Howsie’s thoughts about me

I first met Krish, probably in 2008 or 09 which was the year I moved back to Bunbury after Uni. I had a little exposure to climbing, mostly top-roping at Churchmans Brook, bouldering at Blackwall Reach and indoor climbing at Rockface (sorry this isn’t about me is it).

I discovered the PCYC in Bunbury and quickly made an appearance down there. Here I found Krish very welcoming and encouraging, not just towards myself, but to any newcomer to the gym – anyone who went there would agree. Krish worked really hard to keep that place alive and he was definitely part of the energy that was felt there, and that we all miss now.

We managed to get outdoors a few times over that period but the real chance I got to form the relationship with Krish was our 5 day adventure to the South Coast with Rongy and Andrew. This opened my eyes to the humbling crags and also was my first real taste of a multi-day adventure on the rock and allowed me to form solid relationships with the three guys. It also exposed me to Krish’s incredible efficiency and planning. In the weeks leading up to the trip there were multiple emails with lists and spreadsheets, arranging the gear list and the ‘who-brings-what’ as well as our itinerary nailed!  

In 2016 Krish and I worked in the same building. This allowed us to indulge in weekly before-work visits to Welly Dam. We barely missed a week, rain, hail or shine and we got to see each other perform on good days, bad days and otherwise in all conditions – the routes stayed the same but the human dynamics are huge. I think this gave us a great opportunity not only to get fit together but to develop a good respect for each other on and off the rock.

Krish has indulged my little challenges I like to set myself, including my desire to get to a new crag each year. This has taken us off on a few weekend missions to new places where we’ve been able to work through the adventures that come along with entering new crags for the first time. Together we find a good balance of enthusiasm and ‘sensibleness’ so that we always make it out unscathed to climb another day.

What it’s like climbing with Krish: The obvious one is his incredible enthusiasm for the activity. It is hard not to get caught up in his immense passion for everything about climbing. He’s always up for challenges, adventures and diversity. Krish’s energy and efficiency is also something which I enjoy. I know when at the crag, we will maximise every minute which both suits my needs (having family life to return to) and gives me maximum enjoyment.

Krish also has a knack for reading peoples patterns and body language. He can tell when you are at certain limits in energy, confidence or otherwise and he throws just the right amount of ‘encouragement’ at you to make you try things you didn’t think you could. This may be calling out ‘come on’ while you are struggling at a crux or he may actually be physically clipping gear to your harness and tying your figure eight for you when you haven’t actually decided whether you are going to try the route or not!!

One thing I’m used to is looking down from the first few metres of a route and seeing the absence of a belayer… a quick glance to the nearest vantage point and there you’ll find him happily snapping away with his camera. Better yet, he may even rig up complex systems so that he can safely belay you from said vantage point!

That said, Krish has a very caring nature, he likes to ensure everyone’s needs are met. Sometimes to his detriment, he cares too much and will take it personally if things don’t go particularly well at the crag. You can see this in the way he sticks by people who have suffered injury like Lou and Steve, Krish checks in regularly and helps wherever he can. Lastly, his ability to capture the ‘vibe’ of a climbing trip and present it in a story is impressive and I’ve enjoyed reading about his adventures (even the ones I’m not on) and look forward to many more.