine along with textas etc. You can pick one up for as little as $2 in most discount shops.
Popper
Manhole poppers are a very handy tool to have. Poppers are used to lift manholes. They consist of a small 'T' shaped device made out of 7.5 or 8mm steel rod. You can make these yourself if you can get hold of oxy welding gear. It is a simple case of cutting up the metal rod into two 12 cm long bars and one 2.5 cm bar with the 2.5 cm bar on the bottom. The joints should be welded together strongly. I have found the handle on my popper to be a bit hard on the hand and recommend a wider handle, possibly a metal / wooden one.
The 2.5 cm bottom length of popper is designed to fit into the lifting holes of GATIC type manholes. You may want to create a second popper with a longer bottom piece to allow easier opening of round grid manholes.
Water Bottle
A small water bottle is useful and just about a must have. Exploring drains can be thirsty work. You don't need a custom job, just a small plastic soft drink bottle will do fine.
Footware
Most drains have some water in them, even if it's not deep. You can either adopt a 'keep my feet dry' attitude or a 'stuff it' attitude. After a while you will probably just give up trying to keep your shoes clean and dry. So I recommend you use shoes you don't mind getting dirty. Old shoes with good grip are best. Grip is important! You must have good grip or you will slip over.
You might consider buying a pair of cheap shoes from a factory shop, seconds place or from Dimmeys in Richmond. Your shoes will require good grip for climbs and crossing slippery drains. In summer when the weather's warm runners are ok. In winter when the water is cold you may consider gumboots, even though they are uncomfortable. Some gum-boots now come with good toe protection and I suggest if you can afford them then they're the best to get. You can usually pick up gumboots at a second hand shop for a few dollars or you can buy them at most hardware or disposals stores.
Clothing
You will mostly need and use typical everyday clothing. There is little need for any specialised clothing. In summer you should do with shorts and shirt. Shorts are recommended because although most drains don't have much water in them, splashing will normally get you lower half of your leg wet. Typically the shorts should be quick drying and have big pockets. In summer, when it's best to explore drains you can normally just wear shorts, a good pair of shoes and a shirt.
Occasionally some people will explore wearing coveralls or overalls, especially in dirty or cold drains.
And remember drains are dirty! Gather a single set of cloths to wear in a drain and wear only them in the drain. They will get dirty, but it will save you messing up other cloths.
Optional Equipment:
Melways
How else do you think you are going to work out where all those drain are eh? You'll need one of these to navigate about the place and to locate the drains on the location sheet.
Paint
Useful for leaving your mark or messages in the drain. After crawling all the way up a drain you like to prove that you were there. This is done by using either paint or textas. Most commonly used is aerosol can paint, - spray cans. These can be purchased for under $3 at almost every Reject Shop in UA City. Some of the discount shops on Chapel St sell these cans for $ 2.50.These shops also tend to sell fluorescent spray paint for a bit over $3. These prices were current 10th June 1998.
We use and recommend Pro 400 and Pro 200 paint. Heratidge Green and Red seem to be the best colours. White and black are to be avoided. We suggest you avoid 'Action Paint' which is crappy.
Also available from Home Hardware in Glen Iris is a very good metallic finish spray paint. Check the Hexadus map for the hand showing the location. Car touch up paint is often good too as it tends to stand out and comes in many colours.
Textas
When it comes to textas try get ones with angled tips, not pointed tips. Generally the bigger the better. When writing with them try to smooth off the area you are writing on first or the texta tip will wear down quickly.
When using paint or textas don't write above ground, stick to drain entrances and inside of drains or you may find yourself in trouble for vandalism.
Pocket knife
Not normally required, in fact I have never needed to use one in a drain..
First aid kit
Optional but recommended. Not always necessary for experienced explorers but useful for beginners. A simple one in a small waterproof container should contain: Bandaids, a bandage, cotton wool, anti-septic, gloves. You can normally put together one for about $5-6 and carry it in your pocket.
Having said all this you can normally get away with exploring some tunnels with nothing more than a pocket torch if you're careful. We've explored known drains in normal cloths, everyday shoes and just one pocket torch between the lot of us but ideally we take our coveralls, torches and first aid kit with most also choosing to wear a helmet.
