Last weekend I went down to the beach on Saturday morning hoping for a milk pond, with no stingers. It wasn’t quite that flat but the stingers were absent, which was good. Lisa came down with the poodles, a cup of coffee and beach chair to soak up some rays while I braved the water in hunt for some. It certainly felt cold when I got in but took a deep breath and dived in:
The water still hasn’t really cleared up and it looks like we will have another change in the weather this week meaning it won’t settle down again. That said I could see enough and as I peered down between all the non-stinging jellies I spied what I think is a sunflower sea star. It was pretty amazing how fast this ten legged creature moved and if I could hold my breathe that bit longer I would have taken a short video. Watching all the tiny suckered feet moving like they do was pretty cool:
There was not a heap to spy but a few colourful standouts did attract my attention, this included these feathery plants. I’m not entirely sure but from a book and google search I reckon they may be lytocarpus philippinus, and if they are then I read this stinging hydroid can cause itchy painful weals even with just a light brush contact. I didn’t touch them, I rarely touch anything I see, and I’m pleased as if my research is right then there is no known first aid measures to deal with the discomfort I would have had:
Fish activity seemed low with the occasional sweep, wrasse and leather jacket about and the very occasional small fish I didn’t get close enough to really see. Nothing in any great numbers or outstanding except a beautiful globe fish, they have the most amazing googly eyes. Most of the fish other than the sweep and leather jackets were well camouflaged in the weed, such as this decent sized wrasse with his head only just poking out. By the time I get down there they have usually shot off to a better hiding spot:
I did however come across a brilliant unexpectedly find. As I was diving down to check out a sea star the swell was drifting this way and that and opened up a space in the weed to reveal this fella. Pretty sure it is a tube anemone, with tentacles about 10cm long and a good 1cm thick. As they waved about gathering food they seemed to be luminescent and the colours changed, giving it a very ghostly feeling. I’ve seen many anemone before but never one like this:
After about 40min in the water I was shivering and headed back, as I swam across the 10-15 wide sandy patch between the reef and the beach I spied a dust cloud. Or so I thought, but as I go to closer is was a shoal of Common Toadfish. These fish were almost perfectly hidden, other than a distinct brown band along their sides and their dark eyes. Mostly swimming in unison darting this way and that but when you got to close they would go in all directions, before coming back together and starting over again:
On Sunday we had an early start, it was forecast to be hot and four of us decided to head out for a climb at Willyabrup. The morning wasn’t colourful due to an amazing sunrise or the language, it rarely is. But Wiggins had brought his new rope and every time you looked over it seemed to glow! He climbed with Rongy and I climbed with Denis, and not surprisingly we were the first at the crag. Racked up and bagging routes by 5:30:
We had already managed a few climbs, on the surprisingly wet and greasy rock, before the next group turned up. They comprised a small contingency of army boys, some camouflage gear was in tow with them but the climbing gear they used was the normal stuff we use. I make mention of that as I have in the UK come across the army training, and all their gear was black with not one piece of shiny metal showing:
Each of us took turns on lead. Denis who almost didn’t come along found himself on the floppy end more than he expected, as I had already picked out a few bolted climbs he would feel more comfortable on, never having led on trad. Every time we looked over at the others it seemed like the bright orange and yellow rope was fake and had been drawn into the view:
Despite the less than favourable conditions we kept going, and also pushed the grade with each successive lead. There were a few slips here and there but nothing serious and all falls were on second until Denis’s last lead. His arms were obviously tiring and he was making the most of every chance to rest and shake out. Towards the top things got spicy and he took a couple of good falls, after misreading the climb and wandering up the (too) hard way. That said he stuck at it and figured out the best way to go, and was deservedly very happy afterwards:
For the last climbs we eased off the pace, the temperature was creeping up and the humidity was rising with it. Steve you’ll be very pleased to know the tri-cam you donated as fixed gear to the traverse on Sirius is still there, and was used by Rongy. We had a rap rope hanging down the wall but we didn’t stop to bash your piece anymore. So it remains there for the next party who lead this route:
For our last climb I plumped for the longest at the crag, one that I really enjoy but many people find disturbing. The bottom corner with its rounded holds and occasional brittle limestone coating puts many people off. But with good bridging it is very cool and despite the sticky conditions felt really good this time. As we finished off our last lines a good number of other people turned up. So as we were packing up and walking out they were just about to start climbing, just as the sun started to hit most of the crag. More fool them I say:
It was a hot walk out and Lou/Glen you should have come as on the way home we stopped at the Shed markets in Busselton…
Sandbagged 