RE:Going forward... After initial no CS hit, He probably calculated the drop off and why he continued deeper knowing that should expose, as CP stated , more shear to wedge into ... in theory seems To make sence.
while very deep we have to keep in mind he is going where no man has gone before , on this site , in all the years that others were working there in the past.
Geologists could probably tell somewhat based on the formations of hole 55 where he hit the shear, that a drop off is likely, but no one would know ..so he would have confirmed that with 56.
it may be a case of easy pickings to the north - hence the clear plan to wedge north at multiple elevations... it's going to be there.