Monday July 3rd 2000 - Our First Exploration in a Downtown Drain



    Magma and I decided it was time to go and explore. Being new at this, we weren't exactely sure where to start. Since exploring a building is rather risky to begin with, we thought a drain is a realatively safe place for a couple of new explorers to check out. After a couple weeks, Magma spotted a nice drain Drain we could possibly explore.

    So, we had the drain figured out, we next had to plan up how to enter and what to bring on this little expedition. Magma brought a maglight, and, I brought along another maglight, and the camera around my neck. Since this was a drain, we had to wait for a day when there was no percipitation so water level of the drain was fairly shallow for us to walk in. Also, for safety sake, being downtown, the safest time to not be spotted in this activity would be to go at night. Magma added the note that we travel the drain at around 11pm. The reason for this is that teenagers walking around that time of night is not nearly as suspicious as teenagers downtown at like 3am.

    It is now July 3rd, and Magma and I decided this night is as good as any to begin exploring. Boy, were we in for a surprise. Magma had driven us to a restaurant a few blocks off the drain, and we walked to the drain from there. To aviod arousing suspicion, we changed into our draining gear (rubber boots, and shorts) at a parking garage with a bathroom across the street from the drain. Once at the drain, we slipped into the channel, and began walking into the tunnel. At first glimpse we expected the drain to just get smaller, and close into a wall or something. Instead, the tunnel took us along a few turns, never seeming to end. As we walked, we could only see but 30 or 40 feet ahead from our flashlights and after that, pitch black. Along our travels, we came across an orfice door. I quickly got closer, and peered inside which forms a new tunnel to lead us elsewhere. I went inside, and was quickly stopped by large pipes blocking my travels. After climbing below and above them, I decided I wasn't getting anywhere, and returned to the opening where Magma was waiting for me.

    As we walked through the cool water in the tunnel, to our surprise, we were constantly being hit by fish that were swimming in this water. At sometimes, Magma and I were being tripped up by these fish, that were hard to avoid, considering the number of them. Another pest on our trip were the number of spiderwebs we walked through. Nevertheless, we were still enjoying ourselves and continued along the tunnel. About 20 minutes through the drain, we came along another rather large tunnel.tunnel Both Magma and I detoured through it, only coming to a stop by a large steel grate. Having only flashlights, and a camera, we had no choice but to turn around, and continue through the main drain.Tunnel We came across a few more larger drains, but decided to continue on through the main drain. After about 45 minutes, we came closer to the sound of rushing water, and then a dim light. As we travelled closer, the light grew brighter, and the rush of water more intenese, and louder. At this point, we did not want to take the chance of being seen, so we turned off the maglights and walked to towards the light in front of us. pumping stationTo our disappointement, we came to the end of tonight's journey. What lay ahead was the light of streetlights. A large steel grate blocked us from exiting the tunnel into the water pump stations. Already statisfied with what we had found and explored, we decided it was best for us to return back through the main drain, and back home.

    The trip back was very quick. Since we were now walking with the current, our speed was signifcantly faster, and also, now that we were familiar with the area, we needn't be so slow, and cautious of what's ahead. We made it back out of the drain, climbed up out of the channel, and changed back into normal clothes at the parking garage. We then got back into Magmas car, and returned home after a great trip of what shall be one of many more drains to explore.