It is a rare thing to have to scrape the ice of the windscreen where we live, but today it happened. First light was trickling in from the horizon but not enough to be able to clearly see the amazing patterns nature creates using ice, and the waning crescent moon didn’t help the cause. Not only was it a tad dark but it was also a mere one degree just before seven, as Lisa walked down to the beach for her weekend cold water dip and I got into the comfort of my car. Needless to say the heater went on, something Lisa didn’t have the luxury of being able to do:
I’m impressed that she still goes for her cold water dip. The Peppy Plungers, as they are known, would by now have ceased the ritual a while back in previous years. Lisa has however managed to keep a few of them going for longer than they normally would. This morning was a bit more of a struggle for her, as she could hear the waves suggesting that getting in would be that bit more of a struggle. The height of the tide is of course related to the position of the moon and because it is waning, or getting smaller, we are very close to a new moon and spring tide:
The term spring tide has nothing to do with the seasons, and is instead related to the concept of the tide “springing forth”. This happens twice a month when the moon lines up with the earth and sun, and when it finds itself sandwiched between the earth and sun the gravitational pull of the sun and moon join forces resulting in a stronger spring tide. This lined up with Lisa’s observation, based on the audible cue, that the tide was up and indeed it was. They struggled to make it past the waves this morning but still plunged into the balmy 18 degree water:
The waves at our destination were also up. Clean, crisp, and almost orderly looking waves that crested beautifully with a trailing white mane, as they rolled into the bay. The wave washed beach was covered with smooth sand, devoid of tracks for us to identify unlike my visit here with Josh just a few weeks back. And after the main beach, the small bay before we got to the rocks proper, where Josh and I had found a second set of Bandicoot tracks, there was no sand left. The strong spring tide no doubt having played a part in taking it all out to sea or moving it a bit further along the coast:
Despite the lack of sand in the small bay, and high spring tide, we managed to avoid testing the water temperature by skirting the rock between the sets of waves. After which we stood atop the outcrop looking back at the waves marching into the main bay. We were not in a rush but when we arrived at the main face it was finally down to business. Howsie is back in town after a three month road trip so he set off up the cold to touch and wet rock. It was not cold enough to turn his fingers blue, his nails had rather been painted by his kids, and the rock here can never be too wet to counter the great friction on offer:
While Lisa was no doubt trying to warm up her core temperature back home, we didn’t have that problem. After the walk in and then our first climb the blood was circulating heat round our bodies nicely. Howsie’s family road trip had not included any climbing, so he had picked Moses to ease himself back into things. The place also suited Sarah and Rob, who had both joined us today for a bit of mid to low grade fun. But they were, like us, also just coming out to enjoy the stunning location and allow it to clear the head:
After a couple of routes on the main wall we wandered over to a small buttress that would offer some good lines for Rob to lead. This happened to be above an elevated rock pool, which has a reasonable vertical drop into the sink. On days like this, the good sized waves hit this wall and tower into the sky, adding to the dampness on the rock but staying just far enough away to make it a safe location. As Rob and Howsie were on lead, one wave did however surprise Sarah and myself getting that bit closer than any of the others we witnessed:
Oblivious of the action behind us, they climbed on enjoying the friendly feel of the rock. I’ve often have, and will continue to refer to Moses as a friendly place. It is not only the rounded, smooth, and high friction rock, but also the general feel the place gives me, and others. Simply put it feels welcoming, and today I picked up on something else that I have either not noticed or paid any attention to before. The occasional pocket of garnet, blood red crystals contrasted against the brighter quartz veins that cut across the grey speckled gneiss, which is the predominant rock of these formations:
The appearance and size of garnet crystals can vary massively, as can its value from practical nothing to $130,000 per gram. I’m pretty sure that the ones here at Moses Rocks are very much at the lower end of the spectrum. They are however still very pretty to see and due to the deep red colour people, since the old days, connected this crystal to the heart. Believing, amongst other things, that it could counter deep or serious thoughts of sadness. It has also been known as the gem of faith, with some believing that those wearing it and doing good would have more good befall them:
Certainly today, being at Moses Rocks, all of us could feel nothing but happiness to be here. We also had to have faith in the holds, which while not sharp or painfully did need you put complete trust in friction. Also Rob went that bit further than expected and led three climbs, while Sarah while doubting at times managed to follow us up every line. Not that I am claiming that it is down to crystal healing, but the presence of garnet here does tie in nicely to how I have felt about and described this particular crag since I first visited it nearly twenty three years back:
Sandbagged 