For quite a while now a couple of work colleagues and I have been trying to organise a date to get out on rock. All three of them have young families so it has been somewhat tricky but we eventually plumped for this weekend, which suited three out of the four of us. Sam has been out with me a few times now, but Pat had yet to sample the delights of climbing. We had to watch the clock, as needs to happen that bit more with young families, so we opted for a trip to Castle Rock. Offering a shorter walk-in and some good introductory low grade lines. I offered Lou to join us, but she hinted it was a tad too early for her:
Some of her gear did however make it out with us, as she loaned it to us for Pat to use so thank you for that. It was a great choice for many reasons. This included Sam not having climbed here before and Pat, until today, ever having visited this particularly beautiful part of the South West, which is nestled in the Meelup Regional Park. As you may have picked up on, we got an early start and were rewarded by a glorious view of the sun radiating through the clouds that were starting to disperse. And as soon as we arrived at the crag I got super excited when I spotted a whale a mere 1-200m off the shoreline, and I set off like a mountain goat scampering across the rocks to get a closer look:
It was so very tempting to jump in the water and swim out to the whale. However, with the sun as low as it still was, the light would not be penetrating the water enough plus I didn’t have a snorkel mask with me. Then I almost ignored both of these reason not to go in when I realised it was a mother and calf, who stayed in the same general area for the entire time we were at the crag. There was the occasional bit of flipper and tail action and this allowed Sam to deduce that it was a Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis), which I have now read are well known for using the bays along this coastline to protect their young:
I eventually wandered back to the boys and the crag, when I was again distracted. This time by the above Eastern Osprey (Pandion haliaetus cristatus). The species and subspecies names coming from the Greek and Latin words of haliaietos and cristatus, meaning ‘sea eagle’ (noting that actual sea eagles are a different genus to osprey) and ‘crested’ in reference to the clearly visible stiff tuft of feathers at the nape. As I inched closer it looked me straight in the eye, just for a brief moment and after that it didn’t pay me any further attention not even when got within five meters of it:
I left the Eastern Osprey perched on the boulder and finally got back. Sam is used to my, at times, overly exuberant response to nature’s marvels. And while Pat had an inclination about it before today, he now fully appreciates just how much of a kick I get out of such sights. This also made it clear that climbing, for me, was just one part of being out here. Luckily it was the same for them, that said we had come here to give Pat a taste of climbing so that is what we did. I was not aware of Pat’s fear of heights before today, it was something he had considered but felt he would be OK about it due to the ropes and intention of going easy:
However after sending Sam on lead up the fun Cornflakes, the exposure of the flake out on an arête was just too much for Pat’s brain. He gave it a go and a third of the way up his anxiety got the better of him forcing him to retreat. The good news being that he was not completely put off. So we found an easier line and, more importantly, one that was in a more secure and less exposed position. Pat seemed to be more keenly observing Sam as he led the route, taking note of the holds and how he climbed it. He then followed up, and while he had to sort himself out a bit half way up, he managed to get up the route:
It was great to see him overcome the battle that was obviously raging in his brain. His movements were not what I would call smooth, and at times he looked very conflicted but overcame that and was smiling we he got up. He was however happy to take a break to collect his thoughts and allow his heartrate to return back to normal. This left Sam and I to tackle a slightly more challenging line, one Sam had spotted and was drawn too without any encouragement form me. Above he can be seen as he floated up Pursuits to clock up the highest graded lead he’s done to date, after which Pat was keen for more action:
We picked another similar fun and short unnamed line, and this time he looked way more relaxed making far smoother movements and not needing to stop and sort himself out. The morning had been somewhat disrupted by all the whale watching, which included what we believe may have been a pod of Pygmy Whale based on their size. Therefore, time was catching up with us, but before we left we had a bash at Smear to Glory. And in the interest of time Sam suggested I lead. Pat decided this one looked a bit too spicy for him, but he has not been put off and said he is keen to come out again:
Sandbagged 