After our failed attempt to get to Cosy Corner, Howsie and I decided we would try again. Last week we changed our plans at the last minute and went to Bob’s Hollow. This was due to a front heading south. Possibly being driven by a tropical low forming off the coast of northern Western Australia, over the Indian Ocean. During the week the front continued to strengthen, resulting in Tropical Cyclone Sean. While it never made landfall, a few days back it wreaked havoc along the Pilbara coast and inland. And our usual summer weather in the south west took a dive:
Every day this week has felt hot and heavy. I leave for work at 5:30, by which time the temperate had already reached the mid to high twenties. Then on the way home around mid-afternoon the mercury hit the mid-thirties, and at times tippled over forty. Having lived in Alice Springs for quite a few years, I can tolerate these temperatures. However, the relative humidity has also been driven up and has sat round 70-90% all week. And this is something I really struggle to deal with, and I am not alone with this:
It is claimed the majority of people can manage a relative humidity level of 30% to 50%. Anything above will start to get uncomfortable. Relative humidity is a measure of the percentage of moisture air can retain without condensation forming. Therefore, at higher humidity levels the ability for our sweat to evaporate reduces. This is the key way our bodies cool us down and when it does not work it results in us feeling hot, even if the temperature may not be considered high. However, relative humidity does not take account of temperature or pressure:
Therefore, and because temperature and pressure can affect the ability of air to hold moisture, relative humidity can be misleading. A more accurate metric, which does take account of temperature and pressure, is the dew point. Interestingly, it is not a value that most weather apps will provide. Regardless of the metric you use, and don’t be fooled by the clear looking skies in the images so far, today was muggy. Very muggy. In addition to sweat not evaporating this led to damp conditions, making the holds on the permeable rock we were climbing on today feel very slick:
As we walked to the first route we spied a pair of Rock Parrots (Neophema petrophila), two images up. These birds favour rocky islands and coastal dune areas, and unlike other grass parrots they nest in burrows or rocky crevices mostly on offshore islands. The name petrophila comes from two Ancient Greek words of petros and philos meaning ‘rock’ and ‘loving’. It would be a good name for Howsie and I. Despite the mugginess, we were stoked to be out climbing once more. And it is a good job, as the first climb proved to be very challenging in the conditions:
Sink and Swim is a climb that Craig put up just over eighteen years back. I feel confident to say I have climbed it more than anyone else, but every time the person I have been out with has been frothing to lead the route. As such I’ve always been on second. It may be reasonable to say that on a traverse the second is at just as much at risk, due to the rope not being above you but to the side. However, on this route there are a couple of higher placements that protect the second. Plus the energy required to find and place the gear makes the lead more demanding:
Today I was keen to get on the sharp end, as Howsie has lead it before with me on second. This 15m horizontal traverse has lots of slopey hand holds and smeary foot holds, and today they were very insecure. This played with my head, and the sweat seeping out of my palms just added to the insecurity of the already insecure feeling holds. I wasn’t going to give up and pushed on, but did concede to needing to have a rest along the way. Both to sort my head out and let my forearms recover. It was by far the worse conditions I’ve been on it:
As such I’m keen to jump on it again when the air is drier. The conditions today dictated what we did, and as the day wore on the grades of the lines we did dropped. No matter as we really are both petrophila. The routes were great fun and the positions were epic. The extra damp air did however draw out a few more insects, being attracted by the moisture. In the first image, and as we walked in, we came across a Mallee Grass Mantis (Archimantis sobrina). It watched us carefully, as it stood its ground while swaying gently back and forth:
The next bug is an Orange-spotted Ladybird (Orcus australasiae). Distinguished by what looks black, but is in fact a dark green wing covers with six orange dots. The cover acts like a helmet, should predators come along such as ants. Pulling its legs and antenna under the protective cover, and dropping its body to the ground. The final insect being a Shield Bug (Ocirrhoe unimaculata), these are also known as Stink Bugs. This name is given to them due to the unpleasant odour they can emit from glands in their abdomen should they feel threatened:
Clouds rolled in and with them came the occasional shower, and while we didn’t feel threatened by this we did seek shelter at one time. Hiding under a capping rock with our feet dangled over the edge. Just to the side a Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) perched and watched, maybe wondering what we are up too. A good question as with the swell, occasional showers, and water hanging in the air we were going to, and did, get wet. Our perch did however provide us with a wonderful view, and a moment to take it in:
Sandbagged 