Light Rope
Not the sort of rope you use for climbing, but rather a short piece of rope that you can use to tie to your bag and equipment when crawling through low drains or pipes or climbing ladders.
Food
Some long drains like Dungeon and Maze take so long to explore that you may like to take along a light snack.
"Oh! That's YOUR web site!" ... "Yep, that one." http://www.uer.ca/urbanadventure/www.ur ... windex.htm
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
I was going to post
APPROACH . TXT
APPR0ACH.DOC, DRAINING. FAQ
but it is too big to go here so go take a look at it on that web site.
"Oh! That's YOUR web site!" ... "Yep, that one." http://www.uer.ca/urbanadventure/www.ur ... windex.htm
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
For the original text, from the version archived shortly before Pred's passing in 2004, see https://web.archive.org/web/20040801000 ... proach.txt.
The first version of Approach.doc, if I remember right, started circulating on BBSes in 1996, I think Pred wrote it in 1995. Much of it is still relevant today.
I also recommend reading through Pred.txt, the full document to which Panic linked to above. Predator was a very interesting character and his account of his last few months is pretty harrowing reading. Find a PDF here https://libcom.org/library/predtxt
I was working on an updated, annotated version of Approach, but this has stalled in the midst of a bunch of other exploring-related writing projects.
Iso of the Cave Clan
Nice. It contains my favorite draining pic.iso wrote:For the fancy, illustrated version of Pred's Approach.doc, see http://sewerfresh.com/approach-to-draining.
"Oh! That's YOUR web site!" ... "Yep, that one." http://www.uer.ca/urbanadventure/www.ur ... windex.htm
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
Cheers
Generally lighter manhole covers can be pulled part way over the manhole as you enter, then pulled all the way into the socket once you are in. For the heavy ones, if they have a lip or something to grip on you can sometimes crowbar them into position from underneath. Otherwise you need someone above ground to seal you in. Not a fun option.alex0000 wrote:First of all, thank you for such a fascinating read. It's crazy how much stuff you don't know even after years of draining. On the subject of the many things i don't know, I wounder if anyone could clarify this for me? What's the etiquette when all the manhole covers are in the middle of roads? How can you close it after you and, more importantly, not get your brain caved in by a car as you exit?
Cheers
Brain caving in is never fun. The only sure way is to only open manholes you know are not on roads. Or have an expedition member wait above ground / travel to exit above ground.
I do recall one expo into the Tank Stream at 2 AM in the morning years and years ago (last century) where we blocked off a lane of a road with lights and barricades to get in. The manhole was left out of the socket besides the entrance as it took 2 people to lift out and would have been near impossible to open from underneath. We had a security guard come over and ask what we were doing. We explained and he was fascinated that people explored drains for a hobby, and wanted to know what was down there.
"Oh! That's YOUR web site!" ... "Yep, that one." http://www.uer.ca/urbanadventure/www.ur ... windex.htm
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
Bullshit you spend $700 on a full face respirator - a full face even at P100 is max $300 including cartridges.ShadowMiner198 wrote:Think I'm fine when it comes to "bad air" went and spent $700AUD on a full face respirator and filters. And let me tell you that where not talking some s*** filters, I'm talkin about your kind that can filter ANYTHING. Trust me.
What's the brand and model of your super l337 respirator man?
IG: zero.given
Filters won't and can't filter out carbon dioxide, monoxide or other lethal gasses. They're good for particles only. Brilliant for asbestos and coal dust, not so good against gas.ShadowMiner198 wrote:Think I'm fine when it comes to "bad air" went and spent $700AUD on a full face respirator and filters. And let me tell you that where not talking some s*** filters, I'm talkin about your kind that can filter ANYTHING. Trust me.
"Oh! That's YOUR web site!" ... "Yep, that one." http://www.uer.ca/urbanadventure/www.ur ... windex.htm
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
And read the damn Newbies FAQ and guide to writing a first post! viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4257&p=40693
IG: zero.given
No one told me that
RIP Predator.
I'm sad i was never able to meet you.
I'm sure we would have gotten along very well.
Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.
It's his birthday today.
He had just turned 33.
13 years next week
