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UER Mobile > Canada: Alberta / BC > Vancouver Island Draining (Viewed 38297 times)

post by Artemis

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 20 on 4/8/2015 2:34 PM >

Posted by brandon250
hey Artemis I'm pretty sure it was a concrete wall with a metal grate bolted on.

Yeah, I didn't get a good look at the whole assembly of the cage, I'm curious now to what is on the other side. Research time!!

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post by HackTheRipper

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 21 on 4/8/2015 8:00 PM >

It would be really easy to pop the bolts, but I'm not sure about the knee-high water and driftwood in the other tunnel.

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post by Artemis

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 22 on 4/9/2015 6:18 PM >

Posted by brandon250
hey Artemis I'm pretty sure it was a concrete wall with a metal grate bolted on.

I'm going to take a walk during the day in that general direction and see what I can find for manholes, etc.

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post by brandon250

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 23 on 4/9/2015 7:50 PM >

Posted by Artemis

I'm going to take a walk during the day in that general direction and see what I can find for manholes, etc.

yea there was a few along there very rusted and the drain itself has definitely seen better days!

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post by J-VIC

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 24 on 5/4/2015 3:49 AM >

A few pics of an old drain that me and brandon250 checked out a while back. It was fairly small, but i love any drain made from brick.

1.

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post by Artemis

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 25 on 5/16/2015 4:34 AM >

Great shots, the lighting is perfect with the beautiful brickwork.

Good job J-VIC

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 26 on 7/1/2015 10:49 PM >

Does anyone with prior experience feel like helping a total newbie get into one of the less accessible drains around here?

I've managed to find and explore the DD and HW on my own, but I don't have the balls/spousal permission to start popping lids and going underground alone somewhere with no clear exit.

I'm not asking for locations. I think I have (more or less) mapped out the systems I want to try to get into topside, including at least one or two specific locations that may work, but I need someone with experience to help me actually get in, and ideally also warn me if an access point I picked is a dumb idea or there's an easier/safer alternative.

I don't mean to be rude, especially coming from someone that just joined, but I'm really only looking for someone that knows a couple of specific systems. I'm too new at this to do a blind-leading-the-blind party.

I'm happy to meet somewhere first to sniff out/discuss.

P.S. Final argument in favour of helping me: looking at recent construction, and long term city planning documents, a lot of the older drains are going to get at least partially redone within the next ~2+ years. This includes some of the more commonly discussed ones here, so there is a finite amount of time left for anyone to see this stuff, newbies trampling all over them or not.

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post by Darkzero

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 27 on 7/2/2015 2:03 PM >

Posted by J-VIC
A few pics of an old drain that me and brandon250 checked out a while back. It was fairly small, but i love any drain made from brick.

I love old brick drains. Nice shots.

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post by TacDical

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 28 on 7/4/2015 3:06 PM >

what system series are you looking at ive probably been in them, and most other crawlable walkable and slideable tunnels and drains around here, myself and NK explored a this particular system one day probably one of the longest, it led as a brick drain north so south but part way through was a branch off of a walkable RCP that leads towards the harbour, never made it to the outfall of course high tide and the fact a building tapped into the storm drain blocked off our access

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 29 on 7/4/2015 4:13 PM >

J-VIC just offered to meet up, but mind if I PM you Tac?

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post by J-VIC

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 30 on 7/5/2015 12:54 AM >

Hey Tac, are you still in victoria these days? Im really curious about some drains outside of the downtown victoria area. Maybe you have some info on these that would be helpful?

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 31 on 7/6/2015 5:54 AM >

I thought this is interesting if you haven't seen it yet:

http://www.canadia...hless-technologies

tldr; we're 3 years into a 15 year program to "preserve" large brick drains by lining the inside with concrete, but some of the historical stuff is cool too.

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 32 on 7/13/2015 3:05 AM >

Last night, I had the privilege of joining a small group to explore one of the awesomest spots in(under) the city. This place really is impressive and I was surprised how intact it was after all these years and the notch.

There are enough picture of it here, so I'll try to keep it short.

Anyone know anything about the last one?

click to view

click to view

click to view

click to view

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post by Artemis

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 33 on 7/14/2015 5:27 PM >

Posted by htp123
Last night, I had the privilege of joining a small group to explore one of the awesomest spots in(under) the city. This place really is impressive and I was surprised how intact it was after all these years and the notch.

