After my failed attempt to get Lisa and Elseya to join us at the Book Shelf a few weeks back it was attempt number two. We had planned on a cruisey time down at the Playground for some bouldering and easy trad lines, but a howling westerly promising 60km/hr on-shore winds combined with a mid-morning high tide and +5m swell made us think it was not wise to be on that west coast. So there was only one option left and that was Castle Rock, nestled on the east side of the Cape it was sure to be ok:
When we got there Lou had already led up a fine flake, and had felt ok on it. A sure sign that the road to recovery was going well, this line is not in the guide but has been led numerous times. Lisa looked at it and um’d and ah’d but decided not to follow up just yet, after all it has been a very, very, very long time since she has donned climbing shoes and taken on the vertical rocks. Around the corner I found that Steve and Leanne were also there, but had other pursuits in mind:
So I racked up and led an easy line to the right of Minty Freshness, so Lisa could ease back into climbing. It was my first lead in several months, and some my question how when just two weeks back I climb one legged how I could now be back with two legs. Well my trusty physio, Steve, who admits to being a bit of a rouge with his advice has said that I could climb but had to be sensible. Plus he has advised me to lose my duck waddle (as Elseya calls it) and rotate my hips, which I’m fiercely working on and it makes such a difference:
In case you were getting confused no that is not me in the above image, Glen plumped for Cornflakes for his first lead and did it in style. I just happen to have been at a ledge and decided to stop to take some images, like you do. After topping out I set up a top rope and came back down where Lisa was keen and ready for action. As she put on her PPE Alan and Will rocked, Steve and Leanne abandoned the fishing and it was party on:
Like I said it has been an age since Lisa has climbed so I wasn’t my usual pushy self instead being quietly encouraging. After a false start during which she braved wearing my climbing shoes (several sizes too big and no doubt toe fungus infected) she bailed and had to wear her old shoes. Why didn’t she do that to start with – well since she bought them she has had major toe surgery and now as one of her big toes is now pinned together the shoes are a tad uncomfortable.:
With her shoes she was up and away, it took a bit of time to get into the swing of it and remember how to climb but she was soon up and then back down. Will then jumped on the same line just as it seemed we may get a bit wet. We had missed the wild wind and swell but the rain clouds were whizzing past and occasionally one would sprinkle us. It never lasted too long and the rock here is great and with a good breeze soon dries up:
Lou was up for another lead and decided to play on one of the wide cracks at the far right hand end of the crag. These are not listed individually in the guide but mentioned as a whole stating that none are harder than grade 12. One problem with these are that they are often wave washed and Glen duly belayed barefoot as Lou worked out how to start, again and again and again and again:
Now I mentioned that Elseya was also down, and it’s always easiest if we bring a ‘plus one’. Josh her dance mate loves mucking about on rocks as much as she does so he was the natural choice. In an earlier image you may have seen Steve hanging off this line he put up, which leads to the top of a boulder that is regularly used as a fishing platform. So they mucked about and never did ‘climb’ anything as in put a harness on, but bouldered about heaps:
After much struggling Lou finally got off the ground and managed to worm her way up this classic chimney. It really is a trad line full of charisma and charm – if you are not claustrophobic, like being squished in small places, enjoy fighting to get to you gear and then also fighting to work out how to place anything. So I love it, but others tend to think it is not that great. Lou did eventually get up to within 1m of the top and then gave up, a great effort and she was knackered. So Glen topped out and Alan finished it off, and all three of them hated the route:
While all that unpleasantness was going I jumped on Cornflakes and Steve led the route that Lou start on. It felt great to be back on the floppy end of the rope and my ankle held up well, although we shall see tomorrow if it starts to ache. Leanne followed Steve and was smiling all the way up, but whether that was because she was enjoying the route or happy that there was only one piece of gear to take out I am not sure. Howsie it seems that you have been bad influence on Steve:
Then disaster happened, Elseya and Josh found two crabs entangled in fishing line and needed help to free the poor crustaceans and eagle eyed Steve spied a fisher who had inadvertently caught a seagull. Look for the white dot and you’ll see Elseya marking the spot of the six legged creatures in peril and the hooked seagull was not far off. So Lisa and Steve charged off to help out. Not surprisingly they found that Elseya not one to be afraid of getting stuck in rushed over to attempt to catch and calm the seagull:
So with Lisa gone Will decided she would follow me up and did a fine job on this exposed line. Even managing to pull all my gear bar two pieces, one a trusty and well buried tri-nut and the other a perfectly fitting wire that had to come out in exactly the way it came in:
Operation crab and seagull rescue was still going on so after Will had followed me up Lou decided to come up this route for a second time. This time the tri-nut stayed put but the wire came out. Finally the triumphant foursome returned and I am very happy to report the crabs and seagulls were all OK and given a second chance of life. So afterwards Lisa finally followed up the line and once again did herself proud:
Thanks to Will for offering to take an image of the happy couple once again on rock together. The image almost never happened as Lisa was somewhat in pain and wanted to get those little rubber shoes off, but she gritted her teeth for a perfect smile before being lowered back down:
Then it really started to rain and looked like it may have set in, the less hardy or maybe more sensible of the crew retired to the cave while the others kept going and were rewarded as the clouds soon parted to let the sun back out. It really does take only a few moments for the rock to dry out and also for it to seem a bit too toasty (yes Lou I’m a wimp in the sun):
Alan was one who stuck it out and finally the rope I had put up at the start was going to be used for Minty Freshness. I mentioned this line at the start and it was game on Alan, Glen and then Lou all took it on and all agreed it was a challenge with its slopey holds and fairly sustained first 6m’ish. It is probably the last new route I put up before the guide was published and so based on the grade of 17 there was a bit of debate whether I had once again sand bagged people, I felt not it is just a different style of climbing. Back home I looked at the guide and oops I gave it a 16 so maybe it is a bit of sandbag, or you could consider it character building:
While the siege on the top rope occurred Steve was up for another lead and tackled Stepping Up a very fingery and thin start and finish that had everyone holding their breathe hoping he would hold on. Even more impressive was how he climbed past the first bolt to the better holds before using the carrot. It was nervous viewing as that section is supper thin and smeary and we’ve seen many a climber fall from there, but he stuck it and was looking good:
By then it was time to head off, everyone was fished out (well no one caught anything and nor did the reams of other people fishing or so it seemed) and climbed out. I have since found out that the crew went to Occy’s a brewery afterwards, and I would note that neither Lisa nor I was advised of the after fish/climb merriment that was planned! That said I think they all know me too well as the one who wants to get home to see his girls; who just happened to be with me this time. However, we did have to get Josh home so we probably would have had to say no anyway – maybe next time:
Sandbagged 