There are enough picture of it here, so I'll try to keep it short.

Anyone know anything about the last one?

click to view

Great shots htp123, keep up the good work!

- Artemis

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 34 on 7/26/2015 1:35 AM >

Forgot my waders, thankfully I had this boat.

click to view

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 35 on 8/6/2015 11:04 PM >

Excuse the artsy pictures, but I just figured out how to set my shutter, and I just got a new bike light and thought this is a cool perspective of popular spot.

click to view

click to view

Really though, I just wanted to bump this thread in hopes of someone coming out to play with me.

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 36 on 8/22/2015 9:48 AM >

Having run out of easy access points, I finally build up enough courage (and physical strength) to do a spot of solo gardening under one on a street. I'm pretty sure it's been posted before, but that was part of the plan. Gotta start somewhere, and I'd rather know what to expect.

Not surprisingly, the alfalfa is doing well:

click to view

While the main system is actually cool brick, it turns out that this is a two-for-one and you can get a whole other system after squeezing a little:

click to view

And because it's 2015, here is a selfie of me squeezing for scale:

click to view

I didn't manage to get too far in before my legs gave out, and I'm glad I brought a sling. I don't think I expected these things to be as heavy, or as deep, or as rusted as they are, so props to all of you and thank you for all the help.

All in all, this went pretty well I think. Lid is back on tight, nobody noticed, and other than the facefull of shit and spiders bit it was great. Definitely like to go back and check out more of the brick section.

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 37 on 8/23/2015 10:15 AM >

MOAR DRAINS~

Sorry for all the words, but I've always really enjoyed reading the trip reports here and would like to try making my own. The timestamp probably also has something to do with it.

Empowered by last nights success, I decided to try another drain I had my eye on for a while.

After an anxious wait, the city finally becomes quiet and belongs to me once more. I check the tide schedule again and set out on a short bike ride. After 15 minutes I arrive at the spot I had scoped out before. I lock up on a fence in some nearby bushes, walk over and pop the lid. I scoped this out before and know how deep it is. This time, to attract as little attention as possible, I use my little red bike light to peek inside. I can barely see the bottom. Shit. I switch to my headlamp and 25ft of spiderwebs stare back me.

At this point it feels like my leg and arms muscles are telling me not to do anything stupid, and I'm getting serious doubts about being able to make it back out if there is any kind of drop at the bottom. I decide it's best to abort for now, recover and try again.

But this is too great of a night to just give up now. There is another spot I've had on my radar for a while, and this one does not require much athleticism. I put the lid back on, grab my bike and head north. After a 20 minute bike ride, I pass a large brick building, it's over 100 years old and illuminated at night it looks like a neo-gothic mansion. Somewhere around here should be my portal.

It takes only a few minutes of stumbling around the bushes before I spot it. I have to clear a path through the thorny plants first, then re-arrange some rocks, but finally I'm in. I wasn't prepared for this size, and my boots flood after only a few metres. Only the Hall of Wonders is bigger in my (very) limited experience. A big frog is swimming in front of me, and dozens of little fish are darting between my legs. I continue until the next juncture. By now I'm in over my knees and my boots are getting stuck in silt on the bottom, I figure it's time to call it a night.

Anyone know where this is? I only got ~120m in, but I think it continues for at least 2x that at this size. I'll be back soon to check the rest of it out.

click to view

click to view

[last edit 8/23/2015 5:55 PM by htp123 - edited 1 times]

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post by htp123

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 38 on 9/5/2015 8:54 PM >

Let'z do this...

Weather/technology permitting, there'll be a screening of "Lost Rivers" in the Hall of Wonders a little before midnight next Saturday night.

https://vimeo.com/50839044

Bring something to sit on and/or beer.

PS: I think some people on here were involved in making this film. If anyone thinks this is a bad idea for that or any other reason, please let me know.

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post by A. Lien

Re: Vancouver Island Draining
<Reply # 39 on 9/19/2015 3:03 AM >

Awesome idea, hope it went well. I think there's a book on lost rivers of Vancouver. Hazy memory atm.

Posted by htp123
Let'z do this...

Weather/technology permitting, there'll be a screening of "Lost Rivers" in the Hall of Wonders a little before midnight next Saturday night.

https://vimeo.com/50839044

Bring something to sit on and/or beer.

PS: I think some people on here were involved in making this film. If anyone thinks this is a bad idea for that or any other reason, please let me know.

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